Bathroom Ideas for your Self-Build

The bathroom is no longer just a functional place in the home. These spaces are now the focal points for daily rituals of self-care, relaxation, and can inject a bit of daily luxury into our lives. If you are building your own home, then you have the opportunity to reimagine your bathrooms and create the perfect spaces for you. It is important to start planning your bathrooms early in your self-build project to ensure you bring your bathroom ideas to life.

As the bathroom experts, SONAS are here to help you create the perfect self-build bathroom. Browse the top 5 bathroom planning ideas to keep in mind to ensure you get the bathroom you’ve always wanted.

The SONAS MALMO Wall Hung Unit is the perfect combination of function and style

1. Wall Hung Vs Floorstanding

The earlier you decide the layout of your bathroom products the better. If you are unsure whether you prefer a wall hung or floorstanding unit then we advise planning for a wall hung unit. By going this route in advance, you'll ensure that you fix the required support in the wall and make the plumbing suitable for either option.

The advantages of wall hung furniture are that they give the illusion of greater space and allow for easier cleaning of your floor. The SONAS furniture collection offers a wide range of wall hung vanity units in various sizes, colours, and styles for exploration. To keep all your toiletries out of sight, think about adding a wall hung storage column that can match the colour of your vanity unit.

For wash basins in a smaller bathroom, you may opt for a semi pedestal or minimalist bottle trap style washbasin like the stylish Horizon range.

Install wall hung toilets by mounting them on the wall using a sturdy fast fix frame that supports up to 400kg of weight. You can choose the preferred height for fixing your wall hung toilets, so be sure to inform your installer of your preference. You could opt for AVANTI coloured WC’s which are also available with colour matching countertop basins. Who would have thought that there is so much to consider when selecting a toilet!

2. Bath Vs Shower

If you look up ‘bathroom ideas for your self-build’ the chances are high that the first picture you see will be of a bath or shower. According to author James Hamblin, we will spend over 2 years of our life in the shower, which makes this one of the most important purchases you can make for your home. Compared to how often you’ll replace tiles, accessories, and even the toilet seat, your bath or shower will be a long lasting fixture in your bathroom, so getting it right in the first instance is crucial.

The trend of super-sized showers seems to be here to stay, as many people renovating choose to replace a bath with a larger shower. The next decision is do you opt for a walk-in shower with Wetroom Panels or a Shower Enclosure. Your space will help to determine this, and your tolerance for splashes from the shower!

Baths are still important with 90% of houses having a bath. However, baths are not the preferred daily option. According to the SONAS Big Bathroom Survey, 2023, 62% of people surveyed take a bath less than once a month.

Figuring out which is the best option for your space is easy. We recommend thinking about everyone who could potentially use the bathrooms in your home over the next 10 years and factor this into the equation.

Quite often baths are used mostly by children or even your cherished pooch! You may choose to go for a smaller bath in this instance.

Pictured here is the SONAS ABYSS Contemporary Freestanding Bath in Custom Colour

3. Eco Solutions

A self-build property is the perfect opportunity to think about sustainability in your home. Your energy and water consumption can be one of the biggest headaches to figure out, but SONAS have done the leg work for you.

As a member of the Unified Water Label, SONAS are committed to offering a wide range of water-saving bathroom products. Newly launched sustainable SONAS ranges include the ALITA Basin Mixers and Showers, and the PEÑA and VIA Low Flush Toilets. All these products have achieved the top Green Band certification by the Unified Water Label. By opting for these SONAS water-saving products, a typical home with 4 people can reduce their annual water consumption by 100,000 litres!

ALITA Showers: You can now reduce your shower water consumption without reducing your time in the shower. The average shower uses 12 litres of water per minute, but SONAS ALITA Exposed Shower Kits are supplied with optional 6 litre per minute flow restrictors halving the amount of water used during a shower.

ALITA & LUTA Taps: Unlike traditional basin mixers, the new ALITA and LUTA Taps have pre-fitted aerators which produce a gentle, air infused splash-free water flow. When integrated into the spout this technology reduces your water usage by up to 58%, saving water every time you turn the tap on.

The ALITA Tap range also features Cold Start Technology, which means only cold water is delivered when the tap lever is turned on in the centre position. This is thanks to a cold start cartridge that is integral to the ALITA Basin Mixer range. This reduces the energy used to heat your hot water, decreasing both CO2 emissions and energy bills, leading to a more sustainable home.

PEÑA and VIA Toilets: New SONAS PEÑA and VIA water-saving toilets are engineered to use less water than regular 6/4 litre flush toilets. These low volume dual flush toilets are operating on 4/2.6L of water. Think of all that water you are saving from going down the toilet!

A typical home with 4 people can reduce their annual water consumption by 100,000 litres with SONAS water-saving products

4. First Fix Electrics

If you are installing any products that require electricity to operate, this needs to be planned with your electrician at first fix stage.

After your ceiling lighting, the next consideration is power above your basin. If you’re looking for bathroom ideas that will help brighten your space, then an LED mirror offers the double benefit of providing light as you go about your day, while also giving the appearance that your bathroom is larger than it is. If your bathroom is on the smaller side this is particularly handy and will benefit you by making your room seem brighter and more open plan. To plan for this, the positioning of your LED mirrors needs to be decided before the first fix wiring is installed.

SONAS offers a wide choice of energy efficient LED mirrors and illuminated mirror cabinets to enhance your bathroom. Discover the new ECHO mirror range, along with the popular ASTRID and SANSA ranges that are available in your choice of colour, size and style. All SONAS mirrors are designed specifically for bathrooms, with an IP44 water ingress protection.

The new SONAS ECHO range offers stylish LED Mirrors to suit all bathroom types

To create your very own home spa to relax in, you may consider adding a bit of everyday luxury with a whirlpool bath. This is another first fix decision to consider. You should discuss this decision with your electrician before installing the first fix electrics.

5. Some Like it Hot!

If you’re looking for bathroom ideas for heating your space that maintain an appealing aesthetic in your bathroom,  then a heated towel rail is a must-have in your self-build home. Our Designer Heated Towel Rails, such as the FORGE, ASHTON and COMO, are functional devices that combine the practical benefits of a towel rail with the efficiency of a radiator to produce a striking product for your space.

When choosing heated towel rails, the first thing you should do is ask your installer about BTU (British Thermal Unit) requirements for your bathroom. This is to ensure that you have adequate heating to achieve the desired temperature in your bathroom. Heated towel rails omit less heat than radiators. Many modern homes may have another primary heat source such as underfloor heating in the bathroom. The heated towel rail is there to do exactly as it say on the tin – heat your towels and not your entire bathroom.

Another benefit to heated towel rails is that it can also add a nice touch of brassware to the space while incorporating warmth in your bathroom. Plus, we all deserve a little treat now and again. With a heated towel rail you can look forward to a luxurious bath or shower followed by a warm towel after a long day.

The SONAS FORGE Designer Heated Towel Rail is the perfect choice for your Self-Build Home

More Bathroom Ideas from SONAS

If you’re looking for more bathroom ideas for your self-build, tips and buying guides on every category click here to view the Planning My Bathroom video series with SONAS CEO Richard Sloan speaking to Lorraine Keane.

For more bathroom inspiration browse our social media channels @sonasbathrooms for bathroom inspiration. Or book a free showroom consultation today by visiting our website. Get started reimagining your self-build bathroom by booking a free showroom consultation today.

This video series from SONAS Bathrooms, featuring TV Presenter Lorraine Keane, goes through everything you need in order to plan your bathroom project