Kinds of bathroom
What the room is for.
A family bathroom, an en-suite and a downstairs cloakroom do very different jobs. Knowing what the room is for is the first step to planning it well.
- Busiest
- Family bathroom
- Most private
- En-suite
- Smallest
- Cloakroom
- Most open
- Wet room
The basics
Who uses the room, and when, shapes everything from the bath or shower to how much storage you need.
Questions to start with
Who uses it?
One person, a couple, a whole family or guests now and then.
When?
A family bathroom gets a morning rush; a guest room might sit unused for weeks.
What must it do?
Bathe children, get ready quickly, be easy to use later in life, or simply impress.
In this section 11 pages
Family bathroom
The main shared bathroom, usually with a bath, used by everyone in the home.
En-suite
A bathroom opening off a bedroom, often compact and shower-led.
Shower room
A bathroom with a shower and no bath.
Wet room
A fully waterproofed room where the shower drains through the floor, with no tray.
Cloakroom (WC)
A small room with a toilet and a basin, often downstairs.
Jack-and-Jill bathroom
One bathroom with two doors, shared between two bedrooms.
Accessible bathroom
Planned for easier, safer use, with level access and support where needed.
Loft bathroom
A bathroom in a loft conversion, planned around sloping ceilings and head height.
Basement bathroom
A below-ground bathroom, where waste often has to be pumped up to the drains.
Children's bathroom
Planned around bath time, safety and easy cleaning.
Guest bathroom
Used now and then, so it can lean more towards looks than storage.
Planning a new bathroom?
Tell us about your room and what matters most, and we'll help you make the most of it.
Start your project briefIllustrations are concepts, not measured plans. Click any picture to enlarge it.