Creating an open plan bathroom

Leading the charge toward open plan design in the bathroom is the humble shower. Gone are the frosted-glass enclosures and sliding doors of yesteryear. Today the trend is towards walk-in showers and frameless screens. "A shower without a door is much more inviting," says Darren Genner of Minosa Design. "I like using just a blade of glass, or creating an area that's an alcove of tiles, where you walk straight in," he says.

Besides the stylish look of open plan designs, another advantage is that they require far less maintenance. By eliminating shower enclosures and opting for frameless screens or walk-in areas, you will save yourself some time when it comes to cleaning. "We're even doing glass panelling on walls now in bathrooms, instead of using tiles," says Darren

For most people, open plan might mean a walk-in shower, or streamlined fittings such as wall-hung vanities or toilets with concealed cisterns. But some people are taking it even further, incorporating their bathroom and bedroom in one living space, without walls or doors to separate them. 

"On most bathrooms you're still going to want a door," says Darren, "but in the area of parents' retreats, open plan spaces are certainly becoming very popular, and I think it's only going to grow." Darren believes this reflects a trend toward resort-style living. "If you think about when you go to a resort, the bath is always exposed, and the bedroom and bathroom are integrated," he says.

It can also be quite practical, allowing more than one person to use the space at a time. "It's kind of like with an open plan kitchen, where you've got a dual working surface; now you have areas in the bathroom where more than one person can work and do what they have to do."

Obviously an open plan bathroom is not for everyone. The idea of going about one's daily business with a partner looking on would be horrifying to many people. But Darren insists that the space can be functional without revealing too much. "You need to design cleverly, but as long as you're concealing the toilet and certain things are hidden away, it can be nice," he says.