Top modern bathroom suite designers

Thursday, 29 March 2012 1:37 PM

If you live in a slick city apartment or a modern house, you will want it to have a bathroom that fits in with the feel of the rest of your home. There is plenty of scope for that to happen, as there is now a range of companies that make stylish contemporary suites.

Whether you want your bathroom to look like one you would find in an upmarket hotel - complete with all the gadgets - or would prefer something a little cosier, you will find specialist retailers have lots of choice. There is a number of brands that really stand out from the crowd when it comes to the sleek modern look, so it makes sense to start the search for your new fixtures and fittings by seeing what they have to offer.

One of the best options for contemporary style is an Ideal Standard bathroom suite. The company has been making washroom equipment for more than a century and is renowned for keeping up with the latest fashions, so it will have something suitable for your home.

Its range includes everything you will need to remodel your en suite or family bathroom, from deep-bowl sinks and over-sized showers to wall units and cleverly-designed countertops, as well as the latest in tap technology.

Ideal Standard's Tonic collection is among the most modern looking on the market, with its matching basins, toilets and bidets coming in angular designs and a range of sizes to ensure they could fit into almost any space. You can also choose from rectangular baths or oval-shaped ones that slot into awkward corners.

Should you be looking for an eye-catching feature for your bathroom, make sure you consider the square basins in Ideal Standard's Create range or the company's huge Jasper Morrison-designed baths.

Before making a final decision about the new style for your room, check out the range of sleek Vitra bathroom suites available. Its Sunrise collection has some unusual sink designs, including a number designed to fit into corners and on countertops, along with some small models ideal for cloakrooms. The round bowls of the basins in the Options range also look fantastic.

Vitra makes a selection of baths that includes rectangular, corner and space-saver models, together with some designed specially to have a shower mounted over them. Choose one of these and you will not be short of modern accessories to go with it. Vitra produces a range of stylish mirrors, together with glass shelves and chrome towel rails, toilet roll holders and hooks to hang clothing on.

One thing you cannot ignore when designing a new bathroom is the taps. They make a real difference to the final look, so you should view them as an integral part of your plans, rather than choosing them as an afterthought.

Some upmarket baths and basins come with taps, but you will usually have the opportunity to choose your own. If you want them to enhance the contemporary feel of your family or en suite bathroom, take a look at the range of Vado taps available.

The Elements collection includes some mixers that combine traditional pillar designs with sleek modern curves. The wall-mounted models have a really contemporary finish, while the three-handle concealed thermostatic valves will give your shower the look of one you would find in a luxurious boutique hotel.

Things to consider when choosing a bathroom suite

Fitting a new bathroom suite will give this part of your home an instant lift, particularly if your existing fittings and fixtures look tired and worn out. However, purchasing a new set of appliances isn't something that should be done on a whim. Indeed, there are plenty of things that need to be taken into account to create a room that is functional and stylish in equal measure.

Tips for keeping on top of bathroom maintenance

Having a city-centre apartment or house certainly enables you to enjoy a chic, enviable lifestyle. If you do live in this kind of property, however, it is important to stay on top of cleaning and maintaining it. Indeed, if you are not careful it will soon start to lose its elegance, something that may prove to be particularly apparent in your bathroom.

How to make a flat's bathroom feel more spacious

A city-centre apartment is a great place to live if you want a short commute to work and would like to be within easy reach of amenities like restaurants and shops. However, the convenience that comes with such a property may mean you have to compromise a little on space. Luckily, there are many steps you can take to make your bathroom feel roomier.

Top cities to inspire your home design

There are wonderfully vibrant design hubs all over the world with styles that are waiting to be tapped into from the wonderfully rich patterns and colours of Marrakech, the chic armoires and sophisticated look of Paris all the way to the trendy loft-style ultra-modern approach often seen in New York.