7 Clever Ways To Create a Kid-Friendly Bathroom

Vintage charm for bathrooms is very beguiling, but those bathrooms weren’t designed with kids in mind. The tubs are too deep – yikes! The marble floors are too slippery, and the washbowls are too high.
Frankly, the bathroom gets a real workout with children, from tub games to teeth brushing. There need to be some durable fixtures, easy-wipe surfaces and simple storage space. Lest we forget, kids grow, and toddler accessories become inconveniences for older children.

Here are a few great ideas from Lang’s Kitchen & Bath for bathroom design that work for all sizes.

 

Easy-to-clean, non-slip surfaces
Larger tiles are recommended for child-friendly bathrooms. These tiles have fewer grout joints to clean. Check out the surfaces before you buy to make sure they are not slick when wet.

Kid-friendly vanity
Here’s a conundrum. If the vanity is too high, kids are always standing on their tip-toes to reach it. This tactic could lead to falling into the nearest hard object. That’s not fun for the parent or child. On the other hand, making the vanity shorter becomes an issue when the child grows taller. A clever solution is to create a standard-size countertop with a lift-out step in a bottom drawer.

Kid-friend tub
Make it easier to climb in and out by including a step down into the basin. An extra bar for grip and a hand-held shower head are handy as well. Faucets with valves that prevent scalding are great safety features that do the job for older kids, too.

Transitional toilet
That great white throne can be pretty intimidating, especially for a little person. A step stool and potty seat can make all the difference from a toddler’s perspective, yet these accessories are not permanent.

Toy Takeover
Open storage looks a bit messy. Instead, consider built-in vanity cupboards that hide everything with a shove to the doors. A cute toy box can hold more towels and more toys, of course.

Knobless drawers
Kids’ fingers grip D-handle levers and pulls better than knobs. Add soap to hands and knob frustration will mount.

Towel rings and hooks
If the towel is hard to hang, it will be dropped to the floor. Rings and hooks can easily be replaced by bars when kids get older.

It’s fun to get caught up in toddler bathroom decor, and forget that the potty-training stage doesn’t last very long. Suddenly the child is six inches taller. Fun designs that can transition as children grow lessen the need for future renovations.