07 Sep Kid Friendly Bath Remodel Ideas

Family friendly design is baked into everything we do here at down2earth interior design. As a mom myself, I’m always looking for design solutions that are fun, but also durable, practical, and low maintenance. Scroll down to the bottom to find 6 essential elements you will want to incorporate if you’re remodeling your kids’ bathroom.

Photography by Rebecca McAlpin

First, let’s talk color and practicality. You can bet that when it was time to redesign my own kids’ bathroom, I took a fiercely practical approach – but one that also captures the exuberance of youth in a way that can grow with them, and in a way that is timeless so that the adult residents can enjoy the space long after their childhoods end.

I started by thinking about black and white bathrooms, because this is such a classic choice and our master bath uses this color combination.

However, I also wanted to introduce a bold element – something more youthful and unique. The classic look is perfect for the grownups in the house, but this bathroom was meant to reflect the energy and spunk my kids bring to the world. What better way to add energy than some strong accents in a bold yellow.

The yellow I went with speaks of school buses and orange juice – sort of a little bit of orange mixed in there. I will admit that before the tile was grouted, there was even a hint of Big Bird!

Tiling in progress

Fortunately, the feather effect went away once the grouting was complete.

Photography by Rebecca McAlpin. Black and white tile from Fireclay Tile and Yellow tile from Mercury Mosaics.

Photography by Rebecca McAlpin

I’m thrilled with the color choices because I think they tie the classic black and white together with something so fresh and energetic, but the real family friendly elements are not so visually obvious. Here I’ll walk you through the practical side of designing a family friendly bathroom.

6 Things You Need to Make a Family Friendly Bathroom

1. Lots of storage space low down where small people can reach it – hence the drawers in the vanity.

Photography by Rebecca McAlpin

2. Easy to clean counters – the one shown on the vanity above is made of one piece of porcelain and incorporates the sink with no seams, so super easy to clean.

Photo courtesy of Amy Cuker

3. Outlets! I used a medicine cabinet that has outlets right inside. This allows for the kids to plug in an electric toothbrush or irrigator – important if they need to keep braces clean. I used this medicine cabinet from Robern:

Profiles medicine cabinet from Robern.

It comes equipped with a power outlet on the inside:

Profiles medicine cabinet with outlet by Robern

4. No slip floors – see the small size of the tile in the image below? Small tile like this is typically sold by the sheet and has lots of grout lines. Grout gives your foot somewhere to grip. So even if the kids forget to keep the shower curtain liner inside the shower and drip a little bit, we’ve minimized the slipping hazard.

Photography by Rebecca McAlpin

5. Monogrammed towels keep things straight – nothing more gross than wiping your mouth where your brother just wiped his, am I right?

6. Grab bars. A principal of universal design is that when we design for those with limited strength or mobility, we’re really improving the interior environment for everyone. That grab bar is handy for anyone needing a little more stability getting in and out of the shower or tub, and in particular, it will be nice to have there since I intend to age in place in the house and will use the tub once the boys move out. All the more reason that it was important to choose decorative elements that were fun but not childish.

Are you facing a bathroom remodel? Looking for family-friendly renovation ideas? We’re experts and would love to help. Simply complete the Talk to Us form on our website and we’ll be in touch!