Alcove-An alcove bathtub refers to a drop-in bathtub surrounded by three walls and one open side. This bathtub style is ideal for smaller bathrooms as these bathtubs are designed to take as little space as possible.
Corner-A corner bathtub is a 3 or 5 sided bathtub that is designed to fit into a corner. This allows the bathtub to fit into an area where a standard rectangular tub will not fit.
Drop-in-A drop-in bathtub is a bathtub that is placed into a pre-existing ingress or platform. Compared to a freestanding bathtub that stands on it’s own, a drop-in bathtub needs to be installed with support structures such as surrounding walls or some anchor point to the ground.
Walk-in-A walk-in bathtub is a soaking style bathtub where the user is meant to walk in and sit inside. The primary focus of a walk-in bathtub is to provide access to those with limited mobility. These style bathtubs are equipped with handlebars and grips to assist the user with entering and exiting the tub.
Whirlpool-A whirlpool is a bathtub that has multiple powered jets. These jets are powered through air or water and designed to provide therapeutic muscle relief.
Free Standing-A freestanding sink is a sink that can stand on its own and is constructed from a single piece of material that turns into a base. Sometimes referred to as a “pedestal” sink, these sinks are ideal for bathrooms that want the look of a vanity but don’t have the space.
Wall Mounted-Wall mounted sinks are sinks that are anchored to a wall. This style is ideal for smaller bathrooms as a wall mount helps to free up available space in your bathroom.
Countertop: A countertop sink comprises a sink basin that sits on a counter. This style is unique as it has more height than the average sink, preventing excess water from spilling out of the basin itself, and is generally more spacious in its design.
Marble-A marble countertop is a classic bathroom fixture. Marble suits a bathroom aesthetic well, blending elegant tones and providing a unique countertop for your sink.
Undermount-An undermount sink is a sink that is installed under your counter, so the rim of the sink is never visible. This sink style is ideal if you want a more seamless counter without dealing with the edge of your sink.
Ramp-A ramp sink has a sloped interior in place of a traditional sink bowl. This slope forms the sink’s interior, providing a more sleek and modern look.
3. Toilets
Toilets are available in various styles to suit individual flushing needs. Some toilets offer more aggressive flushing methods than others, while some don’t require water.
Here are the common types of toilets and their unique functions:
Dual-Flush-Dual flush toilets work by incorporating a flushing mechanism that regulates water to flush solid and liquid waste separately. This means that you can control how much water you use per flush, ultimately saving you money on your water bill.
Wall-Mounted-A wall mounted toilet is a toilet that is installed and anchored to a wall. While they may be difficult to install, once placed, they can drastically improve the amount of space available to you.
Gravity-One of the most common toilets in homes today, a gravity flush toilet is a toilet that uses gravity to flush instead of water. Water rushes through when the handle is pushed, forcing waste into the drain system.
Waterless: A waterless toilet or “dry” toilet is essentially a toilet that functions as a compost chamber. The toilet collects waste in a separate, well-ventilated area, allowing wind and heat from the sun to handle the waste and eventually turn it into a compost-like substance.
Double-Cyclone-The double cyclone is a flushing system designed by Toto which disperses the water through 2 separate nozzles, resulting in a swirl motion in the bowl, which provides a more thorough rinsing and flushing cycle in the toilet. The nozzles are faced sideways to allow water to hit the bowl’s surface, which creates the cleaning vortex.
Pressure-assisted-A pressure-assisted toilet uses not only gravity but air pressure to help flush itself. This type of toilet has a secondary plastic tank, known as a pressure vessel, inside the main tank. This means that the tank is always pressurized, so the water is forcefully ejected with the air when you flush. The only drawback to these toilets is that they tend to be much louder than gravity flush systems.
4. Faucets
While not as glamorous as bathtubs or lighting, faucets play a key role in tying your bathroom’s theme together. Choosing the best bathroom faucet brand can enhance both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your space.
Here are some common faucet varieties that fit in just about any home:
Bridge-A bridge faucet is a faucet where a horizontal connector pipe joins the hot and cold handles. The pipe forms a “bridge” between the hot and cold water lines, thus the name.
Single-Hole-A single-hole faucet is installed on a single hole on a sink or vanity’s back. These faucets usually only have a single handle, lever or knob to control water flow and temperature.
Wall-Mounted-A wall-mounted faucet has the faucet installed on the wall. This design provides more free space while making your bathroom appear more modern and stylish.
Vessel-Vessel faucets are tall faucet types meant to pair with vessel sinks. They have a unique height that makes them ideal pairings for just about any sink. In addition, vessel faucets generally have a single handle design for ease of use.
Centerset-A center set faucets are generally one continuous piece with the handles and spout attached so it is much easier to install. Centerset faucets have three mounting holes, one for each tap in addition to the spout in the middle.
Widespread-Widespread faucet design places separate hot and cold handles independent of the spout. All three are installed separately, which provides greater installation flexibility.
5. Lighting
Nothing quite establishes the mood of your bathroom more than decorative lighting. Here are some lighting varieties to help bring more flair and atmosphere to your bathroom.
Vanity Lights-Vanity lighting consists of any light installed over a sink, usually flanking either side of a mirror.
Ceiling Lights-Ceiling lights are lights that are installed and hanging on your ceiling.
Wall Sconces-A very classic design, wall scones are reminiscent of candle-lit torches and old-style lanterns. A wall sconce has its lighting placed on the wall in a protective cover.
Recessed Lights-Recessed lights are fixtures that are installed in the ceiling. This is done to save space as the lighting fixtures flush your ceiling instead of hanging like traditional lights.
Pendant Lights-A pendant light is a light that is suspended by a cord, chain or metal rod. These lights are great for providing illumination and adding a modern flair to your home.
LED Lights-LED lights are highly energy-efficient lightbulbs that can both provide illumination and bring some color to your bathroom as well. In addition, since LED lights tend to burn bright, they can help highlight areas of your bathroom more prominently. Choosing the right wattage for bathroom lighting is essential to ensure you achieve the perfect balance between brightness and energy efficiency.
6. Wall-mount Cabinets
Storage is necessary for all bathroom sizes, no matter how big or small.
Here are some ways you can add storage to your bathroom, regardless of how much space is available:
Wall-mounted medicine cabinet-A wall mounted medicine cabinet is a great way to create storage for your bathroom.
Wall-mounted cabinet with glass door-A cabinet with a glass door will allow you to see items in your cabinet without having to open it. It’s aesthetic is also nice for helping to keep your bathroom organized as well as have a modern touch.
Louvered cabinet-The opposite of having glass doors is a louvered cabinet. A louvered cabinet is a wooden cabinet style with horizontal fixed slats that provide ventilation and keep your contents private.
Vanity cabinet-Using the existing space, vanities can also be used for storage, whether anchored or wall-mounted. It is very common for vanities to have storage capabilities as there is a fair bit of unused space inside them.
Linen Cabinet-A linen cabinet is designed to help store your linens and similar items. If you have the space, this is a great way to help organize individual aspects of your bathroom.
7. Mirrors
No bathroom is complete without a reliable set of mirrors. Bathroom mirrors in style come in various shapes and designs to suit any home.
Lighted Mirror-A lighted mirror places lights around the mirror itself. This is useful for night trips to the bathroom to help you get your bearings, but it also provides a solid visual flair for your bathroom.
Framed Mirror-Framing your mirror is a great way to elevate the look and feel of your mirror and tie it into the aesthetic of your bathroom. Framing your mirror can help transform your bathroom into a more classic design or create a more modern feel.
Frameless Mirror-Frameless mirrors are still quite standard and excellent for any bathroom looking to save space. A frameless mirror is simply any mirror without a frame that can be placed anywhere in your bathroom.
Ledge Mirror-A ledge mirror has a lip or protrusion towards the bottom. This lip helps store and place items and provides more stability to the mirror.
Medicine Cabinet Mirror-A very common mirror as it utilizes an existing storage space without any drawback. Placing a mirror on your medicine cabinet is also helpful as it allows you to inspect yourself before reaching for something you need in your cabinet.
Vanity Mirror-A vanity mirror is also very popular as it utilizes an existing space and helps tie in the rest of your vanity and counter space.
8. Towel Racks
Space is a premium for any bathroom, and towel racks will help keep your bathroom organized. Towel racks are essential to any functioning bathroom in modern and classic designs.
White bathroom towel radiator on black tiles.
Over the door towel rack-One of the most common storage areas for towels is the bathroom door. These towel racks are generally one piece and have hooks or shelves to hang your towel.
Standing towel rack-A standing towel rack is a towel rack that can stand by itself and comes in various shapes and sizes. These are easy to place anywhere in your bathroom and come in classic and modern designs.
Wall-mounted towel rack-If there isn’t room in your bathroom, a wall-mount is another popular option, giving you a great amount of flexibility in storing your towels on the wall.
Towel rack shelf-Towel rack shelves are wall-mounted towel racks with a small protrusion for holding towels. They provide a minimalist look without losing any functionality.
9. Shelves
Keep your bathroom organized while providing vibrancy and flair. Shelves are available in various materials that help pair with any style.
Shelving Materials
Wood-Wood bathroom shelves are commonly constructed from almost any wood available, with solid wood, plywood, or medium-dense fiberboard (MDF) being the most common. When selecting a wood variant for your shelf, you want to avoid softwood such as cedar and stick to hardwood. In addition, no wood is entirely waterproof and the material is porous, so it’s important to inspect the material and maintain it regularly.
Glass-Glass shelves are commonly made with tempered glass and help to bring a minimalist touch to your bathroom. The glass is tough, durable, scratch-resistant, and requires little maintenance. In addition, compared to wood and metal shelving, glass is one of the easiest to clean.
Ceramic-ceramic shelves are constructed from ceramic or similar material fired at high temperatures to harden the material and then smoothed out with a glaze. The glaze not only helps protect the ceramic but also gives it an attractive shine.
Metal-Metal shelves are made of sturdy materials such as stainless steel and aluminum alloy that react minimally with the humid condition of the bathroom. They can be finished in bronze, antique, black, white, and almost any color scheme you desire.
Styles of Shelves
Storage shelf-Storage shelves are designed to help declutter and organize your bathroom. They feature multiple compartments and levels to help organize and place your bathroom accessories, such as towels or toiletries. Open shelves are meant for storing accessories and decorative items, whereas closed shelves are ideal for cleaning supplies, soap, and shampoo.
Floating-Floating shelves are small shelves fixed and mounted to your wall. They help to free up space in your bathroom so that it appears less cluttered. They can be either a single piece or have multiple pieces to create a focal point.
10. Bidets
Although not as common, bidets still enjoy a comfortable place in many bathrooms and are suited for a wide range of different styles.
Regardless of your bathroom size, there is a bidet that can fit your lifestyle and preference:
Standalone Bidet-A standalone bidet is a specialized fixture for washing the under areas of your body. Intended to be used after the toilet, the bidet sprays a stream of water to help clean up after use. A standalone bidet is just a bidet that is installed near the toilet for easy access.
Bidet-Toilet Combo-A bidet and toilet combo combine the two functionalities of a toilet and a bidet. These combination toilets are generally designed with modern sensibilities, so they are sleek and minimalistic in their appearance.
Electric Bidet Seat-An electric bidet seat is a toilet seat connected to the water supply and an electrical supply to provide luxury functionalities such as warm or heated water for bidet use. The seat itself can also function as a warmer of sorts.
Non-Electric Bidet Seat-A non-electric bidet seat is an attachment for your toilet with a spray nozzle. The spray nozzle usually has hot and cold options and can be adjusted at any time for ease of use.
Handheld Bidet Sprayer-A hand-held bidet shower nozzle that sprays water through a portable container.
11. Showers
Showers are fairly unique fixtures in that they can be heavily personalized based on lifestyle preferences.
Here are the most common shower types: many styles and size preferences.
Prefabricated Shower-As its name suggests, a prefabricated shower is a shower that already comes pre-assembled. The advantage of this shower type is that everything is finished, so the shower simply needs to be installed which can be down in several hours when compared to several days for an entirely new shower.
Custom Shower-A custom shower offers complete design freedom in what an individual wants for their shower. From the design of the shower, to all the material used, every aspect of a custom shower is up to the customer. The largest drawback to this style of shower is that the price is perhaps the highest compared to most showers on the market.
Walk-in Shower-A walk-in shower is a shower that is flush with the rest of your bathroom floor and has no tub or curb to step over. Another defining characteristic of a walk-in shower is the lack of a door or curtain.
Rainfall Shower: A rainfall shower refers to a specific showerhead that sprays water vertically. This showerhead mimics rainfall and is ideal for any shower that wants to experiment with different showerhead designs.
Rectangular Shower-A rectangular shower is a shower with a rectangular enclosure. Due to the shape of the enclosure, it is more symmetrical than a triangular enclosure and fits in a large variety of bathroom styles.
Neo-Angle Shower-A neo-angle shower enclosure is a type of corner shower door. This enclosure has three glass sides and two wall enclosures that meet to form a diamond shape.
Common Questions About Bathroom Fixtures
What is a bathroom fixture?
A bathroom fixture is a permanent feature of your bathroom connected through wires or plumbing. Therefore, you cannot easily or freely move fixtures without renovation work.
Do all bathroom fixtures need to match?
No, your fixtures do not need to match. But matching fixtures can help create a strong mood enhancer when you use the bathroom. In addition, matching fixtures to fit a particular style creates an atmosphere, whether relaxing, calming, or energetic. So experiment with your fixtures to create an atmosphere right for you.
What is the difference between bathroom fixtures and fitting?
A bathroom fixture is a permanent feature of your bathroom that cannot be easily removed without renovation work. A bathtub, shower, or sink are examples of fixtures. On the other hand, a bathroom fitting is a feature of your bathroom that is added to your fixtures. They can be easily moved or removed. A toilet seat, soap dispenser, or shower curtains are examples of fittings.
As you can see, there are many options to choose from. So no matter what type of bathroom you want, there are fixtures and fittings available to transform it how you see fit.
Eric is the founder and president of Badeloft USA. He has been the president of Badeloft’s US division for over ten years and oversees all marketing and branding aspects of Badeloftusa.com. His expertise lies in small business development, sales, and home and bathroom industry trends and information.
