Set up a bathroom with a sloping ceiling

Attic apartments are trendy because living with sloping walls symbolizes individuality and wide, often unobstructed views have their own charm. The housing shortage in major German cities also means that many property owners are only now converting their attics into living space.

Sloping ceiling in the bathroom: how do I set it up?

But setting it up is tricky because sloping ceilings usually do not allow standard solutions, or only to a limited extent. This challenge is also clearly evident in the bathroom. At the latest when the renovation or initial furnishing of the bathroom in an attic apartment comes up, intelligent planning is required in order to make optimal use of the space and make the bathroom a feel-good place.

Life hack: towel hooks without holes

Bathrooms with sloping ceilings can be a challenge. Nevertheless, there are different tricks on how you can conjure up an oasis of well-being here. Above all, you should avoid holes in the tile backsplash. If you redesign the room at some point, unsightly holes will remain. For this reason there are clever alternatives.

Bathroom with a sloping roof: Precise preparatory work guarantees success when setting up

Even in normal apartments, architects believe that special rules apply to the bathroom. For example, the materials for the interior design must be suitable for humid indoor climates. Existing pipes often determine the locations where showers, sinks, toilets and possible bathtubs can be installed. In old buildings, statics play an important role, as small whirlpools can quickly weigh several hundred kilograms when filled. Of course, all of these factors also apply to bathrooms with sloping ceilings.

When it comes to thermal insulation, make sure that the materials used are approved for damp rooms in order to avoid the formation of mold . Skylights built into the slopes not only provide pleasant daylight, but also enable thorough ventilation. For a larger project, it is worth checking whether the existing waste water connections can be used elsewhere, for example by placing the shower on a small platform and thus achieving the gradient necessary for the waste water to drain away. This information is used to create a floor plan on which the bathroom with sloping ceilings slowly begins to take shape.

Precise planning helps to utilize the space in the bathroom in the attic apartment

Basically, there are three places in the bathroom that are used particularly often and where you definitely don’t want to hit your head on the sloping roof: shower, sink and toilet. The rule of thumb here is a minimum ceiling height of two meters, preferably more. However, any bathtub in which you don’t shower standing up can also find its place under the slants. Even if the attic has been extended to a generous height, there is a lack of straight walls due to the sloping roof.

However, there are often at least so-called knee joints, i.e. the part of the outer wall that runs straight and on which the roof structure rests. These knee sticks get their name because they are usually knee high. Depending on the specific situation, a kneeler can be a good place for the toilet. In bathrooms with sloping ceilings, the place with the highest ceiling height is usually reserved for the shower. The washbasin belongs on a straight wall because it is installed at a height of around 80 centimeters with a mirror above it.

If there is no straight wall in the room under the roof intended for the bathroom, it may be possible to install a partition or installation wall. The slopes are ideal for storage space and equipment such as a washing machine and dryer. The floor plan now makes it clear which bathroom elements fit where.

Don’t save money at the wrong end: sloping ceilings often require special solutions for the bathroom

Statistically speaking, German bathrooms are only renovated around every 20 years. This means that particular emphasis should be placed on sustainable solutions when renovating or initially equipping. For bathrooms with sloping ceilings, this specifically means not even trying to come up with emergency solutions. The unusual space station often requires precisely tailored furnishings or at least showers and toilets specially designed for attic apartments.

The major brand manufacturers have recognized this and offer corresponding product variants such as corner washbasins and shower trays cut in a semicircle. Such products may be a little more expensive to purchase than the options for a standard bathroom, but functionality and optimal use of the available space will certainly pay off over the years.

Whether it’s precisely tailored mirrors or built-in cupboards adapted to the slopes for towels and more – wherever the sloped ceiling makes the bathroom special, it’s worth thinking about individually made solutions. Anyone who is completely renovating their bathroom or furnishing it for the first time these days should also consider preparing this room for the smart home in the age of the Internet. This includes details such as remote-controlled heating and windows that can be darkened at the push of a button to prevent the attic space from heating up in the summer when you are away.

Use optical tricks to create a spacious feeling in the bathroom under the roof

In addition to the renovation backlog, the most common complaint among Germans when it comes to bathrooms is that they are too small. Not only can you get the most out of the available square meters through clever planning, but colors and light also help to make small rooms appear larger. Light colors from white to beige give you an airy feeling, dark colors seem cozier but can sometimes feel cramped. The ceiling should always be painted the lightest. If color accents are desired, the knee sticks are ideal. The smaller the bathroom, the less experimenting with colors. White tones are also classic in the bathroom because they embody cleanliness and hygiene.

With cleverly placed lighting accents that emphasize the upward slopes, the bathroom appears to be larger. Mirror surfaces are a proven tool for visually expanding the bathroom. Such essentially simple tricks consciously guide the eye and give it the impression of seeing more space than is actually there. Since the sloping roofs offer variety, the eye won’t get bored anyway.

Create atmosphere in the bathroom with sloping ceilings through decoration

The average German citizen spends more than 40 minutes a day in the bathroom and this time should be viewed positively. It is decoration and individual furnishing details that create a feel-good atmosphere. Some people want speakers for music or a TV in the bathroom, others enjoy natural plants or art objects. Once again, the bathroom with a sloping ceiling has its positive and negative features in these aspects: Because flat walls are in short supply, pictures can only rarely be hung up. But you can find a nice spot for a sculpture.

The natural light plus sloping ceilings scream for hanging plants like ivy, but palm trees also feel comfortable in the humid indoor climate. Orchids stand out inspiringly against white walls. Colorful tiles used sparingly quickly create the feeling of the Orient and thermal baths. When installing entertainment electronics, allow sufficient distance from splashing water to minimize the risk of damage. Just hanging up colorful towels influences the atmosphere and whatever you like is allowed – with a little decoration, the impersonal white bathroom becomes a room in which personality is reflected.

Don’t forget the added value when setting up the attic bathroom

The costs that arise from carefully setting up the bathroom with a sloping ceiling are of course not to be neglected. And admittedly, the advice given here usually results in additional costs compared to solutions that attempt to ignore the specific room conditions and make do with standards. But it also applies: A modern, attractive bathroom is a really good argument for property owners when renting out or reselling their attic apartment.

After all, the bathroom can be changed far less for those who move into the apartment than in the other rooms. Therefore, the budget invested will be paid back in the medium term at the latest. For larger measures such as installing roof windows, new thermal insulation or relocating water pipes and electrical installations, there may even be a chance of receiving government funding. Anyone who uses the bathroom with a sloping roof themselves, whether as an owner or tenant, will anyway put the utility value and renovation costs in relation to one another. By the way, some custom-made products are cheaper than expected.

The premise for bathrooms with sloping ceilings remains: furnishings are designed to last for many years – which makes it all the more important to strive for tailor-made solutions for the specific room.

---

Photo credit:©Shutterstock cover photo: _PlusONE -#01: Robert Kneschke -#02: creativemarc -#03: _ ImageFlow-#04: Zdenek Venclik -#05: Photographee.eu