“The bathroom is the one room in which we are able to finally switch off from all that is going on around us and simply be alone with our thoughts, and reflect on the day. A chance to relax and wash life’s little stresses, and above all, where inspiration strikes. It’s an experience!”
― Joshua Becker, The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life
There have been a number of occasions where I have visited very beautiful, magnificent and stylish buildings with awful washrooms. Have you ever felt that way too?
I guess my countless experiences in such buildings have inspired me enough to write this article. Washrooms matter too!
On one occasion, I visited the washroom of a building with a beautiful auditorium and was quite displeased. The toilet lights were not functioning, the washroom floor was dirty and there was a strong stench in the bathroom. In terms of aesthetics the washroom’s design was substandard as compared to the other sections of the building. I felt like I was in a completely different place altogether. I could tell that much effort was put into the design of other parts of the building than the washroom. It almost felt like the washroom was an afterthought.
Nevertheless, I am strongly of the view that washrooms are one of the most important areas of any edifice. Hence professionals in construction and property owners must put a lot of effort into the design and maintenance of washrooms.
REASONS WHY WASHROOMS SHOULD BE WELL MAINTAINED AND PROPERLY DESIGNED
- It promotes good hygiene and gives your guests or visitors a good time when visiting your establishment.
- Your restroom can be the first impression your visitors have about you in terms of cleanliness. People generally associate the hygiene of a washroom to the hygiene of the owner of the place. The restroom has an important influence on a person’s perception about a place.
- The state of a washroom could facilitate the spread of diseases and infections.
- A well-designed washroom increases the general enjoyment of the property as well as the market value of the property.
You may not have to break the bank to design and maintain washrooms but it is important that you choose durable and affordable aesthetically pleasing materials which are easy to maintain to ensure that the facility is cleaned regularly.
Washrooms are as equally important as other spaces in any edifice or building and I hope that building owners and professionals would place more value on them.
I will end this article with two quotes:
“You must know that it is by the state of the lavatory that a family is judged.”
― Pope John XXIII
“A bathroom should be sterile and beautiful and functional. It should exude Japanese-style purity.” – Isaac Mizrahi
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Afua is a dual qualified lawyer of England and Wales, and the Supreme Court of Ghana. She is also a Land Economist and the a co-founder of Saasepedia. She has worked in the property sector in the areas of property management and valuation.
