l2Good lighting for the mirror is important. You could have a strip light over the mirror or, better still, a couple a strip lights one at each side of the mirror. With a large family especially, a storage system with sanitary basin, will prove invaluable. You can build from a simple sanitary unit to a wall full of cupboards like those of a fitted kitchen.
Pipe work can be a problem, especially an adapting an old bathroom. If at all possible, and to achieve the ideal of the hygienic, streamlined bathroom, it should be concealed. An expert advice, horizontal runs of hot and cold water supply pipes can possibly be concealed in the floor. Otherwise a duct in the form of casing built out along the wall or walls on which the fitting are sited can carry all the pipe work.
The important thing to remember here is not merely to box out around the pipes but to design the duct so as to form integrated element in the design of the bathroom as a whole. Ideally it should be built out in from the face of the wall, in which case it can conceal horizontal runs of waste or soil pipes where these cannot be run elsewhere.
The duct can rise to a height of about 6in above the basin where its top becomes a very useful continuous shelf. It can be clad in the number of material such as timber boarding, plastic or laminate faced boards. The old fashion high level WC is rapidly being replaced by conversions using very slim narrow projection cisterns. These also look very neat in new installation where the cistern is at a low level above the pan, connected by a flush pipe. These low level suites are the most economical. Slightly more expensive but much more stylish are close coupled wash down WC suite where the cistern is linked directly to the WC pan. Most luxury suites are of the vacuum principle symphonic type, with a quiet smooth action.