Your bathroom needs to be a room of serenity and calm, whilst also being functional and easy to clean. It’s a fine line to figure out, but the key really is in the furnishings and hardware. One vital part of your décor is your worktop.

How do you choose your ideal bathroom worktop? Everyone’s idea of perfection is different, and sometimes perfection is a hard thing to achieve. Having said that, you can certainly get very close if you pay attention to the process, put time into it, and invest the right amount of cash – without going over or under your budget.

If you’re not sure where to begin, here are a few tips and tricks to help you choose the ideal bathroom worktop for you.

What is your budget?

At this point you need to think realistically about your budget and stick to it. How much money do you have available to dedicate to your bathroom worktop? Don’t pluck a figure out of the ether, think about it carefully and make sure it is a wise choice. From there, you can shop around and find a worktop which fits in with your budget. If you can find one below budget, all the better, but remember that sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

How big is your bathroom?

You obviously need to measure the area to ensure you can find a worktop within budget, and in the size that you need. You will be able to find any material cut to measure, but if you’re completely renovating your bathroom, you need to think about where you’re going to put the worktop, where your sink is, and think about whether you want a split worktop elsewhere in the room. Again, shop around.

Do you have children?

This is an important point to consider because you need the worktop to be at a good height for everyone, but also a safe height. You also need to think about the material at this point, because you have to think about hygiene. Quartz is a non-porous material which doesn’t absorb liquid and doesn’t harbour bacteria, so that could be a good choice to go for here.

What colour scheme are you going for?

No matter what material you choose, you will certainly find a huge range of different colours, patterns, and finishes available. Think carefully at this point, and avoid going for ‘fad’ colours, e.g. those which are in fashion but a little ‘out there’. If you do this, you’re only going to end up having to redecorate everything, including your worktops, the next time you decide to change everything. Ideally, you want your worktop to last several redecorations around it. It’s always a good idea to check out colours in person too, rather than relying on what they look like online. Certain colours can make rooms look smaller, and other colours can make rooms larger – think about this carefully.

What material are you thinking about choosing?

We touched upon the non-porosity of quartz, so that is certainly something to think about, but you also have a couple of other choices too, including marble and granite. Yes, you can go down the line of wood or laminate, but for a bathroom, these are not sensible choices. You need a material which is long-lasting, hard-wearing, readily available, and strong.

Marble is considered a good bathroom choice because it is porous, and therefore it soaks up water. Obviously the downside of this is that you need to treat it regularly, to avoid any damage over time.