EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING A WASHBASIN

THE BASIN IS AN important part of your bathroom, not just because it is the most used fixture but because it's the first thing that catches the eye when you walk into the room.

Basins can be round, oval, rectangular or asymmetrical, and as any interior fashion follower knows, there's a trend for the water vessel that looks like a large bowl sitting on a bench.

When selecting a basin give careful consideration to the practical requirements as well as the look. If you've found a style you like, cut a cardboard box roughly to its dimensions and tape it to the space you're thinking of putting it in. Is there enough room to wash? Can you open and close the door easily? For pedestal and wall-mounted basins, the rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of five centimetres on either side for elbow room.

There is a huge number of basins available - pedestal, wall-hung, recessed, corner - but remember the larger the basin, the less the water will splash out of the bowl. A small hand basin that might be suitable for a guest toilet may not be practical for a family bathroom where it's mainly used for washing faces, shaving and brushing teeth.

Pedestal basins can make a small bathroom look bigger, but choose one with a large enough surrounding area to hold your toiletries.

Wall-mounted basins are ideal for compact areas but there's no built-in storage space and nowhere to conceal the plumbing. Wall-hung basins are helpful for people with disabilities because they can be installed at specific heights.