New Thinking in Commercial Restroom Designs to Keep Office Tenants Happy

How do you design a restroom that impresses building visitors? 

If you only consider functionality, your building may convey an unintended impression to your tenants, prospective tenants, and even their customers. Think of the restroom at a rest stop. It’s functional, but hardly conveys the impression that a restaurant, store, or office building would want. To create a bathroom worthy of your tenants, commercial restroom design considers aesthetic and regulatory factors in addition to the mere function of the restroom. 

Even small details such as commercial restroom faucets can tell visitors about you, your building, and your tenants. By thoughtfully selecting the construction materials, commercial faucets, and fixtures, you can present the exact impression you intend. 

Five Considerations in Commercial Restroom Design for Happy Tenants and Customers 

Commercial restroom design is more than tile floors, white porcelain toilets, chrome faucets, and beige stalls. To keep customers and tenants happy, it is important to consider the following features.  

You will likely take the style and purpose of the building, its common areas, and the leased space into account when you design a restroom. After all, an art deco modern style restroom would likely clash with a rustic style restaurant space. 

However, where it matches the building, the trend in commercial restrooms is to lean toward a contemporary style. This style takes advantage of modern materials, open and uncluttered design, and geometric lines. The reason many restrooms borrow elements from contemporary design is that it looks clean – an important consideration when visitors use your restroom. 

Museum of Modern Art in New York

One example of a contemporary style restroom can be found at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This restroom has wall-mounted commercial faucets over a resin, trough-style sink. This creates a clean, uncluttered look. 

Eco-friendliness is a key measure by which many judge a business. In a survey by Shelton GRP, 80% of people admitted they pass judgment on others when they see littering or other environmentally unfriendly behavior. If your restroom is wasteful, you will be judged for it. 

Moreover, eco-friendliness saves money. Water-saving faucets, such as the E-Tronic® 80, are less expensive to operate, allowing you to reduce the expenses passed on to your tenants. 

Even without laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (or ADA), building owners and managers must accommodate any number of physical limitations just as a matter of fairness and courtesy. Touchless faucets, such as the Alpina Series, can make restrooms accessible to those with limitations such as: 

• Mobility 
• Vision 
• Balance 
• Weight and height 
• Flexibility and strength

4.  Hygiene

Commercial restroom designs that use advanced materials, such as resin countertops, reduce the transmission of disease because they are easy to clean. Similarly, automatic flush toilets and touchless faucets can be operated without passing on bacteria and viruses to other restroom users.

5.  Durability

Durable fixtures, walls, and countertops reduce repair expenses due to wear, accidental damage, and vandalism. Fewer repairs mean less downtime, fewer CAM expenses, and happier tenants. It’s important to choose fixtures, faucets, and materials by manufacturers known for their durable, long-lasting products. Commercial faucets are used much more than residential faucets. You cannot use them interchangeably. 

Commercial Restroom Designs Minimize Costs, Accommodate Visitors, and Improve Hygiene 

Style is important, but equally important goals in commercial restroom design include accessibility, hygiene, durability, and eco-friendliness. These goals are not reached by accident. Rather, they can be built into the restroom by choosing the right materials, fixtures, and commercial restroom faucets.  

Chicago Faucets® offers commercial faucets with features to fit any commercial restroom design. Take a look at these products to find one that offers the style you need.