Bathroom Accessories List: What Every Bathroom Needs

Ask ten people what counts as a bathroom accessory and you will get ten different lists. Some mean the big fittings, the basin and the closet. Some mean the taps and the shower. Some mean the small daily items, the soap dish and the towel ring. All three are "accessories" in the sense that a bathroom does not function without them, which is why a proper checklist has to cover all three rather than just the one everyone remembers.

This guide covers the full list, organised by what it actually is, so you can check off what you have and what still needs sourcing before a renovation or a new bathroom fit-out.

The fixtures: what the bathroom is built around

• Wash basin. Table top, wall hung, pedestal, under counter or one piece. Our wash basin design ideas guide covers which type suits which bathroom.
• WC or closet. One piece, wall hung, two piece or EWC. See our one piece closets and wall hung closets.
• Shower system. Overhead shower, hand shower, or both, fed by a diverter or wall mixer.

The faucets and fittings: what makes the fixtures work

• Basin tap or mixer. Pillar cock for a single supply, or a single lever mixer where hot water is connected. Covered in depth in our types of faucets explained guide.
• Wall mixer and diverter for the shower.
• Health faucet, standard in almost every Indian bathroom.
• Angle cocks, at least two per bathroom, so any one fitting can be isolated for repair without cutting water to the whole room.
• Bib cock, for a bucket, in bathrooms, utility areas or where a health faucet alone is not enough.

The small fittings people forget to budget for

• Soap dish, wall mounted, usually fixed during tiling rather than added afterward. See our soap dish range.
• Floor drainer, the cover over the floor outlet, chosen to match the tile and sized to the drain. Browse drainers.
• Extension nipples, the small connector pieces a plumber needs to bring a tap or shower outlet flush with the finished wall surface once tiling is done. See extension nipples.
• Stop cock and flush cock (the small valves at the heart of any plumbing system), the shut-off valves behind the WC and basin supply lines.

These are easy to leave out of a budget because none of them is the "star" of the bathroom, but a plumber will ask for all of them, and sourcing them in the same order as the taps avoids a delay later in the job.

The daily-use items: what we are honest about not stocking

A modern bathroom is really three layered systems, the fixed plumbing, the fittings, and the daily-use items, and most checklists only cover one of the three. Towel rings, robe hooks, tumbler holders, toilet paper holders and bathroom mirrors are accessories too, and most bathroom checklists include them. We are a tiles, sanitary ware, faucet and hardware showroom, and these smaller lifestyle accessories are not the focus of our range. For these, most homeowners source from a dedicated bath accessories or hardware store separately from the tiling and fittings order.

What we would say if you ask us in the showroom: buy the fixtures, faucets and tile first, since those decide the wall layout and the finish, and then choose the smaller accessories to match once the room is largely finished. Choosing a towel ring before the basin and tap are fixed, rather than after, usually means re-matching the finish later.

A simple way to sequence the order

1. Tiles, since they decide the wall build-up and the finished floor level.
2. Sanitary ware, the basin and closet, since their position decides the plumbing points.
3. Faucets and connection pieces, ordered together so the finish matches across taps, shower and the small fittings.
4. Daily-use accessories, last, once the room's finish and metal tone are fixed and you are matching to something real rather than a sample.

A quick checklist to take to the showroom

Frequently asked questions

What is on a complete bathroom accessories list?

Three categories, all of which count: the fixtures (basin, closet, shower), the faucets and connection fittings (taps, mixers, soap dish, drainer, angle cocks), and the daily-use items (towel ring, mirror, dispenser). A checklist that only covers one category will leave gaps in a renovation budget.

Does My Home Studio sell towel rings and bathroom mirrors?

No, our range covers tiles, sanitary ware, faucets and architectural hardware. Daily-use accessories like towel rings, robe hooks and mirrors are usually sourced from a dedicated bath accessories store, ideally chosen after your fixtures and faucets are finalised so the finish matches.

What small fittings does a plumber usually need that people forget?

Extension nipples, stop cocks, flush cocks and angle cocks are the fittings most often missing from a first-pass budget, since none of them is the visible "star" of the bathroom. A plumber will ask for all of them during installation.

In what order should I buy bathroom items?

Tiles first, since they set the wall build-up and floor level. Sanitary ware next, since basin and closet positions decide the plumbing. Faucets and small fittings together, so the finish matches. Daily-use accessories last, once the room's metal tone is fixed.

How many angle cocks does a bathroom need?

At least two, one for the basin tap and one for the flush tank, so either fitting can be isolated and serviced without shutting off water to the whole bathroom.

What is a floor drainer and do I need to choose it separately?

A floor drainer is the cover plate over the bathroom's floor outlet. It is a separate choice from the tile and tap, usually picked to match the floor tile's tone and sized to the specific drain opening, so bring the drain measurement when you shop for one.