We have remodeled many bathrooms over the years and have picked up a few tips to help you design your project. What are the latest trends to improve lighting, gain some storage, and ensure your investment will stand the test of time? These are the top 10 tips our team put together.
Lighting
Recessed lighting fixtures in your ceiling will brighten your overall room. Don’t forget the dimmer to help set the mood. Have a mirror? Consider functional lighting such as makeup or shaving to see what you are doing and make you look your best.
Wall-Hung Toilets
We have seen an uptick with these fixtures lately. Not only are they functional, but the overall cost of them have come down. What’s the hype? The tank is hidden behind the wall and save space in your bathroom. Cleaning under them is also a breeze. Just beware – if you ever want to have a floor-mounted unit, you will need to rework the supply and drain.
Shower Sills
Great addition! Just be sure that they are slopped into the shower and made of a solid material. If there are grout joints, they can crack and water will seep to the framing behind it.
Shower Window
Adding a frosted glass window will give you lots of natural light and if it is operable, plenty of fresh air. Be certain that everything around the window is watertight and sloped away to the shower. When considering an operable window, double check that the handles are plastic so they won’t rust.
Tub or Shower
This comes down to owner preference. How many baths do you take in a year? Many homeowners like to think about resale or future homeowners needs. Our advice? You are renovating your home for you. There is no way of knowing what a future homeowner would want or not want later down the road.
Storage
One of the old debates, drawers or doors? Drawers are easier to access and are more organized. Depending on your cabinet, supplies can be routed around or eliminated from the drawer space altogether.
Shower Bases
We don’t see very many of these, but they have come a long way. Many are more modern and cleaner than ever before. Gone are the prefabricated beige shower bases made popular decades ago.
Shower Tile Floors
Give some thought to the type of tiles you are putting in your shower. Larger tiles are more difficult to slope. Non-textured tiles will be very slippery when wet. There are many different tile options for shower floors.
Medicine Cabinets
It used to be a bathroom wasn’t complete unless a medicine cabinet was installed. New medicine cabinets are very efficient and will save space from your vanity countertop. One consideration? Will your vanity has enough room for a medicine cabinet to protrude a couple of inches?
Plumbing
What size are your pipes? Residential plumbing typically uses 1 1/2 -inch pipes for drains. Over time, they will fill up fast. Upsizing the drains to 2 inches will save you drain clogs downstream. The price to upgrade is relatively small and you just need to be certain your framing will allow for it. Cast iron drain lines are a nice upgrade to provide you with quiet flushing from your second and third floors.
Do you live in an area that temperatures dip below freezing? Be sure that your water supply lines are not routed in exterior walls so they won’t freeze.
Recent Comments