No matter the size of your bathroom, a remodel can be costly, but not unwarranted. After all, we’re in the bathroom every single day of our lives. Whether we’re taking our morning shower, getting ready for a date or trying to get some peace and quiet from the kiddos, the bathroom is as our place of refuge. So why not revamp it with some style?
Here are seven ways to renovate your bathroom.
Work with the Space You Have
One of the first mistakes we make when we decide to remodel our bathroom is setting the bar too high, and I’m not talking about the curtain rod – ba dum dum, tstch. As a DIY-er, knocking down the walls and and ripping out the plumbing sounds all well and good until you actually have to do it. Plumbing is not for the faint of heart; it requires a professional. After connecting that sledgehammer with the wall, you’ll be quick to realize this.
Past president of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), Cameron Snyder says that “[the bathroom] is a less efficient room to renovate than others in the house because it’s so tight. There is less economy of scale, and timing becomes critical. You don’t want days to go by between the plumber leaving and the electrician showing up.”
The great thing about a bathroom remodel is that you aren’t required to pull out the plumbing and start from scratch. All you have to do is work with what you have. There are ways to update your bathroom without having to call in a plumber or electrician.
Have All Your Materials on Hand
Remember that old expression, “All good things come to those who wait?” This is true of that new accent mirror and Italian-made tile you ordered for the bath remodel, too. Special orders take time to customize, and delivery services aren’t always reliable. It’s totally understandable to want to begin your bathroom renovation project as soon as you can, but without the right accessories and equipment, you could be waiting weeks before you’re even able to use the bathroom again. Another bonus of waiting until all of your tools, fitments and fixtures are on hand is knowing whether you’ll need more help with your project before making any irreparable changes.
Keep the Space Clean with Organization
A cluttered bathroom is a messy bathroom. No matter how often you scrub the counters, tub and floors, if the bathroom is always in disarray, it’ll always feel dirty. As you set out to revamp your bathroom, allocate space for your toiletries. Built-in shelving, cabinets and storage ladders create a dynamic sense of space and allow you to play with towel display and color schemes.
You Can Never Go Wrong with Tile
Designer Charlotte Moss has said that “People’s lives are expressed in little details…The soap in the bathroom, the flowers in the garden, the books on the bedside table are all strong symbols of a life in progress. You look at these details and a world unfolds—here are their books, the paintings they cherish, the music that soothes their souls.” It’s the details that make up the larger part of life, and without them life would be pretty boring. Tile is no different.
HGTV recommends that renovators use porcelain tile when upgrading bathroom floors. Unlike ceramic tile, porcelain tile is a harder and denser material. Because it’s also more porous, porcelain tile is better for stain resistance and slippage. It’s no fun getting out of the shower nice and clean only to slip and land hard on your backside. Another awesome feature of porcelain tile is that it can simulate natural stone like limestone and granite. Not to mention, a tile floor is an easy clean up!
Lighting Makes All the Difference
What good is renovating your bathroom without the right kind of lighting? Light can dress up or dress down a space. If you want your bathroom to be a tranquil space for introspection and relaxation, you need a lighting system that will help you to accomplish just that. But before deciding on a design, you’ll want to avoid any type of lighting fixture with a canvas shade or ornate design. A canvas shade will hold in moisture and eventually begin to mold. While a highly ornamented fixture will be tough to clean – if the crevices are always dusty and you can’t get in there to give them a proper cleaning, your bathroom will always feel unclean.
There are a number of ways to go with a lighting fixture. Whether you decide to use a wall sconce for mood lighting, a pendant for overhead light or flush mount lighting (the most popular choice in bathroom lighting design) for down lighting, the fixture will set the pace of the space.
It’s All About that Rod
We’re all familiar with the straight shower rod. But when you replace the straight rod with a curved rod, you are saving yourself a lot of space in the shower. Have you ever been annoyed by the shower curtain sticking to your legs as you try to bathe? With a curved shower rod, you won’t have to worry about again. Not only that, but the curved model contemporizes your bathroom. Now your bathroom is as fashionable as it is functional.
A Mirror is the Bathroom’s Statement Piece
Once you’ve decided on the lighting, the next step is to pick a mirror. Since the invention of indoor plumbing, it’s been customary to equip the bathroom with a vanity. While the vanity is a tried-and-true piece of bathroom furniture, it has become a little dated. One way to update your space is to replace the vanity with a large, streamlined mirror. A large mirror will reflect light and open the space, while its streamlined design will complement the cut of the tile.
As you embark on your renovating journey, keep these tips in mind; it’ll make the job a whole lot easier.
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