Follow These 11 Renovation Tips When Updating Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are popular areas of the home for renovations, and once the renovation is complete, this can add a lot of value to your home. Bathroom renovations are even more popular than kitchen remodels, especially when you consider that bathrooms are smaller and less expensive than a kitchen project. This makes them a popular option for homeowners who want to improve the look of their home and add curb appeal without spending the money on a kitchen remodel.
Here are 11 tips to help you
1 – Add Recesses
Recesses in the bathroom used to be the norm, but the past couple of decades have not been friendly to these features. However, recesses are starting to come back strong, and recessing areas such as soap dishes, toilet roll holders, and medicine cabinets help save space.
2 – Choose Flooring Wisely
There are some flooring materials, such as wood, which simply don’t work in a bathroom. Though you will find some people telling you that wood that is properly stained and sealed is OK in a bathroom, other materials, such as granite tile, work much better.
3 – Make it Look Larger With Color
One way to make a bathroom look larger is to use a color palette that uses whites, creams, and other lighter shades. Darker colors can make the room look closed in.
4 – Add More Lighting
In a bathroom, the general rule of thumb is that the more lighting you have, the better it looks. It is even more important to add more lighting around the mirror, and don’t rely on only one overhead light unless the bathroom is quite small.
5 – Stick With Light Colored Fixtures
Though there was a time when colored toilets and bathtubs were all the rage, this trend fell out of favor among homeowners quite quickly. Those who kept these fixtures found that they simply looked dated and that they spent a lot of money for nothing. Unless you have your heart set on a green or pink toilet, it is best to choose cream or white.
6 – Add Mood Lighting to the Room
Though you want a lot of light in the bathroom for getting ready for your day, it can also be nice to have some mood lighting, especially when relaxing in the bathtub at the end of the day. An easy way to do this is to add a dimmer switch, giving you the best of both worlds.
7 – If You Have Room, Add Decorative Pieces
If you have a large bathroom, you may want to consider adding a freestanding piece such as a decorative cupboard or accent chair. Though this piece does not have to have a practical purpose, many homeowners like to have a place to store soap, towels or other items right in the bathroom instead of having to store them in a hallway closet.
8 – Add Areas to Hang Things
You can virtually create more “surface area” in the bathroom by simply adding hooks instead of expanding countertop space. Hooks can hold clothes, towels, bathrobes and more.
9 – Fixture Positioning
Some homeowners decide that they want to change the basic layout of their bathroom by moving the toilet, sink or bathtub from where it sits currently. Though this sounds good when you first think about it, there are some considerations to think about before making the move. In most cases, a typical bathroom remodel doesn’t require a lot of construction, but if you start moving the plumbing, you will have to tear down walls, lay down new pipes and usually change how the wiring is placed.
10 – Add Mirrors
Most people have one mirror in their bathroom, and it usually sits right above the sink. However, mirrors can be an excellent design element. Additional mirrors will add more light to the room, and can make the room look larger than it really is. Even adding one extra mirror to the bathroom can make a big impact on the look of the room.
11 – Be Careful With Your Style Choice
Finally, make sure that you are careful with your style choice, as it is important that your bathroom fits in with the rest of your home. For example, if your kitchen, living room, hallway and other areas of your home are filled with modern or contemporary elements, having a country-themed bathroom will seem out of place. Instead, choose a style that mixes well with the rest of your home, which will bring a cohesive look.
For more design tips for your bathroom, talk to your contractor about what elements will work best for your new bathroom design. They can offer suggestions that will not only add to the value of your home but also allow you to choose features that meet your taste and style expectations.
