The best bathroom ideas are those that will maximize your ensuite’s space and functionality while increasing its architectural and design appeal. Finding a style that closely matches the tone and ambiance found in the rest of your home is another good idea as this will help your bathroom to blend into the context of your residence seamlessly.
When you set out to upgrade your bathroom, bear in mind that while it will bring up your home’s value, you will only see a full return on your investment if you are smart about your renovation. You can easily sink 45K into a bathroom reno, but that doesn’t mean that you will ever recoup that money when you sell because few people are willing to spend that much more on a home just because of a fancy ensuite – unless your neighbourhood will support such an expensive renovation.
Things to keep in mind when renovating your bathroom:
Replacing vs Upgrading
If you have a smaller budget to work with but desperately need to renovate, then consider simply replacing your old fixtures and finishes with newer models. It won’t cost as much and you can find really nice items on sale or at liquidation outlets. Sometimes, you can even breathe new life into old items by repurposing them. If you have more room in your budget then you can look to upgrading your space by purchasing more expensive fixtures, enlarging the space, adding a window or lighting or even completely moving around the shower, toilet and sink.
Showers vs Tubs
Depending on which bathroom you are renovating, it might not be necessary to keep your tub. If it is the main family bathroom, then a tub is a must as this is what homebuyers look for and expect. However, if you are renovating your ensuite and rarely use your tub – why keep it? If you are a shower kind of person then the smarter move would be to get rid of the tub and create a walk-in shower. In fact, you can go all out and get rid of the shower lip itself so that you have a very modern design that you can age into gracefully.
Water
Installing an ordinary shower head is conventional – but why not explore the different kind of shower heads on the market today? Rain shower heads drop large droplets from an overhead spout while full-body jets line the shower walls and hit you from everywhere for a massaging effect.
Steam
While steam rooms are no longer as popular as they once were, installing a heat lamp in the shower is a great way to warm up on cold mornings.
Mirrors
Adding mirrors to any room will increase its size considerably – adding a large one to a small bathroom will give the same illusion of space. But, why stop there? If you have a tendency to shave in the shower, then it might be worth splurging on a fog-free mirror and proper lighting and creating a little recessed nook for a mirror and your shaving items within the shower itself.
Safety
Although safety bars in the shower are associated with the elderly, they are very good to have for people of any age. They provide a secure spot to hold onto when soaping up your feet – and today it’s possible to get very attractive options that don’t give the look and feel of a nursing home or hospital.
Seating
Typically the only seating in the bathroom is the toilet bowl, however, there is room to add more seating in the form of a make-up seat at the vanity and a shower seat in the shower – both of which are very useful and come in extremely handy.
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