One of the most commonly remodeled rooms in the average American home is the bathroom. There a couple reasons for that: 1) People know that occasionally, even an outsider will need to use it, and 2) more people today consider the bathroom to be something of a refuge from the outside world. But should you hire someone to re-do your bathroom? Or do it yourself? If you’re up for a little investment of time and work, the DIY approach can save you a lot of fun–and ensure that the bathroom looks exactly like your vision.
As you’re designing the bathroom, consider the layout of the major items in the room: Where is are the cabinets, the vanity, the tub, the toilet, tables, etc. The first thing you should then do is evaluate your space. Most people squeeze more in the bathroom than should be there. You need to be sure that at any spot in the bathroom, you have plenty of room to walk and turn around freely without hitting something accidentally. If you don’t have that kind of room, start taking things out rather than moving things in. It might be time, for instance, to buy a single-wide vanity to replace the double that you just had to have. Or perhaps buy a wall-mounted sink to save even more room.
Now that you’re ready to start the real work, set a realistic budget for your project. Think about the things you’d like to include and then see if you can afford them. If not, you might need to downscale to the next most affordable alternative. Note: It costs less if you can leave your plumbing fixtures where they are, which means, when possible, leave your sink and toilet where they are.
After budget, the next most important consideration is function. The bathroom is, after all, a work-station for getting ready for the day, as well as a place to relax after your busy day. So make sure your practical needs are met before you start adding extras. This means ample shelf and cabinet space, a shower / tub that is accessible and usable by all who are meant to use it,etc.
Once you’re ready to think about the fun stuff, those unique ideas that will truly create a ‘wow’ factor in the bathroom, consult lots and lots of others’ design ideas. You can do this by picking up home-related magazines, making a trip to a local home-improvement store, and of course, looking up “home design” or “bathroom design” on the Internet. Some of our own personal suggestions:
- Incorporate a display case or wicker chair in a really large bathroom.
- Don’t be boring with your colors. Feel free to mix and match.
- Marble or Travertine tile adds a touch of elegance to any bathroom, whether for the walls, floor or to cover the vanity (See our selection of tiles on this site).
- Bring some fresh flowers or plants into the room to really liven up the room.
Incorporating these ideas will ensure that your new bathroom will impress everyone who visits it.