Redesigning the Bathroom (Things to Consider)

                            Traditional Bathroom by Cambridge Architects & Designers Frank Shirley Architects

Redesigning any room in the house is an arduous task that can be fulfilling. By personally redesigning and renovating the rooms in your house, you can turn your house into a home that you can proud of. The bathroom is a vital part of the house, thus the design choices that you make are vitally important. Before beginning any remodel or renovation project there are a few topics that you should consider.

Do You Plan To Sell at Some Point?

This question may seem useless, after all you don’t plan on selling in the next few months or you wouldn’t be considering this remodel. But if there is any chance that you will sell soon, you might want to reconsider the remodel. According to the Remodeling Cost Value Report, homeowners that renovate a home before a sale do not receive the full monetary investment back. At most they receive about 65% of a bathroom renovation in the sell cost of the house.

Current of Opinion of Room and What Do You Need?

Due to the times that we live in, the possibilities for room designs are endless. It can be hard to choose the right décor for your bathroom. There are steps that can be taken to ensure that you make the right room re-design decisions for you and your family.

You should consider:

• What your family liked and disliked about your current bathroom. Keep a list and incorporating your thoughts into your new and improved design plan.
• Keep in mind any injuries or personal disabilities that might make using the bathroom dangerous for you or your family. The humid and wet terrain in the bathroom makes the room an accident waiting to happen if the proper accessories are not purchased. Temporary bathroom safety aids like shower chairs and grab bars can take care of some of these problems. More permanent items like specialized toilets and bathtubs with stainless steel doors can also decrease the danger that bathrooms present. 

Current Space Availability

Be realistic about the space available to you before planning and implementing your bathroom redesign. You should not attempt to cramp “must have” items into a small bathroom. This is an area that you and your family will need to maneuver on a daily basis. If you do try to squeeze a full size bath into a room that can barely fit a shower comfortably, you will come to regret the decision. If you want a bathroom with the size and décor of a master, you should make the room bigger.

Humidity and Wall Design Choices

Before you charge out to purchase a new color of paint or wallpaper design, you should remember that renovating a bathroom is more complicated than renovating a bedroom. The complication is due to the constant steam and humidity due to the hot water from showers and baths. If paint is not satin, semi-gloss, or high gloss and wallpaper is not vinyl-coated, you could discover some unpleasant disguise down the line: mold and mildew. Both are disgusting and can cause health issues.

Is it Time to Go Green?

I think all redesigns present a valuable opportunity to consider how we are living and what we can do to give back to the environment and ourselves. Who wouldn’t want to receive a lower water and electric bill for all those special days? Bathrooms present some cool opportunities to mitigate waste and increase the productivity of the home.

You can replace the old battered toilet with a low flow toilet or a composting toilet. I know the composting toilet sounds a little like including a porter potty in your bathroom, but the toilet is high tech enough that you should not have to deal with the same level of stink. It’s something to consider.

Most people do not include windows in their bathroom, even if it is connected to an outer wall. Doing so will increase the amount of natural light your bathroom will receive, and decrease amount of electricity that is wasted on powering light bulbs during the day. Windows can be positioned close to the ceiling or on the ceiling to provide light and prevent creepy peeping Toms from taking advantage of your bathroom design.

Another opportunity available for window enthusiasts is to apply a low-e window tint to the surface of the mirror after it has been installed. Window tint will allow you to have a window, regulate the amount of sun allowed in the room, and decrease the amount of heat that can invade your home. Window tint comes in various shades and colors that can make it difficult for casual observers to see through the window. If a colored window tint is chosen it can prevent neighbors from seeing into the window at inopportune times.

Through careful planning you can create the perfect bathroom. Just remember to plan before you begin the redesign and you’ll create a bathroom that your friends can drool over for years to come.