You’re finally taking on the huge task of giving your bathroom a much-needed makeover. The problem is – where to start?
There’s so much that goes into remodeling bathroom, that it can all be overwhelming. How much does a bathroom remodel cost? How do you pick the right lighting? Or the right vanity?
Don’t worry – we’re here to help so you can tackle that remodel with (relative) ease! Here are our top design tips for remodeling your bathroom.
1. Understand How Much a Bathroom Remodel Costs
Before you start choosing fancy materials and that dream vanity, it’s important to put your expectations into perspective when it comes to how much money you’re willing to spend.
The size of your bathroom, the quality of materials, and whether you can attempt some of the laborious tasks yourself all affect the cost of remodeling your bathroom.
It may be that you might have to sacrifice some expectations to make your remodel work with your budget. But don’t worry as there are plenty of ways to cut costs without skimping on quality, as we’ll explain further.
2. Avoid Making the Toilet the First Furnishing in View
Toilets aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing part of a bathroom, so why make it the focal point on entry? Bathroom doors are easily left opening meaning that you or any guest walking past will cop a sight of it pretty often.
If you’re hoping for a calming, spa-like atmosphere to your bathroom, plonking a toilet in full view on entry is a sure-fire way to kill the mood.
So, what else should you make the focal point on entry? Well, pretty much anything else! Sinks, bathtubs, or showers are all better options.
3. Leave Those Vintage Touches
You may be hoping for a fresh, modern new look when remodeling your bathroom, but some parts of the room are easier to replace than others.
For example, it may be difficult to remove certain wall tiles in older homes, as they may be coated with several coats of concrete and wire lath. The efforts in removing these can cause costs to skyrocket!
Consider keeping these vintage tiles and focus your labor elsewhere. Classic finishes are a great feature anyway and combined with an overall modern finish can give the bathroom a trendy and upcoming feel.
4. Plan a Lighting Scheme
Lighting is key in a bathroom, after all, it’s one place where you’ll constantly peer into the mirror!
The best approach is to incorporate layers of task, accent, atmospheric, and decorative lighting. Unless you have some expertise in home design, it’s probably best to seek advice from a professional on this one.
5. Choose the Right Height for Your Sink
Usually, countertops are 32 to 34 inches off the floor, but you need to consider how your sink will add to or take away from the countertop’s height.
If you have an above-counter vessel sink, for example, you need to make sure your counter height is lower so you can wash your hands or brush your teeth with ease.
A trough sink is a good option. They are narrow, clean, and feature a low profile so are ideal for freeing up floor space for storage or for feet!
6. Consider a Corner Sink
Many bathrooms are small, so looking for ways to free up space is key when remodeling a bathroom. If you have a tight space, consider placing your sink in the corner.
Not only do corner sinks look cute, but they can help avoid any traffic-flow issues if the shower entry door opens awkwardly into the room.
7. Choose a Tiny Tub
Likewise, if you have a small bathroom it’s easy to write off owning a bathtub.
However, you may be able to get away with having one. Many companies keep small bathrooms in mind and shrink their models down to accommodate thrifty little spaces.
8. Convert Your Tub to a Shower
Not someone who takes bathes regularly? With the convenience of showers, many people avoid bathing altogether.
If you’re one of those people, it may be worth getting rid of your tub altogether. If you don’t use your bathtub regularly, that’s a huge space in a confined area going to waste.
While you can replace your bathtub with other furnishings, converting it to a shower would be cost effective as you can make use of the space and you wouldn’t have to reroute the plumbing.
The benefits of remodeling your bathroom – saving space!
9. Pick the Right Vanity
Choosing the right vanity for your bathroom is crucial. Not only is it an aesthetic focal point of the room, but sizing is just as important.
Choose a vanity too big and you could impact your bathroom’s traffic routes. Too small and you’ll be wishing you had more countertop space and storage.
A good option is to float your vanity. It gives the impression that the bathroom is larger, while also leaving floor space for storage.
Tight space? Round the corners of your vanity to help with traffic routes. Small spaces can make sharp corners a hazard for hips, and you don’t want those bruised every day!
Another great idea for smaller bathrooms is to expand your mirror from your vanity across to the wall. This means that two people can use the mirror and brush those teeth ready for bed together!
Another of the advantages of remodeling your bathroom – in the long run, it will save time!
10. Splurge on a Few High-End Materials
Once you’ve made a rough plan and estimated costs, you may have the luxury of spending any excess budget on higher-quality materials.
As bathrooms are usually smaller spaces, they are the one room in the house where you can justify splurging on better materials and finishes to give it a lavish look. Even if it’s just a small portion of the bathroom that uses higher-quality material, it can make all the difference to giving it that lustrous designer feel.
A bathroom is going to last a long time, and a lot of time will be spent in there so why not inject a dose of luxury if you can?
Ready to get choosing? View here some great ways to get started on remodeling your bathroom.
Design Tips for Remodeling Your Bathroom to Your Style
We hope our design tips for remodeling your bathroom have come in handy.
As always, it’s important to remodel your bathroom in a style that works for you so you feel comfortable in it. Try to incorporate a thread of the rest of the house in your bathroom, so it all feels connected and tidy.
Happy remodeling and good luck!
