As design trends are constantly changing, it can be very difficult and complicated to find the perfect home with a dream bathroom. But you can breathe easy, there is still hope! With some ingenious design solutions you can set up the glittering paradise of your dreams. When embarking on a bathroom renovation, all homeowners usually face the same obstacles. Space is the first of them. Knowing exactly when to touch up the look, as well as when to add smart solutions to the existing design and under what conditions, are two other issues that can give you headaches.
First and foremost, at the beginner level, learn that anything that uses water and a drain can be unplugged. This means that a shower can go where a sink used to be and vice versa. The most complicated issue is about the toilet. The waste outlet (the pipe that carries the nasty stuff) can’t be “moved”, which means that basically there isn’t much hope of moving the toilet. But, in the end, anything is possible, and maybe with a little (more) specialized help and a little (more) money, if you stick with it, you can even resort to this “casting”. In fact, understanding these limitations means that half the “battle” has already been won!
What we want to highlight is that for every change made to the bathroom, a new problem can arise. Even though this might put you off at first, it’s worth the effort to give this indispensable room a new look.
Do you have these problems?
If you fear that the bathroom will become too humid and mold will appear, consider installing a fan to dry the moisture and thus protect the tiles and floor tiles from damage. If you want a marble-like floor look but need to stick to a certain budget, find out that there are marble-look porcelain tiles that successfully imitate the demanding crystalline calcareous rock at an affordable price. A final tip would be to keep in mind that certain elements such as tiles and tiles cannot be changed easily… so keep them a bit more neutral (which doesn’t necessarily mean boring) and add small splashes of color through objects that can be replaced much more easily, such as towels, candles, accessories.
Probably, if you think about all these problems in advance and with our effective “assistance”, you will make a much more adequate renovation plan, and the money will reach you for the entire “retouch”.
Here, then, are the problems you could face in (re)fitting the bathroom, but also the most handy solutions:
1. The bathroom gets wet every time and you are afraid that the water will damage the walls
If you’re the unfortunate owner of a windowless bathroom, keep steam and moisture damage to a minimum by installing a fan and tiling the walls from floor to ceiling.
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2. The bathroom is very narrow and looks more like a closet
Make that space sparkle like a diamond with some glam updates. Wallpaper the walls in a fun pattern, dare to use artwork and add sparkle with brass lighting fixtures. It will look less like a closet and more like a jewelry box! A great trick is to opt for a wall-mounted vanity unit raised off the floor (as if suspended). Related to the shower cubicle, it will trick the eye into moving under it and give the illusion of more space.
3. The faucets and shower are running at full force
Besides the fact that your environmentalist blood boils when you see so much water waste, you also splash on your barely-put blouse. Say no to unbridled water pressure by replacing your current faucets with trickling faucets (when you turn on the water, it will trickle more and won’t start suddenly) and your shower head with one that drips like rain.
4. The bathroom is quite empty
It is true that the type of furniture for the bathroom, unlike other rooms, is quite limited, and as a refuge at the end of a long day, it is not very inspiring. Give your bathroom some love with a few touches of Hollywood glam. Place a sparkling (not very large) chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, match a white shower curtain with vintage glass hooks, and replace the plain mirror with a stunning one with gilded edges.
5. You want a bathtub and your spouse a shower
…and of course there is no room for both. Who says you can’t combine the best of both? Attach the bathtub to the mosaic space of the shower and you have 2 in 1. Easy to say, hard to do!
6. You want to change everything in the already existing bathroom (one of the extremes)
…or just a few smaller items that you’re fascinated by (the other extreme) – The first means a complete room makeover, and the second could mean something like “I’ve got my eye on a really nice mirror that would it fits my bathroom perfectly”. When you get more involved, one expense may lead to another expense, so decide in advance what you can afford to replace and what you can’t.
7. What style should you adopt?
Do you see yourself leaning more towards a traditional, modern, contemporary, rustic or eclectic bathroom? Or you have no idea? If you’re only changing a few elements, then you’ll have to stick pretty much to the style you’ve already adopted… so if you’re keeping the cabinetry and tile and both are traditional, then traditional will likely be the theme you’re going to stick with. In case you want to take it from scratch, then you have all kinds of options. You can stick to the same style of the house or create your own spa oasis.
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Industrial style bathroom
8. What items on your wish list can you give up if your budget doesn’t allow for it?
These can include underfloor heating, tiled bathtub, glass shower door, very expensive faucets, shower head with I don’t know what system, double sinks, natural stone tiles, etc, etc. Of course, this list will be different for everyone… maybe some will even have the budget to go quietly to the end. For example, some people love natural stone and wood, with their somewhat random patterns…others don’t and want a less rigid product.
9. Heat sources
Removing bulky heatsinks and vents or heat sinks can really break up a design. In small spaces, you can completely replace traditional heat sources with underfloor heating. Today’s systems, like Nuheat, are easy to install, affordable (so far) and practically invisible. A great alternative is a heated towel rail. It can replace a traditional radiator and can also bring the luxury of “warm” towels.
10. The bathroom seems too crowded
Small spaces can quickly become, at least visually, very crowded. The key is to opt for a limited number of materials and finishes. Using the same material on the walls and countertops and on the floor will create a sense of continuity.
11. The bathroom window is facing the neighbors exactly
Nothing! Replace the glass with a frosted one or decorative stained glass.
You also have the option of glass bricks if you want to go for a wall sealing option but need natural light.
