Your Bathroom Remodel

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Nostalgia has inspired a lot of bathroom remodeling in period-style detailing and even materials.

In remodeling, memory may improve on reality. Nostalgia has inspired a lot of bathroom remodeling in period-style detailing and even materials. The results often look more authentic than the original. Such was the case for Wilma and Bill Peterson’s guest bathroom, which they decided to restore to reflect its 1930s heritage.

Small tile squares, popular in the 1930s set the tone, enhanced by a rug-like mosaic. Small tiles set diagonally in the center of the room were framed by a grid pattern around the room’s edges. These tiles, in turn, were bordered by larger tiles.

Classic old-style bead board was used to add texture to a knee wall that provides privacy between the toilet and vanity without restricting light.

The bathroom baseboards were custom milled to match the period molding in the rest of the house. Built-in cabinets with raised panels and paneled wood door finished off the white-on-white theme. The custom made cabinets offered storage space that the earlier wall-hung sink didn’t.

What is great about period remodeling is improving on the past.

Remodeling your bathroom requires a plan, some creative ideas, a few drawings, and a calculator, but it doesn’t mean taking out a second mortgage on your home.

Like an artist starting with a blank canvas, you can create your dream bathroom, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

You have many design ideas to choose from, beginning with the old Victorian claw-footed roll-top bathtub, sculpted pedestal basin, freestanding shower enclosures, and matching bidet. Modern bathroom design changes from year to year. You can go for sleek, straight, geometric lines in white, still the most prevalent color choice for bathrooms, to colorful furnishings and bath and basin taps in polished chrome.

Too many accessories in a small bathroom make it look even smaller. Too many accessories in a large bathroom make it look cluttered. Less is best when it comes to accessories. The right number and type of accessories adds elegance and a finished look. Bathroom mirrors tend to open up the space and make any room look larger.

Traditional bathrooms tend to emphasize architectural details, bringing nature inside. Wood finishes in oak, beech, and maple on shelves and cabinets give the bathroom a warm, earthy tone, similar to the rustic or country style.

Once you have chosen the style you want, think about how you will be using the bathroom space. Measuring the dimensions will give you an idea of the size of furniture you can fit within the space. For storage, would a cabinet, shelving, or vanity be best? If your bathroom is small, you’ll need to focus on using the space efficiently to avoid clutter. You want clean lines and a pleasing appearance.

You can go on the Internet to look at different bathroom designs. With several hundred design ideas to browse, you should be able to find something that will appeal to you and fit within your budget. Browsing can be enjoyable. Unless you are a do-it-yourselfer, it’s usually best to leave the work, especially the electrical and plumbing, up to a professional. Although this will cut into your budget, you will be able to know that the job was done right. Mistakes can be costly.

Professional remodeling firms say that people often buy a bathroom suite they see in a store, take it home, and run into problems while trying to install it themselves. It’s easy for nonprofessionals to overlook critical factors. For example, when replacing a standard bathtub with a whirlpool bath, the plumbing and hot water heater have to be modified or adjusted, and a floor support may have to be installed.

Bathroom floors are designed to bear the weight of a standard tub but not a whirlpool. Even though most homes will accommodate a luxury tub, floor joists may still require reinforcement, especially in older homes. Whirlpool baths have a capacity of about 80 gallons. Without the proper hot water tank, you will end up with tepid water. Designing a blueprint for your bathroom remodeling project will save you not only time, but money, as you won’t have to compensate for the unexpected.

When you decide to remodel your bathroom you don’t have to break the bank or taking out a second mortgage in order to do the project.

What it does mean is implementing a well-devised plan involving drawings and a calculator. When creating your unique design concepts for how you want your bathroom to look, you first must decide on what it is you want to achieve, such as more storage space, a more modern or up-to-date appeal, or do you want to recreate a Victorian bathroom with claw-footed roll top baths, sculpted pedestal basins, and free standing showers.

For a more modern bathroom, you may want to consider designs that are sleek, straight or with geometric lines. While white is still the prevalent color choice for bathroom furnishings, for the ultra modern bathroom, highly polished chrome fixtures and basins are very popular.

When accessioning your bathroom it is best to keep in mind that less is always more. Too many times, we tend to over power the bathrooms with various accessories, which can make a small room seem even smaller. You can create the illusion of space in a smaller bathroom by utilizing mirrors. On the other hand, if your bathroom is relatively large, then accessories can give the bathroom a more finished look.

Choosing the style you want for your bathroom is easier than considering how you will be utilizing the space. By knowing the dimensions of your bathroom you will have a better idea of the type and size of bathroom furniture pieces you can place within the area. Nothing is more frustrating than finishing a bathroom remodeling project only to discover that you cannot shut the bathroom door because the toilet is too big.

While planning your bathroom, make sure you also evaluate the amount of storage you will need in your bathroom, including cabinets, shelving, and vanity. If you have a small bathroom consider concentrating on utilizing space in ways that create a clutter free bathroom, thus ensuring that the bathroom is aesthetically pleasing.

To help you design the bathroom you desire, take some time a look at several bathroom designs. You can view several-hundred ideas for bathrooms on the Internet. Form the comfort of your home, you can view and select a design style that fits both your space and budget. Your budget is the key element you have to always consider. If you are not a do-it-yourself individual, then it may be best to consider hiring a contractor. If this is the case for you, then you will have to budget more for your bathroom remodeling budget, however, it will guaranteed that the job will be done right. However, according to leading renovating and contracting companies, the majority of homeowners who attempt major home improvement projects on their own, usually make costly mistakes because they fail to follow installation instructions, and do not measure and/or calculate dimensions correctly. People also forget to compensate when upgrading from a standard bath to a whirlpool bath including critical factors such as plumbing, hot water heaters, and floor supports.

The bathroom floors of older homes were built to bear the weight of a standard bathtub, whereas most of the homes today can accommodate many luxury tubs. This is a very important fact, that if you are not sure if your bathroom floor then you must have your flooring inspected. In most older homes floor joists will be required to reinforce the floor in order to support oversized whirlpool baths. The last thing you want is to be soaking in your brand new whirlpool bath, only to have your bath fall through the floor. Another item you have to check into is whether or not your hot water heater can handle the water requirements of a whirlpool baths, which usually will have a water capacity of up to 80 gallons.

When you take the time and create a blue print for your bathroom-remodeling project, you will save yourself time, and money.