Bathrooms

Your bathroom is one of the most private and functional rooms in a home. But contrary to today's serene retreats, the bathroom did not start out as a comfortable place to pass time at all. Outhouses, chamber pots, and basins for washing were the conveniences of the day until plumbing moved indoors.  Since that time, the bathroom has gone through many changes before arriving at the point it is today.

Bathrooms continue to be at the top of the remodeling list for full scale renovations and minor facelifts.  Investing in your bathroom just makes good sense. Bathrooms can be beautiful, stylish and comfortable. The recent explosion in diverse materials and bathroom fixtures has made planning any bathroom a significant undertaking. Bathrooms in today's new homes are growing larger and larger. They have large showers, and tend to be compartmentalized for multiple uses. Many master baths are equipped with whirlpool or soaking tubs.

The principal function of a bathroom is to provide us with a place where we can look after our personal hygiene, from taking a bath, shaving, or drying our hair. However, new design bathrooms will stop short of nothing with things like showers that are large enough for more than one to shower head and drawer space for changing right after showering. Regardless of the bathroom you are planning, whether it's traditional or a full family bath, practical issues must be addressed. Moisture and ventilation are two important concerns, and the materials used in the bathroom must stand up to the rigors of daily use. Adequate storage will be helpful to an efficient bathroom and should be considered in your design. Beyond the basics, there are many decisions that only the person using the bathroom can make. Do you want one sink or two? Do you need a shower or a tub?

Bathrooms in older homes are sometimes squeezed into small spaces. Planning is the key to decorating a small bathroom. One thing that can make a small bathroom seem to have additional space is for it to be clutter free. Buildings such as wall cabinets can be extremely functional in a small bathroom. Cutouts in your bathtub or shower for storing shampoo or soap can also be a space savor in a small bathroom. A long large mirror on a wall can make a narrow room seem much wider. When space is an issue, a combination tub and shower can be a clever solution that will offer many of the same features found in a much larger bathroom.  A pedestal sink can be an ideal choice for that clutter free look and use a  wall mounted cup holder, soap dish and towel bar. All of these options, will minimize clutter.

If your are lucky enough to build your own home and can allow for a home spa, this can be serene and enhance a meditative atmosphere.  You can pamper yourself with a large whirlpool tub, and add a list of amenities that can turn your bathroom into a private retreat.  Many of the new baths feature custom tiles, multiple head showers, radiant floor heat, recessed timed heat ceiling lamps and towel warmers.

In a large bathroom, decorative soap dishes, tumblers, and matching waste baskets can create an atmosphere of opulence. When you have the space for bathroom decor, it is often the little things that count. Commercial bath accessory sets are more complete than ever.  Some towel bars, hooks, tissue holders and even faucet handles can have a wow effect that you are looking for. Other popular amenities include adjustable makeup mirrors, shaving mirrors, and home entertainment components such as TVs and built in sound systems.

Behind those shiny fixtures and gleaming tiles are effective design principles. Before you start shopping, take the time to asses what you already have. Make sure you have a measuring tape. Measure each wall at counter height. After you finish measuring the wall, total the figures then check  the result by taking a single overall measurement from counter to corner. The two figures should match.  Measure around the room and then measure the floor to ceiling height of each wall.  Make sure your walls are square. Now you can draw your bathroom to scale. Most designers use a 1/2 inch scale.  Be sure to include centerlines to sink plumbing, and electrical symbols for outlets, switches and light fixtures.  It can be helpful to add the direction of joints and to identify bearing walls. Sketch in other features that might affect your plans. The fun part is actually planning your bathroom.

Some things to consider when planning your new bathroom are:  Lighting and security system, steam shower, sauna, grooming center, dressing area, walk in closet and drawer space for clothing, entertainment center, laundry area, flooring, walls and heating and cooling outlets.  The more facts you have the easier it will be to plan your layout and keep your cost down. If you don't have the time to shop, you can check out and research the latest technology and design on the internet.

If you are adding a new bathroom, try to locate it near an existing bathroom or kitchen. and arrange the fixtures against one or two walls eliminating the need for additional plumbing lines.  Begin by positioning the largest unit in your bathroom, which will most likely be the bathtub or shower. Then add the toilet. If adding a bidet, it should be next to the toilet. Remember your clearances for windows, doors, and shower doors.

With a basic floor plan in mind, you can now start on your decorating scheme. Consider wall and ceiling coverings, flooring, fixtures and decorative bath sets. Your choices in color, pattern, texture, and shape will help you achieve your style.  There are many styles to choose from such as Georgian, French, European, Contemporary, Retro, or Eclectic. It is best start with one element you have fallen in love with and then add to that decorative element. That starting point could be an antique sink, art deco tiles or maybe it is a piece of  handblown glass.

There are multiple choices for good lighting. Use natural lighting when you can.  For many designers, lighting is one of the most important parts when designing a bathroom.  There are four different lighting systems that are popular in bathrooms: Task, ambient, accent, and decorative lighting.  Task lighting illuminates a particular area. Task lighting is usually used in areas that shaving or applying makeup takes place. Accent lighting is used to highlight features , paintings or to set a mood and provide drama in an area. Decorative lighting is lighting that causes attention. Many times decorative lighting is a beautiful lamp that accents an area. Ambient light fills in all the areas of the room and is used as soft light for a peaceful soak in the tub.

Heating and ventilation is a very important factor that can not be left out. You always want to provide warmth to a bathroom. Going into a cold bathroom on a cool day can spoil the soothing effect of a long hot soak or shower. For comfort, raise the temperature about 5 to 10 degrees above the level of the rest of your house.  A small heater in the wall or ceiling may be all you need. If you are planning a remodel, another heat source can be radiant heat from coils below the floor if you will be using ceramic tile or stone. Ventilating is a important factor that can't be left out of a bathroom. Ventilating fans can provide freshness to the air and draw out mold producing moisture. Just make sure your fan has a low noise rating. A fan should be mounted as close as possible to the shower or tub and it should be a good distance from the replacement air in your bathroom.

If you choose to paint your bathroom, the color should be about the mood you want to create. Light colors reflect light, making walls appear to recede. Dark colors absorb light and seem to lower the ceiling. Consider the colors for a small bathroom. Too much dark color will make your bathroom appear smaller.   Remember when painting to check on the labels or ask someone to help you pick out paint that can be used in a room that has moisture. You can use the same rules when wallpapering a bathroom with darker patterns and lighter patterns. Make sure you use a smaller wallpaper pattern in a small room. Ask for help when buying adhesive for papering a bathroom. Make sure you purchase an adhesive that can hold up to the daily moisture that a bathroom produces.

Once you have worked out everything else, don't forget the final touches such as decorative bath sets, doorknobs and drawer pulls. Now pamper yourself with the bathroom of your dreams.

To find decorative bath accessories try viewing the latest designs in bath room accessories by  Croscill Bath, Veratex Bath, Blonder Home Bath Accents.