Bathroom remodeling and Bathroom Design Articles

My Bath is in the process of opening a new Kitchen and Bath showroom in SW Florida.  We will be featuring our line of steam showers and walk in bathtubs as well as doing full kitchen and bathroom remodeling.  We are increasing our product line to offer a full range of affordalbe hardwood kitchen cabinets and range hoods.  We will also offer installation and discounted pricing on granite and tile.   My bath will also be adding the full line of kohler, moen and delta products.  We will be specializing in custom bathroom and kitchen design and will help clients from start to finish with:

 
Bathroom Layout
Countertop and Backsplash Selection
Space Planning
Budget Planning
Conceptual and Design Development
Flooring Selection
Hardware and Fixture Selection
Lighting Design
Paint Selection (including faux finishing)
Project Management
Rug Selection
Tile Selection

Today’s bathrooms are becoming more like home spas than their predecessors. Home owners are taking advantage of many luxury remodeling products when redesigning their bathroom. Now homeowners can enjoy a bathroom that rivals or even puts to shame many five star hotel suites.There are so many advances in the bathroom remodeling industry here are a few ideas to think about.

When designing a luxury bathroom natural stone is the most popular choice. This is not only because of its beauty, but also because of its durability and neutral tones. Natural stone such as granite or marble tiles is the flooring of choice for luxury bathrooms; however it does have its draw backs. Natural stone is cold, many bathers don’t want to get out of a steamy hot shower and step onto a freezing cold floor. This is why heated floors have become popular with luxury bathroom remodelers. A thin heating pad is installed underneath the natural stone floor, eliminating the unpleasant coldness of the floor. Heated floors are a great luxury bathroom upgrade.

Another item that has become very popular with bathroom remodelers is the Television. There are many steam showers that offer built in televisions but they are very small unfortunately. The hottest trend in bathroom televisions is having a television built into your mirror. When the TV is turned off the mirror appears normal, when the TV is on a portion of the mirror displays the images. There are also many water proof TVs that can be installed in shower enclosures or anywhere else in the bathroom. Having a television makes your bathroom more luxurious and more modernized.

Towel warmers are also a great product for any luxury bathroom. They come in many sizes and styles. Having a warm towel after a soothing bath is a luxury most five star hotels don’t offer. This is an inexpensive upgrade that can have a dramatic effect on the way you view your bathroom.

Luxury showers have also become more popular in recent years. Luxury showers have a variety of body jets as well as the over head shower. They can also have built in steam generators, lighting, radios and much more. The steam shower has quickly grown in popularity. Surveys have concluded that one in sixty American homes has a steam shower installed.

Luxury bathroom design incorporates many styles. It stresses comfort for the user and high end building materials. Instead of having a bathroom, homeowners can have a stylish personal spa retreat. This is why so many home owners are choosing luxury bathroom design as their style of choice.

Are you sick of your old, tired bathroom? The bathroom is one of the last rooms in the home that people remodel. This may be because most home owners feel that bathroom remodeling is a hassle. The good news is there are many new modern products on the market that are easy to install and offer a wide variety of benefits for the home owner. Modern bathroom design is becoming much more popular since manufactures have innovated on many older bathroom products.

Depending on how long it’s been since your last bathroom remodel the first thing you will probably want to do is replace your old toilet with a modern efficient toilet. This is the cheapest bathroom fixtures to replace. A new toilet not only gives your bathroom a new look but will also help to save then environment. Installing dual flush toilets is a great way to save water; they have two flush modes one that is .8 gallons and a 1.6 gallon flush. These toilets are inexpensive and reduce water and drainage bills.

Steam showers have become very popular in the past few years. Having the convenience of a steam room in the privacy of your own home is a great way to relax and melt away tension after a long day at work. There is a wide variety of these modern showers to choose from. You can build your own custom steam shower enclosure, this is an expensive project and can easily cost in the $10-$15K range. A more economical approach is the free standing steam shower. These showers offer a wide variety of features not typically found in custom showers. Aromatherapy boxes, chromo therapy lighting, and telephones are just a few features they can have. These showers also much more economical starting at around $1800 and up.Free standing shower stalls are a great addition to any modern bathroom remodel.

Bathroom vanities are another fixture that can dramatically change the appearance of your bathroom. Modern bathroom vanities come in many sizes and styles. They are usually constructed of glass, hardwoods and veneers. You can purchase either free standing or wall hung vanities, wall hung vanities are a great idea to think about. Because the unit doesn’t take up any floor space they are much easier to clean underneath and give your bathroom a distinct look. Because of their ease to clean and their unique contemporary styling, many homeowners are opting to replace their old vanity with a modern one. 

Today’s bathrooms are becoming more like private retreats for the home owner. This also helps the value of your home because it makes it more attractive to potential buyers and having efficient appliances or a steam shower will raise the value of your home. Having a stone aged bathroom will discourage potential buyers, since most house hunters are looking for move in ready homes.

As we age we lose the ability to perform everyday tasks. Helping seniors keep their independence is an important part of bathroom remodeling. Designing a geriatric friendly bathroom isn’t an impossible task. There are many new products on the market that can be installed in no time at all that will drastically improve the quality of life for seniors.

Installing grab bars around the toilet and shower can make a world of difference. Grab bars are an inexpensive way to help give seniors back their independence. They can drastically reduce the risk of slipping or falling and can be installed in less than an hour.
Walk-in bathtubs are another very popular product on the market. A walk in bathtub prevents bathers from having to step over a ledge to bath. There are many popular units to choose from such as the big bathe model which has a deep soaking tub allowing users to bath up to their neck. There are several models of walk-in baths to choose from and many innovations have been made in them, such as a quicker fill time and drainage pumps. These have been added to quickly remove water after the bath so the bather doesn’t have to wait as long for the water to drain out of the tub. Some manufactures have also incorporated lifts into the walk in bathtub. The lift is a raised seat and once the bathtub is full it slowly lowers the bather into the bath. When bathing is complete the lift then raises the user to a sitting position again so they can easily exit the bathtub.

Bathroom vanity height is also very important. Wall hung vanities are perfect for these applications. Since they can be installed at a desired height, the main user of the bathroom can have their vanity installed so they have optimal use without having to bend down.
Walk-in showers are also a great addition to think about when designing a bathroom for the elderly. Walk-in showers have similar benefits as the walk-in bathtubs. They typically have built in seating and grab bars to help bathers in and out of the shower. Typically they also come with a hand held shower wand for more versatile showering. There are even walk-in steam showers that offer all these features plus the addition of a steam room.

Another important factor when remodeling a bathroom for the elderly is a non slip floor. If you have a tile or marble floor in the bathroom there are a variety of coatings you can add to it that won’t compromise the look but offer better grip. The bathroom is one of the most hazardous places for seniors and taking a few small steps can significantly reduce that risk.

When designing a bathroom for the elderly it is important to treat each design on a case by case basis. The best approach is to get the user or users involved in the remodeling process so their concerns can be alleviated. Retro –fitting a bathroom for use by seniors doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Depending on their physical state many upgrades may just be precautionary measures.

Bathroom remodeling is something many people avoid because of the stress and hassle that accompanies it. Trying to find the right vanity, picking out matching tile these are things everyone faces at one time or another. Small bathroom design is even more stressful because home owners have a limited space to work with making it harder to find plumbing fixtures that will fit. Although it can be stressful, with the proper planning and time structure you can make your small bathroom remodeling project quick and easy and you will be satisfied when reaping the benefits of having a new functional bathroom haven.
When planning the design of your small bathroom here are a few things to think about; storage space is one of the biggest problems designers face when it comes to small bathrooms. Recessed medicine cabinets and modern wall hung vanities offer great storage space without taking up valued floor space. Wall hung vanities are also sought after because of their contemporary look and it is also easy to clean underneath them. Conserving floor space is very important when it comes to remodeling small bathrooms. Having an open floor is a more efficient use of space then having a narrow channel to walk down (like the majority of small bathrooms). Neo angle showers are perfect for small bathrooms because they save floor space and typically have sliding doors which don’t suffer from interference from other bathroom fixtures. Corner vanities are also another great addition to the small bathroom for similar reasons as the neo angle shower. They are also rarely seen which gives your bathroom a one of a kind look.
If you have a standard sized bathtub in your small bathroom think about upgrading it to a modular steam shower, the Royal B-611 and Ameristeam P-205 both fit into the same dimensions of a standard sized bathtub with many added features that will transform your small bathroom into a personal spa getaway. The Royal B 611 features a whirlpool bathtub with air and water massage jets, as well as a steam generator, fm radio, chromo therapy lighting and more. Its ozone sterilization feature ensures that your shower is always sterilized after every use. The Ameristeam P-205 is a walk-in shower that also features a steam generator and fm radio. This large walk-in shower stalls comfortable seats two occupants and has programmable acupuncture jets which give an unmatched spa like massage. Both showers are perfect for small bathroom remodeling because they utilize the existing space of 80% of bathroom shower/tub combinations. These units will not only make your bathroom more enjoyable for you and your family but also potentially raise the value and appeal of your home to potential buyers.
When planning your bathroom remodeling project it is important to shop around to find the best deals on your fixtures. Buying them online will save you hundreds if not thousands on the entire bathroom remodel, make sure you leave extra time before you contractors show up incase something arrives broken or is temporarily out of stock. Giving yourself enough time to plan and purchase fixtures and appliances is the biggest key to a stress less bathroom remodeling experience.

The hottest trend in bathroom design is the steam shower. For years many have traveled to local health clubs and gyms to get the benefits from the steam room. Now with affordable prices and large advances in technology many consumers prefer to get their steam fix from the comfort of their own home. Until recently the cost of a home steam room was well over $10,000; however modular shower stalls were introduced to the United States about 3 years ago and ever since they have been gaining greatly in popularity, because they offer a wide variety of features at a fraction of the cost of custom steam rooms.
Home owners aren’t the only ones taking advantage of modular steam showers. There are many hotels and condos that are catching on to them installing them in their luxury suites. Hotel owners are realizing that steam showers are becoming more of a household amenity and their clients prefer rooms with spa like bathrooms.
Modular steam showers are popular for many reasons. The first would be their ease of installation. A typical steam shower installation shouldn’t take any more than three to four hours. They utilize existing water and drainage lines so they can be installed in virtually any application. The second reason they are so popular is the wide selection of units available. You can find virtually every size and style imaginable everything from modern glass units to traditional white acrylic units. Another reason for their popularity is the amount of features VS the price of the unit. If you were to build a custom steam shower with body jets, chromo therapy lighting, sound system, and ozone sterilization it would cost you well over $15,000; these are pretty basic features for a modular steam shower that starts around $2500.
The main problem that consumers face when it comes to buying a steam shower is their home only has one full bathroom. Having a ¾ bathroom as the largest or only bathroom in the home will lower the value of the property. The manufacturers of modular steam showers saw this dilemma. That is why they designed the steam shower, The best feature of modular steam shower is the ease of installation. These easy to install showers utilize existing water and drainage lines which can help save hundreds if not thousands on plumbing bills when designing your new bathroom. They are also free standing so they can be installed on your finished floor. These showers are so easy to install, the majority of homeowners assemble the unit and have a licensed electrician hard wire the unit costing do -it-yourselfers next to nothing.

The kitchen and bathroom are the two rooms that make the biggest impression with potential buyers when it comes to selling your home. Your kitchen and bathroom will need to impress the buyers to get top dollar for your property. Your potential buyers have more options to choose from, especially now that it is a buyers market. This is why it is important to give your home a differential advantage that other similar homes in your neighborhood do not have. There are many ways your can increase the value and appeal of your property without breaking the bank. For instance, replacing the range hood in your kitchen with a modern range hood can make a substantial difference in a buyer’s first impression of your kitchen.

When it comes to bathrooms, the hottest item in bathroom design is, at this point, the steam shower. Many Americans are discovering the multiple health benefits that are gained through using a steam bath. In addition to this, they have also become somewhat of a status symbol. Modular steam shower units are very cost effective and can be installed by the average do-it-yourselfer in under 12 hours. They also come in a very wide variety of sizes and styles. There is a free standing steam shower for almost every application imaginable. There are models with Jacuzzi bathtubs built into the bottom of them, making them very popular for smaller bathrooms because when installed, they can turn a ¾ bathroom into a full bath. There are even several models on the market that will fit in the standard 60” X 30” bathtub space. Modular steam showers are a great idea because you can redesign your bathroom in a day.

Adding a new vanity is also a great way to spruce up your bathroom. There are many styles of bathroom vanities to choose from. Shopping for vanities online is that way to go, being that you will not only save money over showroom prices, but you will also find a much larger selection online then you could at any warehouse or showroom. Many vanities purchased online also come with all the plumbing and fixtures needed for a full installation. When buying online, you want to make sure that you are buying from a reputable dealer. For instance, when making a large purchase online, look for both a hacker safe logo and the Better Business Bureau logo. It is also important that you make sure your vanity comes with a warranty other than the manufacturer’s one year warranty.

Replacing your existing bathtub with a modernized Jacuzzican also increase the value and appeal of your home. These can also be very reasonably priced. Modern bathtubs have new features like air jets, television monitors, and inline heat pumps. They are manufactured in a variety of sizes and come in free standing units or as drop in units that easily replace your existing drop in bathtub.

The key to having a simple and efficient remodel is having a solid bathroom design. Make sure everything is measured and drawn to scale. This ensures that you know exactly how your bathroom will look before you start the remodeling process. Having a luxury bathroom will interest prospective buyers and help to sell your home sooner. Many real estate agents agree that homes with steam showers sell faster then those without, and fetch higher market values. In some markets, houses can sell in half the time as homes without steam showers.