The bathroom accounts for a small percentage of a house’s total square footage, but when it comes to remodeling, it seems like it is an enormous castle. Not because it is lavish and luxurious, but because it will eat up lots of your time, money, and nerves. So, if you are planning a bathroom renovation any time soon, you should think twice about your every move. Still, you don’t have to panic. There are some simple rules that can guide you through the process, as painlessly as possible. Here are some of the rules you should know about.
Write down your plans, draw sketches
Don’t let the excitement about getting a brand-new bathroom push you into thoughtless projects. Write down a priority list. Be aware of what you really need, and what are simply the things that you would want to have. You don’t have to be an architect to sketch your bathroom. Consider its square footage, the corners, the shape. That’s how you’ll see what you can fit in and how.
Establish a budget
After you get all the details straight, you can move on with establishing a budget. Check the prices of materials, tiles, fixtures, shipping, installation and permitting. However, you need to be aware that not everything will go as you plan. Remodelings often shed some light on other structural issues and bring a lot of additional costs, so make sure you have an emergency fund.
Hire the contractors
Bathroom works are too complicated to don your own, even for DIY pros. Sure, there are some things you can handle your own but don’t think for a second that a YouTube tutorial can teach you how to do plumbing. When choosing the contractors, you should check their references. If you have a word-of-mouth recommendation, that is your safest bet.
Choose a design style
Now, let’s move on to the more joyful aspects of bathroom remodeling – choosing how it’s going to look like. The simplest way to build the bathroom’s appearance is to decide on one design style and let it guide you. Will it be Scandinavian? Mid-century modern? Hollywood glam? This decision will help you choose the tiles, tub, fixtures, flooring and everything else.
Start with the bathroom’s focal point
The most important item in every bathroom is the tub or the shower, depending on which you decide. You need to think about the practical side of the two. If you have a small bathroom, it would be best to go with a frameless glass door shower. If you want to score some points in the style and elegance department, you can opt for a modern bathtub. These fixtures contribute to the bathroom’s appearance and go well with every style, while being very functional.
Consider the efficiency
The bathroom is the biggest water spender in the house, and if you want to save some money in the future, it would be wise to start thinking about it now. Opt for water-saving fixtures like a low-flow shower head, motion triggered faucet, and low-flush toilet.
Don’t forget the ventilation
Don’t get carried away by all the gorgeous bathroom details and forget to install proper ventilation. This can lead to moisture and mold and ruin your efforts. A vent fan should be appropriate for the square footage of the bathroom. Choose a modern model with an unpretentious design that doesn’t make a lot of noise.
Provide enough storage
We keep a lot of things in our bathrooms, ranging from medicines and toiletries to towels and cleaning products. Think about all the things you will keep in the bathroom and how you are going to organize them. If your bathroom is small and cramped, you will need to use the vertical space for floating shelves and hanging cabinets.
Bathroom renovation can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to drain all your energy (and money). If you follow these rules, it will be a guaranteed success.
Provide enough storage
We keep a lot of things in our bathrooms, ranging from medicines and toiletries to towels and cleaning products. Think about all the things you will keep in the bathroom and how you are going to organize them. If your bathroom is small and cramped, you will need to use the vertical space for floating shelves and hanging cabinets.
Bathroom renovation can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to drain all your energy (and money). If you follow these rules, it will be a guaranteed success.
Chloe is a graduated journalist from Adelaide and a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Beside all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a beautiful book from time to time.