If you hate even walking into your bathroom, you are probably due for a major upgrade. The bathroom should be one room that we really enjoy being in. Especially if you are a mother or father, the bathroom may be the only place where you can get some quiet time to yourself. You may even take advantage of the opportunity to take a shower or have been know to lock the door in order to sneakily eat your favorite snack without having to share. It’s a place of refuge and solitude and relaxation and should be one of the best rooms in the house. However, in order to get the perfect bathroom, there are some things you should think about.
Style
Do you prefer an outdoor theme with a custom fireplace, a hanging wine rack and a cedar wood shower floor? Or maybe you’d prefer to go with an under the sea feel with seaweed decals for the shower door and a built in bubble machine. Deciding on what style of bathroom you want is very important because it really narrows down the rest of your choices. Of course you’ll want only the best custom bathroom cabinets and toilets but you’d be surprised at the different types of showers, baths and sinks that are available. Even the best custom bathroom cabinets leave a lot of room for creativity.
Size
The current size of your bathroom is a huge consideration. If the style you want won’t fit in the bathroom you have right now, you may want to think about expanding. This will require taking a look at what is around the bathroom. Can the next room over afford to be a little smaller? Your best bet is to pick a style that will work with your current bathroom size but if you are unable to find something that you like, then you might as well go for it. Go big or go home! Except you already are home if you’re in your bathroom. Anyways…
Atmosphere
This may be the most important factor of them all. The mood of your bathroom depends entirely on the size and style that you choose. Once those decisions are settled then you can start thinking about the little things that make the biggest difference. The best custom bathroom cabinets may play a big part in the look of the bathroom but the mood is always set by the lighting. If you are going with the outdoor theme, you could add in some tiki torches or candles that look like logs. Canned lighting is great for an outdoor theme as well. Under the sea would do better with soft blue and yellow lights. Keep in mind that the best lighting for relaxing is soft and dim lights. Bright white lights prohibit the mind from slowing down.
Budget
The previous point was initially wrong; the budget is the most important factor. Without making a budget you are setting yourself up for failure. Everything should be considered in your budget from the toothbrush holder to the best custom bathroom cabinets to the Jacuzzi style tub. A discretionary fund is not a bad idea either. This is money that you would prefer not to use but if something comes up that you just absolutely have to have, it’s not going to break the bank for you to include it in the plans. Having said that, you should set a reasonable budget and stick to it. Sticking to it is the crucial part because this is the hardest. A contractor may try to up your limit by enticing you with pretty items but you have to be firm and determined. Request that you are only shown features that are within your budget allowances. A contractor that will not respect your wishes but continues to try and up sell you, is a contractor that should be replaced.
A bathroom remodel is a great thing but it can get pricey and take a long time so make sure that you are willing to sacrifice time and money on a project this big. You can always start with the much cheaper and less time consuming job of redecorating if you are not ready to change out everything entirely.
