Bathroom Remodeling Trends Include Adding Comfort, Increasing Space, and Planning For the Future

Whether you are doing a whole house remodeling project or just a bathroom renovation, you have a lot of design options to consider. Today's bathrooms aren't just functional afterthoughts. Nowadays homeowners want their bathrooms to be attractive - and they see them as places to relax and unwind. If you're remodeling, think about the feeling you want your bath to evoke - and make sure its design harmonizes with the rest of the house.

Adding Comfort: People want to feel pampered in the bathroom, so a big remodeling trend is adding comfortable instead of just utilitarian features. Radiant heating installed under the floors helps alleviate the problem of cold tiles in the morning. This system adds a little to your remodeling costs, but it can become the room's primary heat source. It is also energy efficient since the tiles retain the warmth after the heater is turned off. Another comfort addition is a home steam room, which can be little more than an enclosed shower stall. The design considerations for a steam room can be tricky since such a system must be completely enclosed and insulated on all surfaces.

Universal Designing: The principles of universal design dictate that a home is made accessible to people of different heights and abilities. If you're remodeling your bathroom, don't just think about your needs now; think about what you will want in the future. You may later appreciate grab bars, easy-to-use controls, and seats in the shower, or a walk-in bath and shower enclosure. Think about wall-mounted sinks that allow room for a wheelchair underneath. These features will not only make your home easier to use, but will increase its resale value.

Greening Features: Green remodeling is as popular in bathrooms as it is in the rest of the house. Homeowners can install low-water use shower heads, low-flow or dual-use toilets, energy-efficient lighting, and green building products such as sustainable woods and recycled glass countertops or tiles. Touchless faucets are now available for residential use and can reduce wasted water. Special water recirculation systems and graywater usage are gaining popularity in areas with water conservation needs.

Adding Luxury Showers: Many homeowners are remodeling their bathroom to expand the shower area and make it more like its own room - one that can accommodate two people at a time. His-and-hers shower heads are showing up as are shower areas designed to work without doors. Shower stalls can be luxuriously appointed with mosaic tiles, lots of glass, or hinged doors. Some people install multiple shower heads on one fixture that can simultaneously massage and shower different parts of the body with water jets. Other popular shower heads are oversized and simulate rainwater by dowsing you from above rather than at an angle like regular showers.

Increasing Light and Space: People want more light in their bathrooms and are remodeling to add windows and skylights. Seeking more space, some homeowners convert a small bedroom into a bathroom. Homeowners are also focusing on the quality of bathroom air. Nowadays fans can have a remote motor elsewhere, like in the attic. This allows them to be much more powerful and quieter with only a small increase in cost. Some fans have humidity sensors that switch them on automatically, and many fans are Energy Star rated.

Joaquin Erazo, Jr. is the senior vice president of marketing and public relations at Case Design/Remodeling, Inc. Find a bathroom remodeling company near you now!

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What to Include in a Bathroom Remodel

The bathroom should be an oasis within your home, where you feel comfortable and even a bit pampered. If your bathroom is barely functional enough to fulfill your basic restroom requirements, you might want to consider a bathroom remodeling project. Remodeling your bathroom can not only provide you with a soothing retreat, but it can add long-term value to your home.

Bathroom Remodel Ideas

Before you get started on your bathroom remodel, consider your budget and make a list of features you want to include. Careful planning is required so you don't end up with an oversized tub or run out of money before the work is complete. Here are some things to consider addressing in your remodel:

1. Smart Storage

Crowded counters and lack of space for daily essentials such as towels can make your bathroom a place of frustration rather than relaxation. When it comes to bathroom remodeling, addressing storage problems is a must. Built-in storage that utilizes the room's vertical space, such as tall cabinets with drawers, can hide your mess while freeing up floor space. Consider adding an electric outlet within a cabinet for keeping electronic devices, such as toothbrushes, out of sight while they're charging.

2. Ventilation

Your bathroom's ventilation system is another important element to think about. An improved ventilation system can help inhibit harmful mold growth and protect the finishes of your bathroom furniture. An upgraded fan can also be less noisy, and some come with humidity sensors that turn the fans on automatically.

3. Adequate Lighting

Tired of putting on makeup in your bathroom only to find you look like a vampy raccoon in regular daylight? Take advantage of your bathroom remodel to install better lighting that complements the colors of your walls rather than distorting them. Remodeling small bathroom lighting can involve including vanity lights around a mirror.

4. A Good Soak

There are plenty of choices available for stylish showers and tubs. In a more spacious bathroom, a soaking tub is a nice luxury to add. In a more constricted space, you can achieve a similar effect by adding a tub with heightened walls.

When it comes to showers, some bathroom shower remodel ideas include adding extra shower floor space and an additional showerhead, as well as including smaller showerheads along the walls that pulsate water for a water massage. You can also install showerheads on the ceiling for a tropical rainforest vibe. For a bathroom shower remodel in a smaller space, a steam shower can incorporate many of these bells and whistles into one unit.

5. Go Green

One of the biggest trends in bathroom remodeling is incorporating items that are both sustainable and economical. You can make your bathroom more eco-friendly by using cork flooring, which is warmer to the touch than tile, and by installing a timer on floor heaters. Decrease bathroom water consumption with water-saving showerheads and low-flow toilets, and conserve electricity with an on-demand water heater that heats water instantly instead of storing it.

Instead of focusing on the latest trends, consider these timeless bathroom remodeling ideas. When you remodel your bathroom, you raise not only the value of your home, but the quality of the time you spend in that room.

~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2010

To learn more about getting the most bang for your buck on your Portland bathroom remodeling project, visit the Sitka Projects website, a resource for kitchen and bathroom remodeling, room additions and home repair.

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