The Importance of Bathroom Design
Families are spending more and more time in their bathrooms than ever before, thus, they desire their bathrooms to be functional as well as inviting. If you are ready for a new bathroom look, take some time to consider ideas for the bathroom design and investigate remodeling your bathroom to suit your needs and style.
Several questions need to be asked prior to the start of any design process. It is critical before you decide to renovate to make sure that there are no underlying problems with the core of your home. Sound plumbing, heating and electrical service should be inspected before demolition begins. When talking to a designer, consider a few things: Do you need more storage? Are the fixtures out-dated? Do the vanity and faucets need replaced? Are you able to work around the existing fixtures such as the tub and/or sink? Do you want a separate tub and shower compartments? It is an important factor also to determined the style of bathrooms choices, you can choose from modern, traditional, contemporary or transitional type of bathrooms.
Once these questions are answered, sit down and work within a realistic budget. Determine how much you are able to afford. The focus on your bathroom improvements will also depend on the type of bathroom. If your remodel is for a guest bathroom, it should be useful, inviting, and even impressive for your guests. A children’s bathroom should be bright, colorful and even fun. A master bedroom bathroom can have a resort style, relaxing, or perhaps a sexy feel.
Making the correct lighting choices, such as decorative or accent lighting add elegance to a bathroom, or adding softer dimmable lighting can give you more of a cozy feeling. Another focal point in any bathroom is the vanity mirror, giving the area a bigger feel and a chance to show off your individual style with a decorative frame or a uniquely-shaped mirror. Incorporate your family’s own taste and fashion with accessories to complete you bathroom remodel. Tile designs, the color of the walls, and open shelves for display items add character to every bathroom as well.
Bathroom design should be attractive and just as comfortable as any other room in your home. Remodeling is also an ideal time to make your house healthier for you, the community, and the environment through the use of environmentally-friendly products and recycling or reusing existing materials.…
Why Bathroom Remodeling Pays
Bathroom remodeling is one of the most popular home improvement projects undertaken by homeowners throughout the U.S. By working with an experienced bathroom remodeling contractor, you can plan for a bathroom remodel that will increase the value of your home, reduce your energy costs and save water. Using environmentally friendly materials can also help to save the environment. This is why bathroom remodeling pays.
Updating and upgrading your bathroom, especially a master bathroom, increases your comfort as you live in the home. It also increases the value of your home by 61 – 74% of the cost of the remodel. Although you will not get this money back immediately, you can expect to recover this much of your cost when you sell your home. That, by any standards, is a good return on investment.
Careful planning with a qualified bathroom remodeling contractor will give you the opportunity to choose construction materials that are environmentally friendly in terms of how they are made and in terms of saving natural resources by reducing usage. Consider, if you will, that by choosing a low-flow or dual flush toilet you can save as much as four gallons of water with every flush (depending on the fixture you are replacing). Considering that each person flushes an average of nine times per day (minimum), a family of four would save 180 gallons of water every day. And low flow faucets and showerheads also save significant amounts of water.
Now let’s assume that your home is all electric. By upgrading the insulation in your bathroom, changing your window to a triple-paned vinyl framed window with Xenon gas between the panes, you will reduce your energy usage for heating and cooling by one-third in the bathroom. Then install an energy-efficient ventilation fan, an energy-efficient spa tub or shower, and energy-efficient lighting fixtures, and you can reduce your demand for electricity even more. If the bathroom you are remodeling is heavily used, your energy savings increases.
Next think carefully about the materials you will use for your remodel. Your contractor will be able to help you decide which materials are best for your needs and your location. Some of the materials you might want to consider are: environmentally friendly drywall, recycled glass tile, cork floor tiles (for comfort and beauty), natural paints, and engineered wood.
And you can consider other options for your bathroom that will improve energy efficiency, such as: an instant water heater for sinks, a whirlpool tub with an in-line water heater, radiant floor heating, insulate walls behind shower and tub, UV blocking window coating, a skylight or roof window (or tunnel/tube light) to bring in more natural light or motion activated light switches.
These are just a few of the materials, additional features, and considerations for you to discuss with your contractor. This should be enough information to help you understand why bathroom remodeling pays. In fact, by carefully considering your options, the materials you will use in your remodel and special features, you can expect to recover the cost of your remodel within a couple of years by combining the increased value of your home, your energy savings and your reduced water and sewer expenses. There’s no question that bathroom remodeling pays big.
Consider bathroom remodeling in your home. Work closely with your contractor in making choices and planning your remodel. You might be surprised to see just how much difference it will make!
Copyright 2009 by ABCD Publishing…
The Basics Of Remodeling A Bathroom
A bathroom is a room that is used very frequently, which usually means that it will be subjected to a lot of wear and tear over time. As the bathroom is often used by visitors too, it is important to keep it looking attractive and in good working order.
A bathroom remodel is only limited by your imagination and budget, but there are a few main areas to consider that can make a vast difference to the look and function of a bathroom.
Tiles are a very important part of any bathroom renovation, as they will protect the walls around the sink and bath from splashed water. Ceramic or porcelain tiles are ideal for this and are easy to keep clean. There are many styles and patterns to choose from, so it shouldn’t be too difficult finding a style to suit your bathroom.
Floor tiles are also great for protecting the floor, and again come in a variety of styles and designs. They can be a bit cold to step on, so it may be wise to place a rug over them, or even install under floor heating if you have the resources.
Lighting is an area that shouldn’t be underestimated when remodelling, as it can make a huge difference to the look and functionality of a bathroom. Ideally, you will have a combination of lighting that can both light the bathroom in general, and provide the stronger lighting required around the mirror.
The cheapest and most obvious way to transform your bathroom is to give it a new coat of paint. Soft and subtle colors are best for this as they can make the room appear lighter and more relaxing.
Any bathroom fixtures, such as the toilet, faucets, bathtub or vanities that are worn or damaged should repaired or replaced to make sure your bathroom is a pleasure to use as well as look at.…
Ceramic Tile Removal in a Bathroom Remodel
On this step of removing the ceramic tile it’s going to get dusty so what I did first was remove everything that I could so I wouldn’t have to clean it when I was done. Even though I was not going to reuse the tile, I wanted to be careful because I wanted to put the tile on Freecycle or Craigslist so someone else might be able to use them. The only tools I used were an old flat tip screw driver, hammer and a box cutter.
I should say that the tiles that are offset from the wall about 1/2″ with a mortar mix. The way that the mortar stays on the wall is a wire mesh that is attached to the wall with staples and nails. I started by cutting the bead of caulk around the top edge of the tile being careful not to cut to deep and into the drywall. Now the first tile off is the most critical so you have to be real careful. I just started the screwdriver back behind the tile and pried a little bit at a time at tile I could remove without damaging the wall or the tiles next to it. From that point it gets easier. I worked a line straight down to the floor and then made my way around the room.
Being how we are still using the bathroom I had to work around a few things. The first was the toilet. The tank of the toilet was real close to the tile so it made it difficult to get the tiles off around it. The next thing was the vanity. I should tell you that when they built this house they custom built the vanity and everything before they put up the tile so there is allot of things to cut around. I would have to say that when I got to the mirror I had to be real careful because the mirror was resting on top of the tile. Now I am the kind of guy that if something can go wrong it probable will. I got lucky on this part and didn’t break the mirror.
Another nice thing about doing all the work myself, I get to see how thing’s are built. I am a project engineer for a manufacturing company and I am always looking at how things are built. Okay I better get back to the tile work. Now I mentioned that the tile was about 1/2″ off the wall with a mortar mix. When I got to the door way there was the mortar mix on one side and on the other they built it up with a piece of plywood and used liquid nails to hold the tiles up. Needless to say, I couldn’t save any of the tiles that were glued to the wood. Then I found an area that the tile was glued straight to the drywall. I have to replace some drywall now. Luckily that was the end of removing the tile.
I stacked all of the good tile in a box and threw out all bad ones. Swept up all the debris and put everything back in its place. As I mentioned at the beginning I am going to list the tiles on Freecycle since they are in good condition and hopefully someone else can use them instead of them going into the land fill. As I remodel I’m always looking for ways that I can recycle materials instead of throwing them into a land fill that is already overloaded.
In the next article I’ll be removing the mortar mix and the wire that was attached to the wall.…
Renovation Tips to Ensure You Have a Safe Kitchen
Tip #1 – Provide Enough Lighting
In order to make your kitchen a safe place, make sure that you provide enough lighting in the kitchen. When you have enough lighting and some good task lighting throughout the kitchen, it can help you ensure that you don’t injure yourself while you are cooking. Make sure that the lights don’t cast shadows on counters and that there isn’t any glare.
Tip #2 – Go with Flooring that is Slip Resistant
You should go with flooring that is slip resistant in your kitchen to prevent bad accidents. Water and other liquids can end up on the floor and the last thing you need is flooring that is slippery. If you fell with a knife in your hand or while holding a hot dish of food, it could be a very bad accident. Choose flooring that is slip resistant, such as ceramic tile that is soft glazed, laminate flooring, or vinyl that is texture.
Tip #3 – Choose a Cooktop that is Safe
It is also important that you choose a cooktop that is safe when you remodel your kitchen. The last thing you want is to get scalded with the steam, so a cooktop that staggers that burners is a great idea. Avoid an option that has the controls in the back as well. Look for an option that has the controls in the front or along the side for safety’s sake.
Tip #4 – Beware of Where you Place Electrical Plugs, Switches, and More
You need to beware of where you place the electric plugs, switches, and other electrical options in the kitchen. It is important that you have the receptacles grounded and that there are circuit interrupters that will cut off the entire circuit in the room if there is any moisture or a power surge occurs. Water and electricity don’t mix, so be careful where you put electrical items.
Tip #5 – Safely Make Use of Kitchen Space
Safely make use of your kitchen space when you are remodeling as well. Consider how the traffic is going to be able to go through the kitchen and make sure there is plenty of space when you are cooking in the kitchen. Go with slide out trays to make it easy to get items in bottom cupboards, avoid any sharp corners, and place microwaves where you won’t have to reach to get out food that is very hot.…
Kitchen Make-Over
The most sought-after or should I say the most popular place in the house is the kitchen. This is where everything starts, from small talks, family matters, day-to-day planning activities to the most important thing… foods are likely to happen here. It is also the very first place to go when we wake up in the morning. I don’t know why it should that be but I know it’s always been.
So being the most sought-after place in the house, it also acquires the most attention of the owners so much so that it is the most renovated place in the new captivating design trends in kitchen cabinets, fixtures, accessories, counter top designs, and kitchen utensil designs, many homeowners are willing to spend in renovating their kitchen in order to squeeze-in that dream kitchen look. A lot of to do list will always comes out in the mind of the owners upon seeing new market trends in the market today.
But any homeowner, one should take into consideration the two major factors in the renovation process such as designs and affordability. In the design process you have to make decisions what fits most to your personality. Homeowners can search in the market the vast array of designs. In this aspect you must bear in mind that good designs need not to be expensive! Of course if you want long lasting kitchen furniture go with the solid wood cabinet designs and marble counter tops. They’re pricey but they should not be very expensive compared to processed wood or reconstituted marble-like counter tops, but you’ve got more value of your money.
But the best approached in kitchen renovations and at the same time saving effort and money is replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts. This is a little bit costly but not as pricey as replacing the entire cabinets. Replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts can be done by using the same material as the original one or maybe something entirely different as the budget permits. Choices range from solid wood or wood-like laminates which are easily accessible in the markets today. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts designs will set the tone of the entire kitchen area, so choosing design style as flat panels, raised panels or recessed panels much be taken into considerations. Choices can be thick, thin, grooved, straight edged and curved ones and most importantly either of these can be matched, mixed and cross-matched as long as they complimented each other. Furthermore, it is also best to change the hinges and handles, not that it is necessary but also to compliment the doors and drawer fronts designs and styles.
This kitchen renovation approach, however minimal can set the mood of the whole kitchen area in particular from traditional look to modern or European look.
And most of all don’t decide hastily. Talk to the experts it will save you a lot!…
Flair After Flaw With Before And After Kitchen Tales
If one is brave enough to write in to a reality show paying homage to ugly kitchens, there is a high possibility of scoring a free kitchen renovation in the event one’s nook is able to boost ratings for the show. Man’s obsession with the unappealing and unattractive never fails to draw in the crowds despite the gloominess of the subject. Perhaps the sight of others worse off than oneself brings a skip to one’s step. Whether it is due to one’s ominous nature or just bad taste, before and after kitchen tales never fail in the home network.
Able to portray comedy and tragedy within the same script, this certainly makes the producer’s life much easier as he or she gets double value for one price. Many a time, the core question going through the minds of the crew and audiences is why or how a household can subject its kitchen to such a state. Mismatch of colors and patterns are the norm, easily fixed with a fresh coat or tiles so as not to add further visual torment to its residents and visitors. Fixtures, on the other hand, pose more a challenge as it may not be a simple matter of shifting things around. As pieces on a chess board have a place, so do appliances in a kitchen. Those plugged into permanent spots test the designer in finishing the project within the span of time allowed by the show. Whether it is a makeover within a day or a week, the expert never fails to literally flip the kitchen around without breaking a sweat.
Other than the entertainment arena, real-life situations are overflowing with before and after kitchen makeovers. These tend to focus on the more serious nature of things by detailing work done as well as materials and tools used. Coupled with actual timelines, this allows interested individuals to count the costs before embarking on such a project. Many an expert advises that kitchen renovation works need to be carefully worked out as some take on more than they can handle. Contractors of the less scrupulous nature are ever willing to make promises in hopes of securing jobs. When the truth is revealed, the home owner is left with ashes of promises.
If the kitchen only needs a mini makeover, perhaps a fresh coat of paint suffices. Recruit willing family and friends to help out. By having more hands to make work lighter, savings can be channeled to a party to celebrate a new beginning.…