As our lives get busier, our homes become the place where we retreat, relax, and restore ourselves. There’s no space where that is more important than in the first room you see in the morning and the last room you visit at night - the master bathroom.
Take a look at this remodeled master bathroom. If you are considering a remodel, it is an example of some ways to rethink your bathroom and turn it into luxurious retreat.
Think Big
Take down those walls, remove the dropped soffits and weird niches. Open up the space so the light flows and makes the room feel bigger. If you are short on space and only use the tub occasionally, take it out and enlarge your shower instead. Nothing says luxury like a large shower.
No Barriers
You don’t have to stay in a five-star hotel to have a wet room experience. Make the shower part of the room with no threshold or barrier to step over. Continue the same floor tile throughout, sloping to a linear drain and creating an uninterrupted visual flow. Check with your tile supplier or designer to ensure that the tile is rated appropriately for wet areas.
Lighten Up
Chose a light, bright color scheme. Add some contrast to give the space a fresh look. Don’t forget a variety of textures and surfaces. A little sparkle…. glass, mirror, chrome/nickel…..can go a long way to energize and lighten a space.
Take it Easy
Less cleaning is the greatest luxury of all! Look for easy to care for surfaces. Larger format tiles with rectified edges (90-degree edge details) allow tiles to be set close to each other and minimize grout lines. Engineered stone, often called quartz, is a low maintenance choice for counter tops, bench seats, window surrounds etc.
Something for Everyone
When a bathroom is demolished, that’s the perfect time to think about Universal Design; design that accommodates all users, whatever their abilities and stages of life. Adding bracing for grab bars while the walls are open makes sense. Lever-type handles are easier to use than twist-type knobs or handles, and they’re especially convenient for kids or anyone with limited dexterity. Hand held shower heads attach to a flexible hose that makes them easy to use while sitting. They’re also good for cleaning the shower stall or bathtub….and kids or pets!
Plan Ahead
Perhaps the most important ingredient for success is having a plan for your design – on paper. Preparing dimensioned drawings, documenting finishes, fixtures and all necessary products is a must. This allows you to bid out the project fairly and accurately, order product in a timely manner to keep the project flowing and stay on budget. They are an invaluable tool for communication with all the trades; limiting misunderstanding and surprises (not the happy kind!)
Creating your own luxurious master bathroom can be an exciting project with a great payoff…..somewhere to begin your day on the right foot and to relax at the end of the day.