Bathrooms and kitchens are often the most renovated places in the house, for many reasons. Homeowners undertake bathroom remodels to enhance visual appeal, improve functionality, address safety concerns, and more.
Compared to kitchens, bathrooms are cheaper to renovate because of their smaller size. There’s only a small amount of cabinetry and countertop that can fit in there. The limited space results in simplified layouts, fewer appliances, compact fixtures, less flooring, and reduced wall covering.
In this guide, we’ll explore crucial tips to achieve visually compelling results when remodeling your bathroom.
Build in, not out
When remodeling bathrooms, it’s important to maximize the space. The best way to do this is to utilize the built-in features and not expand outward. This means taking advantage of your bathroom’s niches and recess like recessed soap dishes, toilet roll holders, medicine cabinets, etc.
These integrations would fit into existing wall or bathroom structures seamlessly, providing you with additional space for storage or features. Also, you can consider replacing the bathroom’s ceiling lights with recessed lights for more vertical space.
Integrating functional elements into the ceiling and walls is the best approach if you want to optimize every inch of your bathroom space.
Proper ventilation
Bathrooms need ventilation, so ensuring proper air exchange within bathroom space is crucial. According to the code requirement, your bathroom must have either a bathroom exhaust fan or a properly sized window.
Opting for an exhaust fan offers incredible benefits such as quick odor and moisture removal, improved air quality, and privacy. However, before purchasing one, it’s important to consider the device’s exhaust capacity, which gives you valuable insight into the volume of air it can move effectively. Also, you want to consider the noise level of the fan, as they can be extremely loud in cramped spaces, to avoid any noise-related health problems.
Add plants for warmth
Most people perceive bathrooms as sterile or lacking in warmth, necessitating the incorporation of plants into bathroom design. Usually, this approach is an afterthought. It shouldn’t. Adding plants does not only add greenery and a refreshing burst of color to your bathroom but also variations in textures and shades for a visually appealing and inviting space.
Furthermore, you should consider integrating a dedicated shelf for trailing plants to keep them from cluttering your countertop and other surfaces. Plus, it makes caring for and maintaining your bathroom plants easier. Besides, a floating shelf can also serve a decorative purpose, elevating your bathroom’s decor.
Flooring matters, choose right
There are different types of flooring and not all of them are perfect as flooring material for bathrooms. Although solid wood floors offer great aesthetic benefits, prolonged exposure to moisture often leads to irreparable damage such as buckling, swelling, and cupping.
So, it’s best to consider a type of flooring that can handle everyday abuse. Some of the flooring materials that should be under the radar include ceramic and porcelain tiles, vinyl tiles, and luxury vinyl planks.
However, sheet vinyl flooring is often recommended for bathrooms, because of its waterproof properties and no-seam installation requirement. So, before making a choice learn more about flooring to ensure the best results.
Make your bathroom appear spacious
Bathrooms are usually small in size. However, you can visually expand them by adding the right colors. Opt for light colors such as soft blues or pastels instead of dark hues that make bathroom space shrink.
Also, you should add light-colored fixtures for a seamless and consistent look. Painting the ceiling with either off-white or white helps make your bathroom look taller, enhancing openness.
Plus, you want to strategically place mirrors to reflect natural light for more depth and brightness in the room. Thoughtful design, reflective light properties, and simple designs can make a bathroom seem bigger than it is, creating a comfortable and inviting ambiance.
Add more bathroom lighting
People love to check out their faces, hair, clothes, teeth, etc. in the bathroom. So, it’s important to add more lighting aside from the ceiling fixtures to enhance visibility and create a more balanced illumination.
However, not all situations require excessive bright light. You might want to consider installing a dimmer switch, allowing you to adjust the brightness to your preference. It can come in handy when trying to create a soothing ambiance for your evening relaxing baths.
Introduce more decorative pieces
If your bathroom has some extra space, home decor experts suggest incorporating a freestanding piece such as a decorative cupboard or chair. Introducing a design element helps create a focal point in your bathroom.
Also, you can create space for a new decorative piece by relocating or recessing cloth hampers and other practical elements. On top of that, you should consider pieces that not only offer aesthetic contribution but also provide extra storage space to keep soaps, towels, and other small bathroom necessities.
Also Read: 22 Aesthetic Showers Ideas for a Perfect Bathing Experience
Use hooks
If you want to create more surface area without incorporating a countertop, hooks are your best bet. These simple tools are versatile and provide practical storage space anywhere – on empty bathroom walls, along the sides of cabinets, or even on the back of your bathroom door. They can help store and organize everything from bathrobes to clothes to towels, contributing to a clutter-free bathroom environment.
One mirror might not be enough
While bathroom mirrors are usually used to examine hair, tie, or makeup, they can serve as an interesting design element to introduce more light and make your bathroom appear spacious. Most home decor experts advise adding another mirror above the sink to create the illusion.
For cramped bathrooms, opt for a large mirror covering an entire bathroom wall to create a perception of spaciousness. Most importantly, you want to leave some space behind the mirrors for proper airflow, keeping mold at bay.
Install wainscotting
Wainscotting beadboard is easy to install and can add an awe-inspiring antique aesthetic to your bathroom. Aside from its beautiful visual appeal, beadboard helps protect the lower part of the bathroom walls from water splashes from using the shower or bathtub.
Suppose the beadboard won’t match your bathroom’s decor. In that case, opt for tile wainscot. They come in different styles to fit and improve your bathroom style. Also, they are impervious to moisture and will protect your bathroom walls against it.