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.

by: Joaquin Erazo, Jr.

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