Well now that the holidays have passed we have a whole new year to plan out and get a new bathroom. Last month I talked about how I, or should I say my wife, is planning on remodeling our bathroom. I talked about how there are many things that I would like in a newly remodeled bathroom that don’t necessarily involve the finishes but more so the guts of the bathroom. Items like good lighting, good ventilation, and good heat. Those items, lighting, ventilation, and heat, kind of the guts of the bathroom, are what matter to me most. When I think about lighting I’m not necessarily thinking of the fixture itself but more so the quantity and quality of light. Amenities like warm towels and push button ventilation that is on a timer are a real plus. For me the hardest part about completing the bathroom will not be choosing the fixtures and finishes but finding the time. After all day working on other bathrooms why would I want to come home and work on mine? Really, if I wait long enough my bathroom may come back into style. The pink matching sink, toilet, and tub were at one time in style. Avocado green was the color of choice at one point in time, who is to say that it won’t come back around.
My bathroom doesn’t have any pretty colored tubs or toilets, so I can’t wait for my non-style bathroom to start trending. I know it’s time, time for a spa like bathroom.
Now that I am leaving all the selections to the better half I only want a durable product to install. I am looking for materials that will hold up to two kids. On that note let us look at a couple of trends in materials and finishes. Showers are going towards no thresholds between the shower floor and the bathroom floor. Showers are getting frameless enclosures or glass partial enclosures. The frameless glass and no threshold shower lets the bathroom flow into the shower showing off the natural earthy shower tile, as well as making the room feel larger. Shelves within the shower whether in niches or corner shelves help to clean up a shower. Don’t forget a step for leg shaving and if there is room a seat.
Bathtubs have also come a long way since the red heart shaped jetted tub in a master suite. I had a friend who was renting a place in college that had one of these heart shaped jacuzzi tubs in a bathroom. The tub actually filled itself from the drain, there was no faucet, just hit a button, and it filled up, granted the drain had a fresh water inlet that filled the tub. Gross. Today’s tubs have microbubbles that massage and jacuzzi jets that soothe, they even have heated head and back rests. Keep in mind that all the features on the newer tubs usually require dedicated electrical circuits and access to the pumps and heaters. Also, keep in mind that tubs come in alcove, drop-in, undermount, and stand alone. Each tub usually requires a different fixture setup.
Vanities are also taking on less bulk in the cabinetry department. Vanities that float off of the floor or floating vanities with solid surface countertops whether thin or bulky give a floating vanity a great look. A floating vanity also makes a room feel larger. Granite and Marble countertops have stood the test of time and are still the most popular choices. As with granite and marble any natural stone product is a good choice to put in a bathroom. Most natural products if treated properly will be almost bomb-proof in the durability department.
Sinks are also getting a lot of attention in today’s spa like bathroom with undermount and vessel sinks made of porcelain, marble, glass, and copper to name a few. The vessel sinks are coming in many shapes and sizes with a lot of flair to stand out.
Maybe the kids would wash their hands more if they had a cool, sleek waterfall type fixture to run their hands under. Fixtures come in many different finishes, pick a finish and use it throughout the entire bathroom.
With lighting fixtures and lighting, think in layers. Overall, ambient lighting throughout the bathroom is what we have now although the shower doesn’t get much light for the combo vent/light in the center of the bathroom ceiling and a vanity light over the vanity mirror just doesn’t cut it. The shower is dark and even the vanity mirror is dark. This old way of thinking about lighting just isn’t sufficient, with a new spa like bathroom we need the lighting to show it off. Think about layers of lighting. The overall ambient light is good but also think about adding lighting to the shower area. The shower area could use its own lighting. The lighting in the shower could help with shaving or it could be used as an accent lighting to show off all that beautiful tile that can be seen through the frameless clear shower door. The shower lighting can be used as a task light or accent lighting. Accent lighting like under vanity lighting will also be an inviting feature and can act as a nightlight for a direction to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The different layers of lighting is what I find most important when thinking about the guts of a bathroom.
As with lighting there are different layers going into today’s bathrooms. I am just going to mention these items like sound technology and hidden speakers or even bluetooth speakers in the shower head. I have seen the technology with the television screen in the vanity mirror. I would get one of these televisions in my vanity mirror if I spent all morning shaving and watching the stock market but I am just a carpenter who shaves once a week unless it’s hunting season or movember, in either case I try not to shave.
All the clean and simple lines of a new bathroom are much easier to clean. The floor area along with the floating vanity and no threshold shower with a clear frameless glass makes a bathroom seamless. A regular 5 by 8 foot bathroom could feel like a spa if it is treated right. By Adding the features or guts of a spa like bathroom with the aesthetic features you like, you can have a spa in your own home.
Greg Stopher has over 16 years of experience in the construction field and earned a degree in Construction Technologies from the University of Alaska – Southeast. His company, Stopher Construction, LLC, is a general contracting company specializing in remodeling, custom finishes, additions and new home construction projects. He can be reached at 907-321-2350.
