There's something inspiring about a well-designed, luxurious bathroom. A bathroom is a place for personal care, no doubt. But it's also a place to unwind, decompress, and recompose ourselves. If you're considering bathroom renovations, it can be hard to know where to start. You need a bathroom to meet your basic needs, but a luxury bathroom is about more than washing up. It's about preparing you for the day, for the evening, and helping you to stay fresh in between.
Creating the optimal bathroom experience requires some careful planning. It's important not to clutter the bathroom or sacrifice on elbow room. The ability to move freely and comfortably is an important part of the feeling of luxury. To that end, there are some things all luxury bathroom makeovers should have.
We assembled a few of our local bathroom renovation experts to discuss some of the essentials every luxury bathroom can and should have. Here's what we came up with.
Luxury Bathroom Essentials
A luxury bathroom is one that does more than just the basics. One might say that a luxury bathroom has a spa-like feel to it. While it contains the essentials (tub/shower, sink, mirror, and toilet), it goes a step beyond with style. A luxury bathroom should have the feeling of taking self-care beyond pure necessity and elevating it to the level of sacred. One should feel that true mental and physical wellbeing is at the heart of the design of a luxury bathroom. It is a personal temple built to foster self-care.
While it's true that costs for projects like this are up at the time this is being written, (around the final weeks of Summer 2021), experts anticipate supply chains to achieve more normal levels of productivity by early spring 2022. That means right now is a great time to start thinking about your next project – and you can do this with a clear conscience, knowing that bathroom remodeling has an average return on investment of at least 87.7%. In other words, you're investing in the resale value of your home, which will pay off later.
Bathroom Vanities
A bathroom vanity is an upscale counter, sink, mirror, and/or bathroom cabinet. A small bathroom vanity may consist of just a freestanding sink and a mirror. The sink cabinet can be nonexistent, minimalistic, or it can be complex, as it really just depends on your style and the space you have. There are a variety of options for creating the vanity you want. Many people choose a double sink like the one above to accommodate both partners' needs. And beyond elements of basic function, there are a myriad of aesthetic options to consider. For example, there is the increasingly popular floating vanity, vanities that hide water pipes, vanities with a continuous slab counter versus two separate sink stations, and the like. Dependent on space and needs, vanity sizes are highly variable depending on all these factors. There is no standard vanity depth. The size, proportions, and design of your vanity will depend on your vision and the overall scheme of your luxury bathroom.
Bathroom Counter Height
Whether or not your sink/counter is considered a vanity unit, the standard of 32 inch counter height in a contemporary bathroom will serve well in most cases. Keep in mind a luxury bathroom will be tailored to the user, and you should install a counter to a height that suits you and your family best. However, if you are planning to eventually sell your house then a standard countertop height is recommended; unless of course, specific design elements or personal circumstances such as ceiling height or wheelchair accessibility come into play.
Bathroom Lighting Ideas
Cleanliness is a primary concern with bathroom aesthetics. For this, strong lighting is beneficial because it eliminates dark corners and helps bring every surface to light. The overall atmosphere is up to you, such as if you're going for a more spa-like feel where atmospheric lighting may be called for. Bathroom chandeliers with variable brightness are an excellent solution for luxury bathrooms. A custom bathroom lamp can fill out your bathroom lighting and give you more options for different tasks.
Luxury Tubs & Showers
A freestanding pedestal tub is a classic and beautiful addition to any bathroom. The iconic claw foot tub looks great with any design, especially if you favor a more traditional or ornamental design. Modern designs are also available in sleek tubs that follow stricter geometric forms. A tub can be done in conjunction with a shower or as a separate entity, keeping both the modern walk-in shower feel with the need for a good long soak.
Luxury Bathroom Surfaces
Surfaces in a luxury bathroom should be high quality, exuding style without sacrificing ease of maintenance and cleaning that any smart bathroom décor suggests. Bathroom wall tile and bathroom floor materials span a range of styles, colors, patterns, and materials to suit any budget and use case. Popular finishes for showers include standard tile materials (patterned or sheeted, small or large), natural stone, marble, acrylic panels and more. Be sure to ask your contractor which materials to avoid. For example, concrete tiles, while beautiful and unique, are easily affected by humidity and thus are a poor choice for a shower. As much as you may like a tile pattern or specific look, ensure that it is a sustainable choice for your bathroom needs while also matching with your design aesthetic.
Storage Solutions
The best storage solutions are the least conspicuous, easily tucked away, and always within reach. Under bathroom sink storage is optional depending on your vanity design. Bathroom towel storage can be minimalistic or designed for deep storage. Bathroom storage over a toilet can be as elegant as it can be convenient with the use of careful design. Built-in shelves can help act as a linen closet for storing towels and toiletries, while a carefully disguised medicine cabinet can hold smaller items without skipping on design.
Why IHR
Whether you're looking to increase your home's resale value, create a luxurious bathroom space, or both, IHR Seattle can help. To learn more about what a luxury bathroom makeover can do for your home, get in touch with the bathroom renovation experts at Innovative Home Renovations today.
by Bennett Bottorff