Let’s Talk About Bathrooms!
Any design project that you decide to tackle can feel overwhelming. Here at At Home Co. it is our goal to help eliminate that overwhelm by guiding you through the process in a way that is transparent and easy to digest.
Deciding to renovate your bathroom is so exciting, you’re finally going to build yourself the bathroom of your dreams. However, let’s face it - it is a big commitment.
Depending on how many bathrooms are in your home you are committing to losing access to that bathroom, you are committing to a budget and you are committing to the time it takes to complete the process.
Hello commitment issues? We don’t know you 😉
One of the biggest mistakes I see as a designer is people deciding to DIY a space in their home because they think it will be easier. If you have the DIY bug, DIY your bedroom… DIY your living room but please consider not DIY-ing your bathroom! When there is plumbing and electrical involved, tiling and likely fixture replacements you will save yourself a lot of time, headaches and potentially money down the road by calling in an expert.
Let’s talk about bathroom pain-points we hear about often and then we will give some tried-and-true tips on how to best resolve them and get you the bathroom of your dreams.
Common Bathroom Pain-Points:
Dated Bathtub
Blah and Boring
Dark or Windowless
Minimal Counter Space
Minimal Vanity Storage
Unfunctional Layout
Dark and Small Shower
Honestly, as I am writing this I realize the list could do on-an-on but these are definitely some of the main concerns that clients bring up when it comes to their existing bathroom.
If you were to wake up tomorrow and decide “it is time to reno this bathroom”, here is what we would suggest you do!
Create a budget! How much can you financially invest into this space. Does this budget include trades teams or hiring a designer? *Insider tip: bathroom renovations usually start at $20,000 for a contractor and $1500 for us as a designer. A lot of it depends on the size, the number of selections and if the footprint is changing.
Confirm who you are working with! Are you tackling this project? Are you having a design team like At Home Co. make the design plans for you? Who is your contractor going to be?
Nail down a timeline! Don’t be like my friend’s brother-in-law who is coming up on his 1-year anniversary for DIY-ing his own bathroom project. When are you starting and when do you need this completed by?
Order before you demo! In an ideal world everything you need to complete the reno will have arrived and be on site before you (or your contractor) start knocking any holes into the walls! This plays into tip #3 and helps you stay on track and on time.
Layout matters! You might be renovating because you feel squished in your existing bathroom. Working with a design team ensures you are moving forward with the most functional layout possible that won’t have you tripping over whomever you share the bathroom with.
Lighting is key! There is nothing worse than a dark bathroom. Adding multiple light sources will ensure that no matter what time of day it is you are able to get ready in the space! I suggest including: pot lights, vanity lights and a shower light! As a bonus, put those babies on a dimmer and separate switches! *Insider tip: under vanity led lighting can be a perfect night light!
Always opt for extra counter space! This is the one area of the bathroom I don’t want you to skimp out on. If a 72” vanity will fit but you found a 60” on sale, think about your future self and wait for the perfect 72”. You will never regret not having a crowded and crammed counter!
Do it, replace that tub! Okay hear me out, if you are thinking it is time for a new bathtub that means it is definitely time for a new bathtub. Any time a client is on the fence about this decision they are always so happy they took the plunge and got something new. If you’re thinking it looks like it needs a refresh, likely the last people who lived in your home had that thought too and put it off. *Insider tip: If you never use the bathtub and are thinking of just putting in a shower, make sure there is at least one bathtub in the house for resale value down the road - when showing homes to parents of little ones, this always comes up!
Have fun with it! At the end of the day your bathroom is a space within your home that is tucked away, have fun with it! If you were scared to add a pop of colour to your kitchen, add it to your bathroom. Been thinking about wallpaper in your home? The bathroom is one of my favourite places for it!
Now, if you’re reading this and you find yourself realizing that there are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes of a bathroom reno and you would like to reach out to our design team to tackle it for you, *think bring your dream vision for your bathroom to life aesthetically, functionally and with a thoroughly thought-through plan that eliminates the overwhelm*, then we would LOVE to help! Simply fill out our Design Inquiry Form and our team will get back to you with dates and times to start the process.
Here is to creating the bathroom of your dreams!