Splish Splash!
Through the course of my career I’ve designed a lot of bathrooms and after the kitchen they are some of the most design intensive spaces of a project. Whether they’re new build houses, whole house renovations or just a simple bathroom remodel, the common theme is that clients want to bring the spa experience into their home. Their goal is to create a calm, soothing escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and we can all get on board with that!
No matter how luxurious the bathroom is, most of us will sweep through our daily routines on auto pilot to get to the rest of our busy lives and not truly appreciate the journey. Imagine getting ready for work or an event in a space that urges you to
…pause… and take your time. That is the hallmark of a great space. Designing a bathroom that successfully mixes beauty, style, function and form requires more than a simplistic response.
Here are 5 simple things that you should consider in the process that make bathrooms feel more luxurious and comfortable.
1. The myth of tankless water heaters
They do not provide instant results. You still have to wait for hot water. To minimize that, we often utilize a traditional tank heater coupled with a recirculating pump to keep hot water moving through the pipes. This minimizes the wait time dramatically. Tankless heaters do provide unlimited hot water once it gets there, but I wouldn’t recommend that option for a house with teens! In some cases we’ve used 2 tanks. One to pre-heat the water.
2. Location matters
We like to put shower and tub controls where they can be managed without getting wet or having to get in the tub! It’s a simple shift, but well worth it. And let’s not forget about those extra jets that always seem to be pointing directly at you when you turn the shower on! Stepping into a shower already set to your preferred temperature without getting blasted by cold water is a true luxury. This can be accomplished with or without an expensive thermostatically controlled valve!
3. Storage.
Nothing says luxury louder than a clean, unencumbered vanity top. In a day and age when everyone seems to have unlimited hair/skin care “essentials”, numerous makeup products and creams, and enough supplements and medications to stock a GNC, it is important that they all have their place. The key to bathroom storage is that items are easily accessible, yet out of sight.
4. Heated floors
Mark these down as “seemed like a good idea at the time.” They might be necessary in the frozen north, but in the South we find that they are rarely needed or used, especially if the bath is over a heated space. They are also frequently damaged during installation – and that can be an expensive mistake. One solution I’ve used is to locate the HVAC supply vents in a vanity toe kick or low to the floor location. This allows the air to sweep across the floor - warm floors in the winter and cool floors in the summer - voila!
5. Safety first
Grab bars are not just for seniors! According to the CDC about 230,000 people visit emergency rooms annually due to slips or falls in the bath or shower. While 80% are identified as over 65, that still leaves a significant number who were not. Grab bars have evolved and are now attractive enough for any situation. They provide a place to hold on to while balancing on one foot, hang a cloth or bathmat or perhaps just add a bit of polish in an unexpected location. With more people looking for their forever home, we find aging in place to be a major consideration for many of our clients, and it is always best if they are planned in from the beginning rather than as an afterthought.
Bonus tip! Use a curbless shower in conjunction with a linear drain. The ability to walk smoothly into a shower, set to your temperature, without standing in a puddle is truly life altering!
This is the level of thought and planning we bring to all our projects. Your bathroom doesn’t have to have a huge budget, but the time spent figuring everything out to suit your style AND your needs is a truly worthwhile investment.