Find your home’s inner spa in a small bathroom
April 13, 2009
By Administrator
A small bathroom can easily be transformed into a home spa. Creators News Service
When you have time to look around, home improvement ideas just spring to mind. Millions of Americans have turned a critical eye toward their homes and many see their bathrooms as the No. 1 candidate for a remodel.
The reason for a focus on bathrooms could very well be how much baby boomers — and their Generation X and Generation Y offspring — have come to enjoy visits to the spa. Familiarity with super-soft robes, luscious fluffy towels and divine aromatherapy is rather addicting.
You can turn your master bath into a spa with the addition of piles of white towels, scented candles and a fresh coat of paint. After all, paint is still one of the most economical tools for achieving a new look.
When putting a new coat on your bathroom, don’t forget the ceiling. If your walls are white, then try sky blue for the ceiling. Or, you might select some other serene hue and paint the entire bathroom, including the ceiling, in that color.
Subtle tones, like khaki, soft wheat or a warm gray, can work as a neutral with attitude. Gentle blues, blue-greens or aquamarines can be dreamy when paired with pure white fixtures.
New window treatments are another affordable way to introduce a feeling of freshness into your bathroom. Unfortunately, not every bathroom window is placed in a way that provides the critical feeling of privacy essential to making the bathing experience comfortable and serene.
Another idea might be to commission a leaded glass window for your bathroom. Depending upon the design and selection of window glass, you can achieve privacy without any window treatment at all. You will want to test out the glass before having the window made. It’s possible to get samples of different options.
If having a window made is out of your price range, consider some sort of texture. There are dozens of woven Roman shades on the market that filter light in a way reminiscent of the Pacific Rim. Think Bali, Thailand and Hawaii.
If you have more serious issues, such as a leaking shower pan or shower enclosure, it can dictate a more in-depth overhaul of your bathroom. If so, be prepared to spend substantially more money.
Every remodel project tends to grow into something larger. For instance, a slow leak hidden in the walls might have damaged another room. If you have mold or dry rot, be prepared to properly fix the damage.
Obviously, the cost to replace old bathroom fixtures with modest new ones will depend on the size of your room and how much of the work you are able to perform. So much depends upon the individual elements you select and the complexity of your individual project.
One bright spot, according to many real estate agents, is that you can recoup 80 percent to 85 percent of your investment when you sell your home.
Remember that there is much you can improve with affordable elements: A costly candle marked $35 might seem silly right now, but all it takes is an exotic aroma to transport you mentally to a relaxing destination.
Other relatively inexpensive changes can bring new life to an old bathroom. Consider a new area rug to cover cracked or marred flooring, new light fixtures to replace outdated lighting, or a new faucet and towel bars. Sometimes, just new soft towels make you feel comforted and pampered.
In these difficult times, don’t despair if you cannot afford the bathroom of your dreams. Pick a wonderful paint color and get to work!
Copyright 2009 Creators News Service
Comments
One Response to “Find your home’s inner spa in a small bathroom”
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
This article makes some great points regarding inexpensive ways to do a bathroom make-over. We recently did several of these and other renovations, including a fresh coat of paint, new light fixtures, and new plumbing fixtures. Color and light provide a dramatic difference, and we just love where we live! Good thing, since we’re going to be in this house for a while.