Bathroom

An atmosphere of personal indulgence, which used to be the domain of day spas, is finding its way into master bath remodels. Limited only by imagination and a project’s budget, standard master baths are turning into customized retreats. The good news is luxury can be incorporated into any design.

Style
Paying a visit to decorator show houses, kitchen and bath showrooms and plumbing showrooms provides the opportunity to see bathrooms firsthand and get ideas for your project.

Materials
For master baths, no material is too luxurious or too unusual. To some, it might mean splurging on granite countertops. To others it could mean going top-of-the-line from top to bottom.

Layout
To create a custom floor plan, consider hiring a certified bathroom designer, who will analyze the size of the space and your family’s needs. Some things to discuss with the designer include:

Shower or Bath: The master bath has undergone some changes in recent years. Giant tubs, once wildly popular, have fallen out of favor. Instead, people are choosing custom showers including overhead showerheads, wall-mounted showerheads, hand-held showerheads, shower tiles, rain bars, body sprays and steam showers.

Choosing a custom shower with a smaller bathtub can have a big impact on the layout of a bath, too. “A big tub with a nice surround takes up a tremendous amount of space.

Number of Sinks: Most often what the clients really need is one sink and more counter and mirror space. Plumbing for a second sink can raise the price of a remodel, so it’s wise to give the matter careful thought before deciding on the number of lavatories.

Delicate Matters: Bathrooms are much more personal than talking about a kitchen. Though it may seem a bit awkward to discuss things like a separate room for the toilet or dual showerheads with a designer, doing so will result in a better bathroom remodel.

Universal Design: Another trend in master bathrooms is the use of universal design. This approach, designed to accommodate people of all ages and abilities, includes wider doorways, showers with no raised lip around the bottom, larger shower doors and more room around fixtures. Once thought of as industrial-looking, universal elements such as grab bars now blend seamlessly into even the most luxurious master bathrooms.

The Details
When it comes to extras in a master bathroom remodel, look toward the luxurious. Hang an extravagant chandelier over a soaking tub; add built-in warming drawers for towels or install a pass-through fireplace for ambiance and warmth. You might also consider increasing the master bathroom’s convenience by housing your washer and dryer, adjacent dressing rooms or even massage tables in the space.

How to Create an Eco Friendly Bathroom

1.- Consider using ceramic tile for floors, countertops and walls surrounding the tub and shower. Ceramic tile is less prone to damage from moisture, and its negative impact on the environment during the manufacturing process also is low. Some tiles are even made from recycled products, such as discarded bottle glass. Natural linoleum and finished bamboo are environmentally-friendly flooring options as well.

2.-Install a low-flow shower head, and save money on water and energy bills over time. New models no longer drastically reduce water flow, and they typically use about 2 gallons of water per minute. Conventional shower heads use about 6 gallons per minute.
Save more water by installing an ultra-low flush toilet, which typically uses just over 1 gallon of water for flushing. Compare performance reviews before buying this type of toilet, because some models may clog. Dual-flush toilets have two knobs that allow users to conserve water by selecting the amount needed for flushing waste. Pressure-assisted toilets also save water and use compressed air for efficient flushing, but they can be noisy.

3.- Look for wheatboard bathroom cabinets, which are typically made from wheat straw and a nontoxic binder. Cabinets made from conventional particleboard and medium-density fiberboard, known as MDF, can emit toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde. Cabinets made from supportive, harvested wood are another eco-friendly option.

4.- Prevent mold and mildew by installing a bath fan that reduces moisture. Make sure the fan is safe for installation over tubs and showers.

Cabinetry