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Designing a Basic Bathroom
Bathrooms and kitchens are the most frequently
remodeled rooms in the home. When upgrading
your bathroom, we offer the following advice
for your consideration.
Walls - You can choose from paint, wallpaper, tile, or brick walls (or you can blend two or
more together). Avoid tiling the entire wall,
as it will appear to shrink the size of the
room. Use a waterproof surface around sinks,
showers, and tubs (because of splashing)
and toilets (because of water condensation
in summer), and, if you use paint, make sure
it is a washable surface (steam is notorious
for depositing greasy body oil around the
room).
Floors - As with walls, there is an array of flooring
choices. Ceramic tile is the material preferred for cost, durability,
and ease of care considerations, but marble
and other natural stones have somehow taken
on the image of luxury despite their difficulty
to maintain. Avoid wood, carpet, and any
other surface that will absorb water.
Lighting - Although spotlights are dramatic, bright,
even lighting is far more practical for getting
a good look at yourself while you are washing
and dressing. While florescent lights are
economical, light color temperature is important, too. The wrong color light
will make you look pale or over tanned and
can dramatically skew a women's application
of make up.
Mirrors - Having at least one large mirror is essential.
It should be located so that you can get
close to it (without leaning over a deep
counter) as well as so that you can stand
several feet away from it. A second mirror,
positioned so that you can use it with the
first, is very helpful for seeing views from
the side and behind. A full length mirror
is a nice addition but not required so long
as you have one elsewhere in the house. However,
do not use too many mirrors (or mirrored
surfaces): mirrors can give the illusion
of space, but too many mirrors will leave
the bathroom vacant.
Fixtures - Pick a style for your sink, toilet, and bath/shower that blends with your faucets, towel racks, and (if tiled) walls. Colored
fixtures can be very effective, but you may
find that you tire of them after a year or
two, which perhaps makes white or beige a
better choice (you can always use the walls,
floors, and towels to inject color). Don't
skimp on the quality of cabinets and countertops;
pick cabinets with strong hinges and good drawer mechanisms.
Just be careful not to jam too many cabinets
into the bathroom (keep the room spacious;
plus, the bathroom is one of the most humid
rooms in your house, which makes it a less
than desirable storage area). Lastly, plan
for adequate ventilation with a good quality
bathroom fan. |
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