If someone asked you what the most important room in your house is, what would you answer? Food lovers might say it’s their kitchen. Maybe families would say the living room. Most would likely say their bedroom.
But there is one room in the house that is essential to everyday life, is key to a healthy lifestyle, and is witness to your most private, personal moments. We’re talking about your bathroom.
Yes, your bathroom is more important than you think. It’s probably the first room you enter upon waking, the last before going to bed, and in this pandemic era, it’s where you disinfect yourself after stepping outside.
Bathrooms are where we lock ourselves to shut out the rest of the world. We go there to refresh ourselves, to relieve ourselves, and to doll ourselves up before stepping out. It’s where our most brilliant shower thoughts are formed in our brains.
Given how important our bathrooms are, don’t you think it’s time for an upgrade? Before you set off to have your bathroom remodeled, here are some key things to consider.
Who, what, where?
Remodeling a bathroom may not be a police beat, but like a good journalist, you need to answer these questions.
Who: Who will be the primary users of this bathroom? Will it be for guests? Will it be a shared facility? This will tell you what kind of features you will need to add to your bathroom or if you’ll need to expand it.
What: Do you need a bathroom or just a powder room? Is it going to be just a small shower space, or will you have room and budget for a tub?
Where: Are you creating a new bathroom or just remodeling an existing one? Think about places in your house that would benefit from having a new bathroom. Maybe you’re building a new bedroom for one of your kids, or maybe a new guestroom. Adding an extra bathroom could be a great move.
Eco-baths
Once you have a clear picture of what you want for your bathroom, now is the crucial point wherein you can make wise, ecologically conscious decisions about this space. From the materials you will use to the fixtures you choose, there are more sustainable decisions to be made.
First, you should know that a tub generally consumes more water than just a shower. This is not to say that you should eliminate having a bathtub altogether, but it’s a consideration.
There are faucets, showerheads and even toilets that are more efficient with their use of water. If you can replace your old ones, make that smarter choice.
You could also scout for materials that are sustainable—like wood that’s recycled or flooring that’s ceramic or stone. After all, going to the bathroom is all about being clean, so shouldn’t our bathroom itself be clean and green, too?
Accessibility
Another consideration you should make is to provide accessibility and support for persons with disabilities that may use your bathroom.
If you have someone at home with a disability, then this is probably already at the top of your list. Even if you don’t, however, it would be nice to have these accessibility features. You could place handlebars near the toilet. You could add braille label stickers on the doors of your bathroom. You could ensure that the doorway is wide enough to fit a wheelchair.
You never know who you will be welcoming into your home in the future, and it will say a lot about you as a person if everyone will feel welcome and accommodated. Your home, after all, is a reflection of who you are as a person.
The Look
The last consideration is, of course, the look of the space. This is where things can get really fun and exciting.
You could choose to match the bathroom with the rest of the house, so if your house has a shabby chic farmhouse look, you could make your bathroom reflect that with sliding barn doors and copper pipes.
You could also do the exact opposite. Say you live in a modern space in the middle of the big city. Why not turn your bathroom into a tropical escape? Use palm leaf wallpaper patterns, put pebbles on the floor, and fill the space with large indoor plants. You could even line your shower with bamboo and other natural elements.
Remodeling our bathrooms may not be at the top of our list because, apart from it being a relatively hidden space, it really just needs to be functional. But by taking it to the next level and rejuvenating, you might just find your next bathroom moment more rejuvenating for you, too.