Beautiful bathrooms

Nothing speaks to me more than a beautiful bathroom. A bathroom that is well designed exploits the senses with exhilaration, excitement and promotes soothing calm with absolute ease. We start and end our day in this porcelain and chrome castle so shouldn't our bathrooms put us in a good mood? One thing is for sure, if one of these rooms was where I started my day I would actually be happy to be up at 7 am, and wouldn't mind slipping into slumber by 8pm!

As a designer I help clients in new construction projects and remodels. Bathrooms are always a major category on the "to do" list of luxuries. But if you don't have a new construction project, or the budget to remodel here are some tips to update your bathroom into "happy to be up at 7 am" category.

1) Update your fixtures. This is an easy category for anyone. As a rule of thumb stick to the current manufacturer that is already in you bathroom. For example, if your fixtures are Moen, update to another Moen fixture. And this doesn't have to be expensive! Look online, home improvement close outs, and plumbing stores.

2) Update your counters. Surfaces are highly competitive. And many natural stone companies have a remnant yard. What does this means to you? You can go to these facilities and select "leftovers" from other jobs that are perfect for a bathroom counter. You can often find high quality, high priced slabs at half the price. The average bathroom remnant will cost $400-$800, compared to the normal $1200 or higher.

3) Update the floors. Most bathrooms have good working tile. But if yours isn't castle worthy, inexpensive tile can be found. But a word of caution. Depending on where you live, inexpensive tile can easily be found, inexpensive labor may not. Do some research of tile installation costs in your area.

4) Paint. The simplest and least expensive update! Paint can make all the difference in any space. And most bathrooms only use 1-2 gallons. So for a few paint rollers, supplies and paint you can put up a new splash of color for under $100 bucks!

5) Knobs. Most of my clients never even think to change out the knobs on their cabinets. But this simple, inexpensive update can easily add personality and style in an instant and generally costs less than $50.

6) Accessories. Add a few new towels, some artwork (bought or made), some candles, and you have yourself a hotel spa in a flash.

Have further questions on how to update your bathroom sanctuary? Email us at amanda@abhomeinteriors.com