A fresh new look for your bathroom

Remodelling your bathroom not only creates a space you can call your own, but a job well-done and a good design will always have a positive effect on the value of your home. So the money and time invested are practically guaranteed to pay for themselves in the end.

My tips for success

I live in a house that is almost 12 years old. The two bathrooms recently began to show the fatigue of supporting a family with four boys, so we took action. Here are some of the things we had to consider in order to complete our project, and which you may also need to keep in mind.

A bathroom should have a style of its own. It’s better to stick to just one style for all the decor elements, whether you go for modern or traditional. Make sure that the taps, cabinets and accessories all match the look you’re going for.

Ceramic tile is the ideal surface for a bathroom. The current trend favours a return to mosaics and patterned tiles. You can easily reserve the more expensive mosaics and patterns for borders, and use less expensive, plain tiles to fill larger floor and wall areas so you can get that up-to-date look at a reasonable cost.

For the fittings and accessories, a chrome finish is currently de rigor for a contemporary look. Nickel is quite versatile and a little warmer in tone. Bronze and brushed finishes, are more expensive, but show fewer marks and are generally easier to maintain in the long run.

Finally, a word about colour: Blue is soothing and gives a feeling of freshness and cleanliness. But warm colours such as pink and orange, give the space a cozy look and show your complexion in a more pleasant light. This is really important when you’re looking at yourself in the mirror!
 

My bathroom renovation

For our boys, we chose a contemporary theme —simple and clean. Although they mainly use the shower, I kept the existing bath to control costs and I like the versatility of a single bath & shower space. I covered the walls and the ceiling around the bath with white, rectangular ceramic tiles, placed horizontally, interspersed with rows of smaller mosaic tiles. The new bathroom vanity combines style and practicality and good storage as well. Chrome faucets add a signature touch that ties the whole look together and gives the bathroom a modern look and feel.