Whether you’re remodeling your existing home or building a new one, one of the biggest things you’ll get to do is design your own bathroom. You can decide what sort of tub you want, where you want the toilet to go, and what kind of vanity you need. Everything from the cabinet colors to the lighting design is up to you.
But designing your own bathroom requires balancing practical requirements with design desires. There are a lot of factors you’ll need to keep in mind and a lot of elements you’ll need to decide on. Read on to learn how to design your own bathroom.
Plan Your Layout
One of the first things you’ll want to do on your bathroom design is to think about your layout. You should start by looking at where your plumbing is in your bathroom if you’re remodeling an existing one. You’ll want to keep toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and showers near existing pipes to avoid costly plumbing expenses.
If you’re designing a bathroom from scratch, pay attention to how you move around your current bathroom. Think about whether you want to go with a one-, two-, or three-wall layout for your plumbing. One-wall layouts are the cheapest and more limiting, and three-wall layouts are the most versatile and expensive.
Think About the Sink
Once you decide where you want to put your sink, you need to think about what sort of sink you want. For starters, do you want one or two sinks, and do you have the space for a two-sink vanity? Then think about what sort of style you like for your bathroom and what your budget is.
If you have a large budget, you can get sinks that are “invisible” with thin drains at the front and back and no sink bowl. Or you can get sinks with bowls that sit above the vanity like an old-fashioned washbowl. If you’re trying to stick to a more frugal budget, there are tons of beautiful options for traditional sink styles.
Plan the Lighting
One of the biggest things you’ll need to think about for your bathroom design is the lighting. This will be important when you’re trying to do your hair, fix your makeup, and even floss your teeth. And your lighting can make a huge impact on the aesthetic of your new bathroom.
Decide what kind of lighting you want for your bathroom – chandeliers, sconces, overhead lights, a light bar behind a new vanity mirror, or a combination of all of the above. Don’t forget to put adequate lighting in the shower and perhaps over the toilet. And you may want to consider installing a dimmer switch for those nights when you want a relaxing evening in the tub.
Choose Your Tub
On the subject of evenings in the tub, you need to decide what style you want for yours. There are a thousand different options to choose from, ranging from garden tubs with Jacuzzi jets to minimalistic freestanding tubs. You may also want to opt for the shower/tub combo to save space and money.
Start by taking a look at your budget and which tub options will work with that. There’s no point in shopping for clawfoot tubs if a shower/tub combo is going to be your best option. Then start looking at styles and space and determine which will fit best in your new bathroom.
Consider Your Cabinetry
Aside from the lighting, your cabinetry is going to be the biggest practical consideration for your bathroom. You need to have room to store extra toilet paper, towels, hygiene products, hair styling tools, and any makeup you use. And no matter how big your vanity is, you don’t want that all piled on the counter.
Decide on what combination of drawers and cabinets you want in your bathroom. If you like the look of cabinet doors and the storage capabilities of drawers, you can get some pullout drawer options that add tons of storage capacity. You will need to leave some cabinet space open under each of your sinks for plumbing, so keep that in mind when you’re deciding on your sink layout.
Pick Your Flooring
The flooring you choose will have a huge impact on the feel of your bathroom. Tile is a popular option for bathrooms because of its durability and water resistance. And thanks to some new manufacturing techniques, you can get a tile that looks like just about anything.
If you want a warm, natural vibe in your bathroom, consider wood-patterned tile. If you want something a little cooler and more stately, take a look at stone. Or if you like the clean, minimalist look, traditional white or other light tile can open the space up a ton.
Look at Your Budget
You’ve probably noticed us saying one word a lot during this article: budget. You’re going to need to establish a solid budget to spend on your new bathroom. This will determine everything from what materials you use to what sort of layout you go with.
In general, a bathroom remodel or design will run you between $6,000 and close to $15,000. When you’ve decided on how much you want to spend, you need to divide that budget up among each piece of the remodel to determine how much you can spend there. Toilets and sinks, vanities, flooring, and faucets and plumbing will be your big costs, taking up about 10 percent of your budget each.
Learn How to Design Your Own Bathroom
Being able to design your own bathroom is a dream for many of us. This is the space where we go to relax and take care of ourselves, and it should be as beautiful as we’ve always dreamed of. Be sure to balance the practical and the aesthetic and you’ll have a bathroom you adore for years to come.
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