Renovating your bathroom can be a great way to add value to your home. But there are also opportunities for bathroom remodeling mistakes, which can create huge headaches.
Your bathroom might be the smallest room of the house but it’s also one of the most frequently used. This makes accurate design and forward planning essential for a comfortable and functional bathroom. And all too often, people can overlook these considerations when renovating their bathroom.
Read on to find out the most common bathroom remodeling mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. No Natural Light
If you have any control about where to situate your bathroom, our first piece of advice is to ensure it’s positioned on an exterior wall. This way you’ll be able to have a window and enjoy the psychological boost that natural light provides. A window is also a way to aid air circulation, which is vital in a bathroom.
If it’s not possible to have a regular window, consider installing a solar tube or a skylight for at least a hint of natural light.
2. Awkward Layout
Design and decor touches are fun to plan, but leave these for later. Function is far more important than looks when it comes to bathrooms.
If you’re moving plumbing features and knocking down walls, you need to consider the practicalities of your new layout. This means ensuring that your fixtures and fittings are easy to access and use.
Fail to plan ahead and you could end up with renovation mistakes such as an entry door that knocks into the tub. Or a mirror you can’t look into without straddling the toilet.
If space is limited in your Northern Illinois home, you’ll need to plan accordingly. Or better yet, call in the experts to make sure your new layout allows for comfortable everyday use while also meeting the minimal spacing guidelines set out in building code requirements.
3. Inadequate Storage
One of the most common restroom renovation errors is inadequate storage.
If you intend to keep items like beauty products, towels, and spare toilet paper in your bath you need a place to store it all. If not, the lack of storage will soon become an annoyance. And often, any hacks you use to fix the problem will look sloppy and visually unappealing.
When deciding on your layout, consider what items you intend to store in your bathroom and plan in the right amount of storage to accommodate it all.
4. Low Ventilation
Ventilation isn’t glamorous or stylish, but it is vital for a clean and efficient space.
Water splashes and steam in a small room equal a lot of moisture. And any moisture that can’t escape will cause peeling paint, mold, or both. If your bathroom has no window it’s required by code to have a vent. It’s better to have both, because you won’t want an open window in the winter months.
Invest in an extractor fan with a timer switch that stays on for at least 15 minutes after you’ve got out of the shower. The fan should provide more than 150 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of airflow for optimal ventilation.
5. Material Mistakes and Finishing Fails
Along the same lines, you need to choose the appropriate materials and finishes for such a high-moisture room.
To prevent mildew and warping, always select paint, wallpaper, flooring, and tiles designed for restrooms. And, even then, do a test run in your bathroom with some samples. This way you can check that the finishes and materials you choose look just as good in use as they do in the nice, dry showroom.
For example, a matte paint formulated for bathrooms might look luxurious, but it’s often an impractical choice for small spaces with a high chance of water splashes and streaks.
6. Following the Latest Fads
If having to replace 70s-style avocado green bath suites has taught us anything, it’s that you should make sure your design choices will still look good in years to come.
After all, remodeling your bathroom can be a major investment. Having to re-do your out-of-date decor choices is a bad use of your hard-earned cash, not to mention your time and energy.
The best tactic is to opt for neutral shades (or classic white) and clean lines. Then, if your bath still needs something extra, colorful towels, a vase, or new accessories are ideal ways to update your space.
7. Failing to Consider Your Future Needs
Neglecting to plan for your future needs is another big mistake, especially if you want your remodel to last for years.
In middle age or about to enter it? Be sure to consider what aspects of your bathroom might become dangerous if you have reduced mobility in the future. Around 235,00 people a year visit the emergency room as a result of injuries suffered in the bathroom. And the most hazardous activity for all age groups was getting out of the bathtub.
Just starting out? Consider how a growing family might affect your needs. For example, if you think children will be coming along, choose a shower with a tub layout.
Don’t Make These Bathroom Remodeling Mistakes
Despite your bathroom’s small size, there’s plenty of room for you to make a whole host of bathroom remodeling mistakes. From bad layouts to a lack of storage space, outdated decor to using the wrong materials, it pays to plan ahead to avoid these epic fails.
One of the best ways to ensure your new bath will last you for years to come is to contact us for a free quote. We’ll be glad to help you create a beautiful space with top-quality Kohler products in your Northern Illinois home!
