The en-suite bathroom is a popular trend in homes across the country. Homeowners are now viewing their bathrooms—and the master bath in particular—as much more than just a room for functional purposes. People enjoy their bathrooms as places to get away, unwind and even enjoy a broad array of various luxuries. These are very personal rooms, and in order to design the best possible room for you, there are seven questions that you should ask yourself.
1. How Much Do You Want to Spend?
Start here. As a guideline, a master bath shouldn’t cost more than 10 percent of the home value, and that upper amount should only be necessary if the bathroom is seriously outdated. Once you have a number you’re comfortable with, you can begin prioritizing a realistic wish list. This is also the chance to recognize areas where you can save, such as reusing existing plumbing in order to keep costs down.
2. How Do You Use the Bathroom?
Make an honest assessment not only of how you use your bathroom now but how you plan to use it once you have all of the amenities and luxuries you want are in place. Sometimes, discussions with a bathroom designer can get a bit personal, but it’s better to have some momentary awkwardness than to end up with a bathroom that really isn’t ideal for you.
3. Do You Use Your Tub?
This question could be rolled into the previous, but it’s such an important and fundamental choice. The bathtub was at one time an integral aspect of every bathroom. That isn’t the case any longer, and if you don’t actually use a tub, you can save significant money and space by doing without.
4. Is the Room for One Person or Two?
Is this a personal en-suite bathroom or a master bath that will be used by a couple? If this is a private space, then you can plan accordingly. If, on the other hand, you’ll share it, then you should consider upgrades such as dual sinks, dual showerheads and so forth.
5. How Old Are You?
How long do you intend to use this bathroom, and how old are you now? If there may be aging in place consideration that take place within the next 15 years, then you should probably factor those decisions in now, such as whether to choose a tub that features a walk-in option.
6. What Luxuries Are Important to You?
When you come up with your dream en-suite bathroom, designers often recommend that you dream big. Even if you know some items are pie in the sky, add them. You can always value-engineer backward later.
7. What Is Your Core Theme?
Settle on a main theme, style, aesthetic or whatever you want to call it, early on. This will inform all of the other decisions you make. In addition, if this is a master bathroom, don’t overlook the general design rule that it should be an extension of the master bedroom.
Designing your bathroom is meant to be a fun and involved process, so find a general contractor that values your contributions through every stage. Alair Homes Lawrence Park Toronto is here to help. Contact us to discuss your renovation during a complimentary, no obligation consultation.