Build Bath & Shower

Homeowners are installing clear glass showers with low or no curbs when they remodel; multiple showerheads are also popular. (Photo: ReBath) It's not that bathtubs are disappearing in Arizona homes; it's that showers are getting bigger and better. Bathroom remodelers say one of the most popular homeowner requests is removing the old tub and shower in the master bath and replacing them with a wild-and-crazy shower with all the latest spray-jets, bells and whistles. If this is your plan, be sure you have at least one tub in the house when you're ready to sell. You could turn off buyers with small children and maybe other buyers who love long bubble baths . The shower trend may say something about the graying of baby boomers. "A lot of it has to do with 'what do I have to do to stay in my house' and 'I can't step over the edge of the bath tub to get in and out any more,' " according to Kurt Kittleson of ReBath and Kitchens in Phoenix. Designer A...

Spa-like details such as glass tile and soothing colors are a trend in home bathrooms, as in this one by interior designer Lori Graham . When it comes to the latest in bathrooms, spa- inspired spaces rule . Goodbye, fussy details. Hello, Zen oasis. “Turning your bathroom into something you might see at a luxury resort is really big right now,” says Shannon Kadwell, a designer for Anthony Wilder Design/Build in Cabin John. Spa-like details range from showers with multiple body sprays and rainfall “water tiles” to walls bedecked with dazzling glass tile . But the trend goes beyond finishes and fixtures. “In years prior, a bathroom was just a shower, a toilet, and a sink,” Kadwell says. “The modern bathroom is a multi-function room with separate areas.” Think distinct but connected spaces designated for cleaning, changing, relaxing, and even admiring the scenery. A house’s master suite, she says, has become a living space in which the bathroom and bedroom are connected via dressing are...

Chris Tranter of Bristan explains how focusing on homeowners’ needs when it comes to bathroom products can help towards a house purchase. A new home isn’t just a financial investment for consumers – it can be a huge emotional attachment too. Homes are a place to build a life and express an individual sense of style. With prospective homeowners believing that it takes eight years to save enough money for a deposit, the decision to buy is rarely taken lightly, and many buyers won’t settle for anything less than their perfect home. When it comes to a successful build, it’s often the subtler details which make all the difference. With this in mind, it’s important to carefully consider the overall design concept, whether it’s a starter home, city-centre apartment or a large family household . A recent survey by GoCompare found that 25 per cent of homebuyers are put off buying if the house has an outdated kitchen or bathroom. In light of this, it’s crucial that a housebuilder’s choice of t...

When designing a bathroom, the key is to look beyond this space. Does the style blend with the rest of your house? Now, keep in mind, you don’t have to be matchy-matchy and blending doesn’t have to be boring. But if your door knobs and hardware throughout the home are oil-rubbed bronze and you choose nickel for a hall bathroom, the change in finish could be distracting to the eye. Same goes for color scheme, except for the powder room, where drama reigns. If the master bedroom walls are painted a cheery yellow and you go for a burgundy wine colored bathroom , the jarring contrast will create a choppy feel, not the smooth transition you’re after. Unless you plan on renovating the bedroom and changing the colors there, you want an adjacent bathroom design to go with the flow. “If the bathroom is part of a master bedroom, it needs to tie in with color or texture—something,” says Eileen Kollias, designer/owner, Eileen Kollias Design , Boston, Mass. “If the bathroom is in the hallway a...

Take Your Shoes Off Minka , or traditional Japanese houses , are characterized by tatami mat flooring , sliding doors, and wooden engawa verandas. Another aspect that persists even in Western-style homes in Japan is the genkan , an entrance hall where people remove footwear . The flooring for the house proper is raised a little off the ground to prevent dampness from entering and to keep the living area from flooding in the case of heavy rain. The lower level is known as the tataki , and was traditionally made of packed earth, although concrete is common today. After removal, shoes are put in the getabako —a cabinet that derives its name from geta, or wooden clogs, that Japanese people once commonly wore. A genkan entrance hall with a getabako (left) for shoes and a tataki (foreground). Heavy rain can damage roofs, so outside the entrance, amadoi gutters carry rainfall off the eaves and down the decorative kusaridoi , or “rain chain.” Rainwater travels along the gutter and down ...

Small Bathroom More Usable" class="pin" width="620" height="620" /> Get up to 4 Free Quotes! Taking a bath should be one of the easiest ways to relax after a long day. You can either unwind in your hot tub or let a rainfall shower wash away your stress. Yet, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a lavish bathroom that can fit luxury fixtures . Chances are, you live with a small bathroom , where you always bump into the door or vanity when you undress or step into the shower. What’s worse, your bathroom can’t accommodate more than one adult. Hence, you’ll agree that having a bath is indeed a daily struggle, causing more stress. Don’t fret just yet. Before you throw a bunch of money in bathroom expansion, try to re-examine the layout of your existing bathroom. A well-planned layout will help solve the above issues, but beware, you’ll have to make a few compromises, such as tearing out your tub.  Below, I picked several ideal layouts that...

Older homes often lack bathroom exhaust fans . In the old days, if the bathroom was smelly or steamy, you were supposed to open a window to air it out. This isn’t a very logical ventilation method , especially when temperatures are below zero, or when the weather is 90°F and humid. Yet this time-honored method of bathroom ventilation is still enshrined in our building codes. According to the 2009 International Residential Code (sections R303.3 and M1507.3), a bathroom with an operable window does not need to have a bath exhaust fan . Why do we need exhaust fans? In spite of the code’s archaic loophole, builders should install an exhaust fan in every bathroom or toilet room — even when the bathroom has a window. A bath exhaust fan can perform several functions: It can exhaust smelly air , allowing fresher air to enter the bathroom. It can exhaust humid air , allowing dryer air to enter the bathroom. When operated for 24 hours per day or when controlled by a timer, it can act (in so...