Bathroom remodels will always be popular and will always be complicated and sometime expensive to renovate. A bath can have some of the most costly building materials and products squeezed into one of the smallest spaces in your home. If you are thinking about embarking on a bath project, the investment can provide one of the largest returns to your home’s value.  This type of renovation can also improve the quality of your life on a daily basis. All that being said, when renovating a bath, it is important to spend your money wisely and choose materials well. The fruits of your labor are going to be around for awhile and you want to make sure they have staying power. If you make a miss-step on a curtain selection, it can often be changed. Poor finishes or layout in a bath renovation can be there to stay.  We have compiled a few design trends and renovation tips to consider.

large showers

Today, showers seem to be one of the things homeowners are looking for and responding to. Often a tub/shower combination is removed and replaced with a large rectangular shower. People are looking for multiple shower heads, possibly hand held sprays, and spacious shelves for shampoos and bottles.  Shower doors with frameless glass have been the gold standard for years. Today people are exploring showers without any doors by creating a “wet zone” in a bath. Luxurious showers have taken the spotlight from the once wildly popular garden tub.

soaking tubs

The days of the jetted tub with multiple functions and pulsating streams of forced air seem to be over. They have developed a reputation for being loud and difficult to clean, two things not condusive to relaxation.  The large tiled decks that these tubs sat in are also being left in the past. Too much square footage and often dangerous to get in and out of. Today people are interested in deep, soaking tubs, a place you can restfully float in, up to your ears in hot water.

private toilet rooms

This has been popular for a while now and certainly appears to be here to stay. The enclosure of the toilet into its own closet-like space has enabled the bath to be used by multiple family members, comfortably and with privacy. If space allows, this can be a fantastic feature in a bath renovation.

cabinetry function

Today’s hot buttons in cabinetry seem to be about function. Deep drawers for taller bottles and easier access are popular. Divided drawers, similar to silverware inserts, also provide organization for makeup. The placement of outlets in medicine cabinets and drawers also create permanent homes for electric toothbrushes, shavers, hair dryers and the like.  Finding a home for everything, off the vanity counter, seems to be the mantra for creating that clean, spa-like feel.

universal design

Even younger generations seem to be open to thinking about how a bath will be used later in life. Grab bars are appearing in more and more baths and the manufacturers have taken notice. Today they appear much more like towel bars and can do double duty. Showers are being designed without thresholds to step over and smooth, linear shower drains are seen everywhere.

neutral finishes

You may love patterned Mexican tiles, but you may want to think twice about making a large investment in something specific and hard to replace.  The wisest course in bathroom materials can often be the neutral one. Natural materials and stones can have a longer shelf like and appeal to more people, should you ever try to sell your home. Save the patterns for the artwork or towel.