Bathroom remodeling encompasses hundreds of details, so it’s easy to overlook an aspect that seems small at the time but can have consequences later on. Here are 7 items that, if forgotten during the planning stage, tend to cause the most grief down the road:
1. No Window
Situating a bathroom on an exterior wall allows it to have a window. While being able to see in or out of a bathroom window depends on where the house is, the natural light is a psychological comfort. And an operable window is an aid in air circulation, which is important in a bathroom. If a wall window is not possible, consider a skylight or solar tube so there’s still a connection to nourishing natural light.
2. Bathroom Exposed
Imagine sitting in the dining room and having a clear view into the powder room – not very appetizing, right? Avoid having the interior of a bathroom in sightlines of public rooms of the home. If planning a new bathroom, do pay attention to the sightlines from other areas of the house, and rearrange if necessary. For an existing bathroom or powder room, install an attractive door that stays closed, or create a barrier or partition to block that visual.
3. Toilet Center Stage
The toilet shouldn’t be the first thing you see when walking into a bathroom. When space permits – like in a master bathroom – try a water closet or a full or half partition wall between the toilet and the rest of the room. In smaller bathrooms, plan the layout or employ design techniques so the eye notices anything else first besides the toilet.
4. Style Over Substance
If the new bathroom looks great but functions poorly, it’s an anticlimactic feeling. It is better to program a bathroom that meets your specific needs and is built to last with quality materials than to worry about impressive looks. Work with a designer to carefully plan and review every detail of a bathroom; these conversations can save you from, say, a bowl sink when an undermount sink will better suit your needs.
5. Inadequate Storage
This mistake often happens in tandem with #4. Lack of space for the items you really need in a bathroom quickly becomes an annoyance, and the tricks used to fix it after the fact can be visually unappealing. Before finalizing design plans, take an honest inventory of what’s needed to have the bathroom work perfectly for you.
6. Door Thwack
If the entry door knocks into a vanity, toilet or tub when it’s opened, or if you have to squeeze past anything to get in or out, that’s poor space planning. Be aware of how much space an object needs to function properly. For example, a 28” bathroom door will need, from the hinge, 28” of floor space to properly swing open. If that kind of free space is not available, consider a pocket door (shown above) or a sliding door mounted on the outside wall.
7. No Ventilation
When designing a bathroom, ventilation is not glamorous, but it is crucial. Bathrooms are moist places, and moisture that can’t escape will eventually cause mold or peeling paint, or both. Bathrooms need an exhaust fan properly vented to the outside. Operable windows also help moist air escape. It’s most desirable to have both, but one or the other will do nicely.
The bathroom designers at Mosby Building Arts plan bathrooms around your needs and desires and handle all the details that create a successful bathroom remodel. See a portfolio of some Mosby St. Louis bathroom projects. To get started on your bathroom, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800, or contact them here.