How to Decorate the Bathroom of Your Dreams

When remodeling a master bath, most homeowners know what they want. As a person who works in the high end kitchen and bath fixture industry I hear many clients stress how they want to have their own retreat. They are willing to put up with the inconvenience and expense in order to achieve the dream of coming home, going into their bedrooms and pass through to the bathroom so their can go in and say to themselves (and possibly their significant others) “ahh, at last it’s our time to relax”. Unfortunately, somewhere in the process of the remodel experience Murphy’s Law arrives and somehow many people forget why they started the project. Much of this can be avoided by some realistic planning. Many people see a picture in a magazine, visit a resort, see a show on TV showing how a family re-did their bathroom and the process went smoothly and seemed to be over in a quick 30 minutes, less if they were looking at a written article in some form of publication.

Real remodeling is not the same thing! First, decide on a budget. Then double or even triple it. Seriously-otherwise there are going to be more than the average tense moments. Now for fun, daydream about what your fantasy bathroom would be like. Do you want an indoor steam shower? A sauna? Whirlpool or Airbath-for one or two bathers? On the practical side-don’t buy your plumbing “because it’s pretty”. Spend a little more and get quality. The last thing you want is to be bragging on how you spent “only $300.00” on 2 sink faucets, a shower set and a roman tub set up and then in a year, find out those valves and cartridges are now leaking behind your walls and causing water damage and mold. You can chintz on the towel racks and toilet paper holders, but always buy the best you can afford on the plumbing, you will be glad you did! Make sure you hire a contractor who has the same agenda you do. Nothing worse than hiring someone who’s ideas are opposite of yours and has only their pocketbook in mind. Same with hiring a plumber, especially the plumber.

Someone who is so old school that they think “those fancy manufacturers will cause nothing but trouble”, usually do not want to take the time to put in the plumbing correctly. Face facts-quality plumbing is usually more work to put into your walls than the items you get off the rack at your local home improvement store. I actually had a client’s plumber ruin her plumbing by trying to attach her high end trim to an off the rack valve “because he really like the quality of the other valve”! This move wound up in a lawsuit. If a plumber ever tries to convince you to use “my good valve” and attach your trim-fire him/her and don’t let them near anything. This move is sure to cause major water damage-quickly! If you hire an interior designer-same thing holds true. Make sure you hire someone who wants you to enjoy the outcome of the bathroom.

Remember-you are going to be living with the end results, not them. If you like modern and want a spa, don’t hire someone whose specialty is traditional and thinks all you need are the basics. Another major mistake homeowners make when they start a remodel is misjudging the time element. This is also due to the “30 minute” extreme makeover shows and advertisements. Quality takes time. Depending on how much of a remodel you are doing, you should figure a master bath will take anywhere between 2-6 months. Cabinets and countertops take time to create. Flooring and plumbing need to be done in stages. Some items could take up to 3 months to arrive. Be prepared for the inconvenience of having to share the facilities with other members of the family for an extended period of time. Whatever you do, don’t decide to start demolition in mid-October and think the “new” bathroom will be ready to debut for Thanksgiving; it’s just not going to happen.

There are many ways to creating the bathroom of your dreams. With some realistic planning and professional assistance this particular dream can come true.