Small Bathroom Remodel Ideas: 4 Tips to Make Your Bathroom Look Larger

Bathroom remodeling is a critical part of your home renovation plan since it directly affects your daily routine. While a spacious bathroom is beyond the reach of every homeowner, it’s important to know how to make the most of your small bath space before you start your remodeling project. You should draw your bathroom design layout considering the number of users, the lifestyle and preferences. For example, the very choice of bathtub vs shower — dictate the area you need and your overall bathroom remodeling budget.

While remodeling a small bathroom — 100 sf or less — remember to follow some best practices so as to strike a balance between function, style, and storage.

Key Questions for Small Bathroom Renovation

Who will use the bathroom?

Before starting your bathroom remodeling project, consider the target users. The design layout of the bathroom depends on the users; for example, a guest bathroom or powder room is meant for occasional use and therefore, it should be small. Moreover, if you have a pet and you want to bathe it in the tub, you want to make sure it’s taken into account beforehand.

How will it be used?

Thinking through the functions of your remodeled bathroom is a good idea. You want to make sure you know the primary functions of your bathroom prior to the renovation. Should your bathroom accommodate house laundry facilities? Should there be a private area? Do you need a tub or shower? Does your tun need to accommodate two people? All these questions (and many more) should be your guiding star to chalk out a design layout that makes optimum use of the available area.

Where will things be stored?

When you’re remodeling a small bathroom, you should think of storage space well in advance. Knowing your needs for open floor space, size of tub or shower and sinks can help you design the layout accordingly. Moreover, you can explore alternative storage spaces such as over-door shelving or recessed medicine cabinets.

If you have a small bathroom (100 sf or less), keep the following tip in mind.

Use Light Color Scheme

Using light or soft color schemes is one of the clever small bathroom remodel ideas. When you use neutral hues as your main palette, it creates the illusion of a larger space. The neutral hues not also better reflect the natural light, making the bathroom feel airy.

While a light foundation may sound boring as an isolated element, you need to think of adding textural elements to add a splash of color, amplifying the visual interest in your small bathroom decor.

Choose Fixtures Wisely

Adding bathroom fixtures to a small bathroom can be tricky — you want to enhance its functionality without making it look choked. Certainly, a bathroom with less than 100 sf can’t have ample real estate for a regular-sized closet, cabinet-style vanity and/or tub-shower combo. So, how do you add fixtures for a functional bathroom without making it look visually cluttered?

Here are some small bathroom remodel ideas:

Floating Vanities // Pedestal Sinks: While a cabinet-sized vanity is a great addition to a bathroom, it’s not ideal for small bathroom remodeling. Instead, you can go for a floating vanity which is installed at a certain height from the floor. A floating vanity offers ample space underneath and enhances the visual illusion of greater depth.

However, if it’s a powder room with less than 50 sf area, you might want to go for a pedestal sink instead.

Recommended Reading:

• Why Slim Bathroom Cabinets are The Perfect Solutions for Small Bathroom Remodeling
• 10 Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas for Smarter Space Management
• A Handy Guide to Choosing Bathroom Cabinets and Bath Vanities

Oversized Mirrors: Mirrors play a key role in any bathroom, more so in a small bathroom since they reflect light and create a visual illusion of bigger space. When it comes to small bathroom remodel ideas, experts recommend using either an oversized mirror or a full-sized wall-to-wall mirror, depending on the layout of your bathroom.

Open Shower with Glass Panel Door: When it comes to optimizing space in a small bathroom, it’s a great idea to use a barrier-free, open shower space with a glass panel door. Not only it save ample space (vis-a-vis bathtub), it also makes your small bathroom appears visually spacious, thanks to the continuous flow of the space.

Open Shelving Storage Space: Storage is an essential component of every remodeled bathroom. A full-sized vanity offers ample storage space for your bathroom essentials. However, when it comes to small kitchens, storage space comes at a premium. What if you didn’t even have ample for a regular vanity? That’s why the open shelving storage space is one of the smart small bathroom remodel ideas out there. You can use the walls to create shelves or install hooks to create an easy access storage area.

Use Lights to Add Dimensions

Proper illumination is necessary to create an open and airy space in your bathroom, especially when it’s a small one. Since small bathrooms can’t have multiple windows (or any windows at all), using multiple light sources is a right way to creating perfect illumination. A variety of light sources including wall sconces, edge-lighted mirrors, and ceiling lights can help neutralize the shadows as well as create dimension.

Focus on Layout and Design

When it comes to small bathroom remodeling, the layout and design can be critical to its visual ambiance. In terms of design and layout, there are several things you can do to make your bathroom look larger. For example, you can highlight the longest wall in your bathroom for creating an illusion of a larger space. Likewise, you can use a small vanity if storage is not exactly your priority.

Small Bathroom Remodel Ideas (Infographics)

Final Thoughts

Remodeling a small bathroom is a huge undertaking if you want to optimize every square footage without sacrificing the comfort, style, and functions. With the aforementioned small bathroom remodel ideas, you can strike the right balance between style and functionality.

How to Create a Focal Point in Bathroom: 5 Great Tricks

Bathroom renovation can be a tricky undertaking. You want to  strike the right balance between function and aesthetics. However, in the chaos of renovating the bathroom, it’s easy to get distracted and end up with a bathroom that looks too cramped for comfort.

Well, maybe the bathroom in the image above would look cramped anyway but sometimes, without much planning, even bathroom with relatively larger real estate would still look just as clumsy.

There are several elements in a bathroom and each one of them vies for your attention, which affects the aesthetics. The trick is to create a focal point in your bathroom in order to create visual interest and infuse a contemporary look.

So, what is a focal point, you ask?

Well, the focal point in your bathroom is the one element that visually anchors the rest of the elements. It’s the one element that stands out in the design palette. The focal point in your bathroom unifies the entire space, amplifying its aesthetics even further. No wonder then why it’s one of the hottest bathroom remodeling trends.

There can be many focal points in your bathroom; here are five of the most popular elements that transform the look and feel of your bathroom when used a focal point.

Freestanding Bathtub

A standalone bathtub can be an ultimate head-turner in your bathroom if you know how to use to amplify your bathroom decor. The popularity of lifestyle shows on TV have contributed to the increased adoption of standalone bathtub.

Bathtub has always been an important feature in bathroom renovation. However, when you use standalone bathtub as a focal element in your bathroom, make sure you leave plenty of space around it for easy cleaning and maintenance. The standalone bathtub should preferably be paired with a freestanding tap as well.

Bathroom Vanity

Without any doubt, vanities are the key elements in any bathroom renovation. They not only offer easy storage for your bathroom essentials but also add to your bathroom’s visual appeal.

However, when you choose vanity as the focal point of your bathroom, you should make careful planning and take a few things into consideration.

For example, you want to choose the sinks, tapware and benchtops so that they make a perfect combination and complement one another.

Depending on the layout of your bathroom, you can choose from freestanding vanities, double sink vanities and floating vanities. Each of these three vanities bring their respective advantages to the table.

While a freestanding vanity allows ample storage space under the sink, a double sink vanity serves a master bathroom or ensuite, especially that has relatively higher traffic.

Likewise, floating vanity infuses a great aesthetic appeal into your bathroom by taking less real estate and making your space look bigger than it is.

Bathroom Mirror

Gone are the days when bathroom mirrors would be treated as just another element in bathroom renovation. Today, they make a huge style statement, thanks to the evolving aesthetics in bathroom remodeling dynamics.

Deciding on the right bathroom mirror is a tough one — framed or frameless? Round or rectangle? Single or multiple?

While choosing a bathroom mirror as  focal point of your bathroom, you need to keep in mind a couple of rules:

Proportions: The size, style and position of your mirror should be proportional to your vanity.

Width: The mirror and vanity should have similar width so they line up perfectly and create balance. If you have a double sink vanity, you can either go for a single mirror wide enough to accommodate both sinks or install multiple mirrors.

Height: With regards to the height of the mirror, it’s really subjective. If you want to create an open look in your bathroom, the higher the mirror, the better view angles it creates.

Shower Feature Wall

Your shower area can also be the focal point of your bathroom. Apart from using trendy shower heads and bath taps, you can also introduce a feature wall.

There is a wide range of modern tiles that can offer your feature wall a vibrant look, making it a point of interest in your bathroom. For example, you can choose from limestone or marble to complement the natural decor. Alternatively, go with geometric or patterned tile for a sophisticated look.

As shown in the example above, you can pair your feature wall with a frameless shower glass screen for a clean, airy, elegant look.

A Large Window with a View

Modern homeowners aspire for a bathroom retreat that offers a spa-like experience. Needless to say, having a large window helps you with natural lighting as it takes your closer to nature and fills your bathroom with positive vibes. A large window is also the focal point of your spa-like bathroom which makes your feel surrounded by nature.

Recommended Reading: 7 Hottest Bathroom Remodeling Trends

Average Bathroom Remodel Cost: How Much Does it Cost to Redo a Bathroom?

Bathroom remodeling is one of the most popular home renovation projects in the United States. According to the Joint Centers for Housing Studies of Harvard University, US homeowners invest in excess of $300 billion annually on renovations and repairs.

While a low-end bathroom remodel costs around $2,500 (think of a new vanity), the high-end remodels can set you back as much as $23,000. (Source: Angielist)

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, the average bathroom remodel cost has been found to be between $9,600 and $11,000. However, 20% of that spending goes to the labor cost.

Average Bathroom Remodel Cost Factors

The average bathroom remodel cost can vary depending on several other factors apart from the labor cost. While you can some of these factors to reduce the bathroom remodel cost, others are hard to change. Let’s take a look at those factors:

Bathroom Materials

The kind of materials you choose (laminate or marble?) can have a major impact on your bathroom remodeling budget. For example, 20sf of laminate may not drive up your budget substantially but the same quantity of marble can make a huge difference. Likewise, the addition of luxurious materials such as light fixture and heated bathroom means your bathroom renovation cost can go through the roof.

Bathroom Size

Apart from materials, it’s the size of your bathroom that also affects the bathroom reno cost. With a larger bath area, you will end up spending more on the renovation. Plus, if you chose, say, hardwood over tile, the cost may go up substantially.

Bathroom Budget

There are some bathroom remodeling cost factors which you can control very much. To begin with you need to have a specific budget based on the features you want to add or bathroom remodeling trends you want to follow. Knowing the features you need beforehand helps you control your budget. Homeowners that don’t stick to a budget end up spending more on their bathroom reno than they intended. Moreover, create a contingency fund for things that may fall outside your initial budget.

Bathroom Trends

The average bathroom remodel cost also depends on whether you want to incorporate any current bathroom remodeling trends. From adding trendy metallic features to using subway tiles, there are many hottest bathroom reno trends that homeowners aspire for.

A word of caution: If you’re not planning to stay in your current house for at least more than five years, don’t add any features based on your personal preferences. The potential buyer may or may not like the features; therefore, it can affect the home value as well.

Personal Taste

Apart from current bathroom trends, your personal tastes may affect the bathroom remodeling budget to a certain extent. Whether you want a pedestal sink or carpet near sink, they can affect the average bathroom remodeling budget. As explained in the previously, be careful about heavily personalizing your bathroom project, especially if you’re planning to sell it soon. Most buyers wouldn’t like a heavily personalized bathroom and you may have to spend quite a bit to undo those features.

Bathroom Remodel Cost Breakdown

Bathroom Material Costs

 

7 Hottest Bathroom Remodeling Trends in 2019

If you have been planning a bathroom renovation for a while, it’s the right time to proceed.

Bathrooms are no longer just the place to take shower or your regular morning rituals. Their roles have extended beyond the traditional functions. The bathroom renovation specialists are now suggesting incorporating features that not only make a statement but also make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

From experimenting with new colors to adding metallic faucets to embracing technology, here are seven such bathroom remodeling trends that have swept the homeowners off their feet.

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Focal Point

If you’re renovating your bathroom and incorporate the latest trends into it, you might want to add some focal points.

The reasoning behind having a focal point in your bathroom is to unify the several elements and creating a point of interest.

The focal point will drive all the attention, allowing your minimalist decor to become more prominent.

When it comes to creating a focal point in your bathroom, you could choose from several ideas: freestanding bathtub, vanity, large mirror, shower feature wall, fireplace and a large window with a view.

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Trendy Metallic Fixtures

Gone are the days when cold chrome and stainless steel were in vogue. Today, homeowners want to incorporate warmth into their bathroom by adding trendy metals such as copper, bronze, brass and even gold!

Brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures are particularly trendy these days.

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Subway Tiles

Subway tile which reminds you of the subway stations has been around for over a century and it’s gone out of style. The rectangular and brick-like polished ceramic tiles are available in many colors and they complement a wide range of bathroom styles, whether it’s traditional or transitional.

Further Reading: 16 Beautiful Bathrooms With Subway Tile

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Raised Panel Cabinetry

Raised panel cabinetry may be a traditional style but it’s still the primary choice for many homeowners when it comes kitchen remodeling. With a number of decorative options, wood finishes, and finishes available in the market, raised panel cabinetry infuses farmhouse elegance into your bathroom.

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Heated Floors

Heated floors are a great addition and an enduring trend among homeowners, especially those who live in a particularly cold climate.

Heating the area around the toilet is a great necessity as it keeps your feet warm. If you have a small bathroom, heated floors bring a sense of luxury that makes your bathroom feel like a private spa.

Further Reading: What To Consider Before Installing Heated Floors

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Zen-like Designs

In today’s stressful work life, bathrooms have come the prefect place to unwind and distress. Zen-inspired bathroom decor is becoming a popular trend among homeowners that want to relish a long, warm bath. With the understated, nature-inspired colors, Zen-like designs let you relax your mind and rejuvenate your body.

Further Reading: 13 Ways to Create a Zen Bathroom

Bathroom Remodeling Trends: Bathroom Technology

Many homeowners have already invested in smart bedroom and kitchens. But, technology is gradually invading the bathroom as well, and for good reasons.

From improving hygienic to conserving water, smart bathrooms can boost efficiency and make your life easier.

From smart mirrors to digital showers to high-tech faucets to fancy toilets to automatic flush systems, bathroom tech luxuries are increasingly becoming a reality in many homes.

A Handy Guide to Bathroom Vanity Lights: Do’s and Don’ts

While great bathroom vanities are important, many homeowners tend to underestimate the bathroom vanity lights that enhance the mood in your bathroom. Properly position bathroom vanity lights to emit soft, diffuse light illumination in order to reduce shadows on your face, helping you look your best. When you’re getting ready for a big day at work or party, you can’t afford to leave anything to chances with mediocre bathroom vanity lighting. In this guide, let’s talk about the major do’s and don’ts of bathroom vanity lights.

Do Add Diffuse, Even Light

If you have a single bathroom vanity with one mirror, you can use vanity light fixtures, pendants or sconces for diffuse illumination of the vanity. However, if you have a double vanity and a large mirror, you want to position light in the middle of the vanity. If you have a double vanity accompanied by two mirrors, consider adding vanity light bar on both sides of the mirrors.

Do Get the Height Right

The height of your bathroom vanity lights is just as important as their positions. While the height of your bathroom vanity lights should ideally be between 65 to 70 inches from the floor, you can vary it depending on the height of the person who uses the vanity frequently.

Do Give Yourself Backlighting

Even as you have installed lights in the right positions, the lack of backlighting can result in unwanted glare. Your hair, shoulders, and clothing also need to be illuminated properly. Consider adding a surface-mount or semi-flush mount overhead light with a frosted shade to block any potential glare.

Do Use Dimmers

If your bathroom is fairly exposed to natural sunlight during the day, you wouldn’t really need to use the main bathroom vanity lights. What you would need instead is some dimmers offering a relaxing soft glow. Therefore, it’s important to install some dimmers as well.

Do Use Floor Lights

Floor lights for your bathroom are immensely helpful at nights since you don’t want the soft glow and not the hassle of the glaring main lights. You can either go for lights beneath a floating vanity or built-in step light for the soft glow.

Don’t Use Clear Glass Shades (or Exposed Bulbs)

Contrary to what you may have seen in ads, exposed bulbs or clear glass shades are a bad choice for bathroom vanity because of their harsh glare. Instead, you should go for fabric shades or frosted shades to nullify the glare and emit diffuse illumination in your bathroom vanity.

Don’t Use Only Solid Metal Shades

Many homeowners tend to fall for “the trends” when it comes to bathroom vanity lights, only to regret it later. One of such trends is using only solid meal shades. While solid metal shades are trendy but without any additional sources of the illumination means you’re left with improper lighting. Always ensure to add ample diffuse lighting as explained earlier in this guide. Alternatively, use overhead lighting to eliminate the shadow.

Don’t Spotlight the Floor

If you’re using recessed downlights in your bathroom, make sure they are positioned to illuminate functional working areas such as you vanity countertops. Letting the spotlight hit the bare floor is one of the common bathroom vanity lighting mistakes many homeowners commit.

Don’t Rely Solely on Backlit Mirrors

Stylish backlit mirrors or LED vanity lights are in vogue today; however, they add more light to the wall than to your face. Don’t consider them as an alternative to sconces or pendants which you should install on both sides of your mirror.

Final Thoughts

Correct bathroom vanity lighting keeps you properly illuminated and create a feel-good factor in your bathroom. While style is important, it cannot defy the laws of physics when it comes to the flow of lights. Remember the do’s and don’ts of this handy guide for proper bathroom vanity lights.

10 Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas for Smarter Space Management

Bathroom vanity is the most important storage unit regardless of the size of your bathroom. Whether you invest in a new vanity or configure the existing bathroom cabinet, the following bathroom vanity storage ideas can really help you smartly organize your limited space.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #1: Open Shelves

While bathroom vanities are a great solution, sometimes, the sink and plumbing underneath take up too much space. This essentially means you get less storage space. However, incorporating open shelves is a great alternative to make the most of the available storage space in your vanity. Here’s how you can do it.

#1 – Stack Towels in the Open Shelves under the Bathroom Sink

#2 – Use a Faux drawer front or fixed slab and an open shelf in the lower section for storage

#3 – Give your vanity a lighter appearance by offering a visual break in your bathroom with dark, weighty wood or stone.

#4 – For a small bathroom, position the single-sink vanity to one side and allow a larger usable area on the other side.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #2: Simple Doored Cabinets

If you’re not comfortable with the idea of open shelves under the vanity sink, you could go for simple doored cabinets with open shelves inside, as shown in the picture below.

Using pull-out drawers can help you keep tiny items or relatively larger items like towels. The pull-out drawers will also help you reach the furthest corner of the vanity storage space.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #3: Shallow Drawers

If you want a creative way to use your vanity storage space without sacrificing style, follow the idea of using shaped, shallow drawers with a notch in them. This will help the drawers wrap around the plumbing pipe and avoid hitting them while letting you have full access to the store underneath the sink.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #4: Thin Drawers

Using multiple thin drawers (around 5″ deep) in your vanity sink is also another great idea as they will help you work around the sink without hitting the plumbing. While thin drawers help you keep small cosmetic items neatly organized, they may cost you more as compared to installing fewer large-sized drawers. However, the trade-off is well worth the investment.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #5: Double Drawers

While thin drawers are a great idea for small items, you still need ample storage space in your vanity for larger items. That’s where the double-deep drawers on either side of your bathroom vanity can help. These drawers can carry two drawer fronts as well as double handles to offer an illusion of two drawers from the outside.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #6: Vertical Pullouts

Incorporating the idea of kitchen spice rack in your kitchen, you could use vertical pullouts on either side of your bathroom vanity and have the single compartment split into smaller shelves for storing small items.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #7: Toe-kick Drawers

The toe-kick area in your bathroom vanity is usually one of the most wasted spaces that could otherwise be used for creating additional storage space. That’s exactly where toe-kick drawers kick in. They can hold a stash of paper rolls and other items in your bathroom. However, you should ensure that the toe-kick drawers are crafted to avoid scratching the floors or getting stuck. Remember: This means spending a few more bucks.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #8: Tip-out Drawers

Tip-out drawers are an efficient alternative where standard standards don’t fit. Even if they don’t offer as much storage space as the full-sized standard drawers, tip-out drawers offer small compartments for smaller items such as your toothbrush or toothpaste.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #9: Drawer Organization

Organizing the drawers with semi-fixed dividers (see image below) is arguably the best way to maximize the available storage space. Alternatively, you can use reconfigurable plastic mini-bins to splits drawer storage space into two separate compartments. Likewise, use vertical dividers for deep drawers.

Bathroom Vanity Storage Ideas #10: Tool Slots

Speaking of organizing items in your bathroom vanity drawers, you can add convenience to your drawers by using dividers featuring tool slots specifically crafted for common tools such as a blowdryer. You can either go the DIY route or opt for custom installation, depending on your budget. Better still, you can also tailor your drawers to accommodate a built-in power source, depending on your electrical layout.

Final Thoughts

The standard approach to installing a bathroom vanity means loss of precious storage space. However, with these aforementioned bathroom vanity storage ideas, you can make the most of your available storage space regardless of the size of your bathroom.

Slim Bathroom Cabinets: The Perfect Solutions for Tiny Bathroom Remodeling

Everybody fancies a great bathroom; however, only a few can afford the luxury of “extra space” for standard bathroom cabinets and vanities.

Thankfully, bathroom cabinet manufacturers have come up with a number of solutions that fit the tiny bathroom space as well as the wallet.

One of those solutions is the slim bathroom cabinets. Some also call them narrow bathroom cabinets while others refer to them as thin bathroom cabinets. Regardless of the name, they do a great job of creating storage space in extremely bathrooms. Slim bathroom cabinets are generally 24” tall and 6” wide, meaning they’re narrow enough to fit inside most tiny bathrooms, next to the toilet or bathtub.

Being typically tall and slim, these bathroom cabinets usually have slide-out compartments to add extra surface area. They are just the right storage units for anything from tissue paper to toiletries to bathroom cleaners and more.

Why Slim Bathroom Cabinets are Popular

#1 – They are Perfect for Small Bathrooms

Slim bathroom cabinets are perfect for tiny bathrooms that desperately need extra storage space. Being thin and narrow, these bathroom cabinets create just about enough storage space without making your bathroom look crammed.

#2 – Easy to Assemble/Put Together

Slim bathroom cabinets are available as RTA (ready to assemble) units, have pre-drilled holes, and are pretty easy to put together. You don’t really need any professional help to assemble these bathroom cabinets which explain why they are preferred by most homeowners.

#3 – Budget-friendly Storage Solutions

Bathroom vanities come in a wide range of prices, depending on the size, quality, and functionality of the storage units. For small bathrooms, however, it will suffice to have a slim vanity that offers ample storage for the necessary bathroom items (toiletries) without hurting your wallet. That’s exactly where a slim bathroom cabinet comes into the picture.

Slim Bathroom Cabinet Ideas

If you’re planning to invest in a slim vanity for your small bathroom remodel, take a look at the following examples for inspiration. Click on the images for a larger view.

Buying RTA Bathroom Cabinets? Don’t Ignore These 5 Tips

Whether you’re seasoned remodeler or rookie, choosing bathroom cabinets for your next remodel can be more or less daunting.

Bathroom cabinets play multiple roles, starting from concealing the plumbing to creating primary storage space to lending an aesthetic twist to your bathroom.

Without a doubt, you need to factor in some important factors before splurging on a brand-new bathroom vanity. This guide is designed to help you negotiate the challenges of choosing the right RTA bathroom cabinets for your remodel.

Cabinet Quality Grades

There are different cabinet quality grades when it comes to bathroom cabinetry such as RTA, stock, semi-custom, and custom. While each has their respective strengths and weaknesses, RTA bathroom cabinets are arguably the cheapest cabinetry grade. However, in some cases, ready to assemble cabinets can mean sacrificing the quality of materials and construction quality. It’s not always the case though; at Maplevilles, we have a wide range of RTA bathroom cabinets that boast great materials and construction quality.

The greatest advantage of buying RTA bathroom cabinets is the quick shipping time which can be anywhere from same day delivery to two business days. While stock, semi-custom, and custom bathroom vanities are also great alternatives, they not only inflate the costs of remodeling but can mean a higher lead-time. If you’re someone who is fairly familiar with assembling bathroom cabinets, ready to assemble bathroom cabinets are a great way to save big bucks on your bathroom remodeling.

Cabinet Drawers

RTA bathroom vanities are only as good as the construction quality of their drawers. In fact, the first thing to inspect in a bathroom cabinet is its drawers, regardless of which grade you choose. Here are a few quick pointers on how to inspect the quality of bathroom drawers.

#1 – Construction Quality: Make sure the drawer panels at least ⅜” to ½” inch, especially at the bottom.

#2 – Joinery: Dovetail joinery is the benchmark of quality of drawer box construction. Anything less than that (doweled joinery) indicates poor durability.

#3 – Smoothness: The drawers should run on full-extension undermount glides for a smooth and quiet operation. They should not sag when they are fully extended.

Cabinet Materials and Finishes

While construction quality is a top priority for you while investing in RTA bathroom cabinets, don’t ignore the cabinet materials and finishes. Unlike kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities have a high exposure to heat, water, and excessive moisture, all of which affect the longevity of your vanities significantly.

In terms of materials, bathroom cabinets are typically constructed from plywood, particleboard or MDF while the door and drawer faces use solid wood. With a higher price point, you get plenty of material and finish options to choose from.

Here’s a caveat though: A few manufacturers tend to gloss over the poor quality materials with veneers which are likely to peel when the vanities receive considerable wear and tear over time. You want to avoid those bathroom cabinets.

Cabinet Doors, Accessories and Hardware

After you have made sure that the RTA bathroom cabinets have decent construction quality, it’s time to consider the door style and hardware accessories. When it comes to the aesthetics of bathroom vanities, the door styles and decorative elements such as door handles and knobs rule the roost.

There are so many options available for you and it all boils down to your tastes and preferences. For example, Shaker style inset doors are pretty popular these days while many still prefer full overlay raised door panels. Likewise, one can add bathroom accessories such as door hinges, posts, pilasters and wainscoting for further customization.

But don’t just focus on the look — it’s important to consider the ease of use as well.

Bathroom Size, Storage and Floor Space

While materials, construction quality, and styles are the key, you can’t undermine the role of form factor and storage specifications of RTA bathroom cabinets. The first, and the most obvious, consideration is the size of your bathroom — you want to save ample floor space while adding a bathroom vanity.

Moreover, consider the actual number of sinks, storage compartments and drawers you need. After all, you needn’t stuff everything into your bathroom vanity. Plus, there are alternative bathroom storage hacks you can explore if you are short on floor space for a large bathroom vanity. Many homeowners prefer freestanding vanities for small bathrooms (or powder rooms) which allow them a larger floor space.

Remember that the standard dimensions of RTA bathroom cabinets – they are generally 32” tall and 18”-21” deep which means some kitchen cabinets can double up as bathroom vanities.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right RTA bathroom cabinets is the stepping stone to a successful bathroom remodel. You want to make sure you choose the best available vanities within your budget without making too many sacrifices in terms of style and functionality. At Maplevilles, we can help you choose the right bathroom vanities for your remodeling. Get in touch with us via contact us form or give us a call on +1 (310) 212-3321

These 7 Silly Bathroom Remodeling Mistakes Can Ruin Your Bathroom

With an average bathroom remodel cost in the US hovering around $15,000 to $25,000, bathroom remodeling mistakes can be very costly. Whether you’re just replacing the bathroom vanities or redoing the entire bathroom, you should plan the remodeling to keep the potentially wasteful expenditures in control by avoiding any bathroom remodeling mistakes.

Here are some of the tips to help you ward off any bathroom remodeling blunders and keep your budget in check.

Not Prioritizing Ventilation

Ventilation may not be the first thing that comes to your mind while remodeling a bathroom. However, it’s extremely essential to keep your bathroom adequately ventilated. Without good ventilation, you would get excessive humidity after a shower. It will take both natural and artificial ventilation to get a bathroom that has good ventilation overall. The windows can be kept open during the non-winter months while the exhaust fan or ventilation fan will take care of ventilation needs during the winter months.

Choosing Wrong Materials for Bathroom

If you choose the wrong materials for your bathroom flooring, bathroom vanity, countertops and so on, you might repent as bathroom surfaces are subject to a lot of wear and tear on account of daily use as well as the constant presence of moisture in the bathroom. Plus, people use many strong cleaning products in bathrooms which can damage the various surfaces, particularly wooden ones. Tiles will get stains easily enough and the bathroom will start looking pretty unattractive pretty soon.

Therefore, you’ll need to avoid materials that cannot take the pounding they’ll be subject to in the bathroom and opt for materials that are capable of going the distance. Go for stuff that doesn’t let mold grow easily, doesn’t stain easily, and doesn’t chip easily.

Not Having Ample Storage Space

Storage space in your bathroom will depend on the number of members in your family, and the number of bathrooms in your home. If a single bathroom is going to be used by a small family consisting of, say, two adults and a kid, there should be enough storage space to hold items of use for all of them.

Prioritizing Aesthetics Over Functionality

Since your bathroom is going to be used every day, it is a must for it to be practical and functional. Going overboard for an aesthetic look may compromise on the bathroom’s practicality. So, things to keep in mind while planning a bathroom redesign are safety and comfort.

Not Keeping Ample Space for Bathroom Vanity

The size of the bathroom vanity should be chosen keeping in mind the size of the overall bathroom so that you don’t bump into it every time you use the bathroom. The toilet paper holder should be close enough to the toilet. You need to keep the overall spacing and layout of the bathroom in mind such as making sure there’s enough space in the bathroom for the shower door to fully open.

Putting Off on Lighting Plans

Having good quality lighting in the bathroom is essential as it lends a flattering touch to your ambiance. Therefore, you need to decide on the lighting early, especially during the remodeling project. A professional electrician’s involvement would be a good idea if you are going for the major renovation and there is electrical wiring which needs ‘work’ such as re-routing and so on.

Forgetting to Put Aside Reserve Funds

No matter how carefully you plan ahead, your bathroom remodeling project may end up needing more funds than initially planned. So, it’s better to have some flexibility regarding funds — the idea being you should be able to pay for your remodeling even if it goes 10 or 15 percent over budget.

The best way to avoid any potential mistakes in your bathroom remodeling project is to plan each and every element beforehand. After all, there’s no point in rushing into your project without proper deliberation.

A Handy Guide on Bathroom Vanities

Bathroom vanities are the hub of the entire bathroom. Goes without saying, they are central to the overall theme and décor of your bathroom. But it’s not just about the aesthetics. Bathroom vanities should be sturdy and resilient enough to endure the prolonged use (and abuse) of the multiple family members as well as occasional guests.

While choosing your bathroom vanity, you need to keep in mind your future plans such as expanding family size. The weather in your area is also a factor as also your occupancy patterns such as whether you live in your house 12 months a year or only a part of the year.

Anatomy of a Bathroom Vanity

The bathroom vanity comprises the cabinet, sink or the basin, and its surrounding area. The bathroom vanity serves the dual purpose of hiding the plumbing as well as providing much-needed storage space. They add both functionalities as well as aesthetics to your bathroom.

Types of Bathroom Vanities

One of the major considerations before choosing a bathroom vanity is the number of people who are going to use the bathroom. If a couple is going to be using the bathroom vanity simultaneously before going to work, then it’s better to opt for a double vanity. If you opt for wooden vanities, you can choose from maple, oak, Asian hardwood, and other varieties.

Bathroom Vanity Styles

Bathroom vanity options are many — they can be with tops or without them and they can be single or double. Opting for bathroom vanities with tops reduces your hassles as the top is already there with the vanity and you can focus on other aspects of the bathroom. If the vanity is without a top, then you’ll need to consider the different materials to choose from as your countertop. See below for various ‘Bathroom VanityCountertops.’

Also, you choose from the corner, floating (aka ‘wall-mounted’) or freestanding bathroom vanity types. Corner vanities are especially suited for bathrooms with limited space. Freestanding vanities are the most common types around while the wall-mounted options can give your bathroom a sleek look and will also give the bathroom a cleaner and more spacious look.

Bathroom Vanity Sizes

The height of a bathroom vanity depends on various factors and you have a lot of room to maneuver depending on your physical attributes. Freestanding bathroom vanities are usually 32 inches or taller. Wall-hung varieties offer more option as they are hanging off the floor, to begin with. Keep in mind the ambient lighting in the bathroom while choosing vanity size.

Vanities come in typical sizes as follows:

• Width: 12 to 84 inches with 24, 30, 36, 48, and 60 inches being the more common
• Height: Standard is 31 inches but they can be from 31 to 31-1/2 inches
• Depth: 17 to 24 inches

Bathroom Vanity Countertop Materials

You can choose from a variety of 6 materials to use as your bathroom vanity countertop. These include granite, marble, laminate, wood, tile, quartzite, and other options as well.
Granite and marble countertops are the most aesthetically pleasing as well as the easiest to maintain. Wooden countertops can be problematic given the humid atmosphere inside a bathroom. Tiles are difficult to clean though cheaper to install.

Talk to an experienced bathroom vanity installer in your area with experience in installing countertops before reaching a final decision and remember to weigh the various variables such as cost versus durability versus maintenance issues versus aesthetics.

Bathroom Vanity Sinks

Bathroom vanity sinks come in different styles to suit different bathrooms. Under-counter, vessel, and drop-ins are some of the commonly used bathroom vanity sink types. More bathroom vanity sink options include pedestal and wall-mount types. There is so much variety available to choose from in terms of sink designs that it can be overwhelming for the newbie. You can decide your vanity sink type based on how much countertop space you need. This, in turn, depends on whether there will be many people usually using the sink and whether you would be occasionally giving your cat a bath in the sink and any other special requirements.

How to Install a Bathroom Vanity

Depending on your DIY inclinations and prior experience with home rebuilding, you might want to hire a professional to install your bathroom vanity. In some instances, you can buy bathroom vanities that can be easily installed by the buyers themselves.

So, you can purchase a vanity online or go to a reputed shop depending on these factors. DIY enthusiasts will need to update themselves on the State and local (not to mention Federal) Building Codes. For example, the State of California adopts a set of new construction codes every three years referred to as the California Building Standards Code.

How to Buy Bathroom Vanities — Decision Points

You need to budget for the cost of various components of your home. If you are building a new home, you will need to factor in the other costs and overall costs to zero-in on how much to spend on your bathroom vanity.

If you are going to have multiple bathrooms, then you will need to decide if the master bathroom will have the same look as the guest bathroom or if they’ll have different looks. Current family size and future plans regarding kids also need to be factored into your decision. Since vanities can have classic, modern or other styles, you’ll need to choose a vanity style that is in line with your style choice for the bathroom and other rooms. Your vanity style should also be coordinated with that of your bathroom faucets and handles as well as bathroom mirrors.

In Summary

Your decision as to the bathroom vanity type will need to factor in color, material, usage patterns as well as environmental factors. It’s a long-term investment — apart from being reasonably expensive — and the decision is not one to be taken lightly whether you are building a new home or remodeling your existing home.

Professional workmanship shows in fit and finish and quality of materials will be proven through their endurance. It is better, therefore, to go for somewhat expensive materials and hire professionals to install your bathroom vanities.