Building a new home means that you get to start from scratch. You determine how your home comes together, from the big decisions to the smallest details. The result is that you finally get to live in a place that looks and feels exactly how you want it to look and feel.
When you’re building a new home, don’t limit yourself. To do so would cheapen the entire experience. You have the ability to ensure that every room in your new house brings you joy and fits your lifestyle, even the bathroom.
You will spend most of your time in the bathroom — taking showers, getting ready for work, bath time with the kids, etc. With so much time spent here, it’s important to make sure this room is much more than a room you just use.
With the right design elements, your bathroom could be the place you use to unwind from the day or it could be the room that inspires you the most, giving you a necessary creative jumpstart in the morning (the best ideas do come in the shower after all).
Consider the following starting points on your journey to design the bathroom of your dreams.
Bigger is Better
Twenty-five percent of renovating homeowners choose to make their master bathroom bigger, according to a Houzz study. As someone building a home, you have an edge. Make your master bathroom big to begin with so you don’t end up spending thousands of dollars renovating it in a few years.
Think about how you and your family use your bathroom to determine how much space you’ll need. Is there enough room for two people to brush their teeth at the same time? Is it so narrow that it makes it hard for you to get ready efficiently?
Mornings can be hectic enough without a small bathroom making you late for work. Keep in mind that one in three people surveyed said that a 150-sq.-ft.-bathroom was not big enough for their needs. So, if you plan to make a bathroom smaller than that, you might want to change your plans.
Pop of Color
Who says that a bathroom needs to be all white? A bathroom can be colorful without being dated. Go bold with citrus orange walls or keep it cool with deep blue hues. It’s all about the mood you want to set.
Different colors evoke different emotions. Warmer colors tend to inspire you creatively. Yellow is often associated with happiness. Green can make you feel like you’re out in nature. Light purple is known to relieve tension and could complement long hot baths.
Tile, Tile, Tile
Tile is really versa-tile (see what I did there?). Bad jokes aside, tile can be anything you want it to be. You can tile your floor, walls and ceilings, mixing and matching colors for a fresh take on a bathroom classic. Tile your shower walls with stone for an earthy look. Or you can use it to create interesting geometric shapes.
Play with color and design and your tiles will have your bathroom looking like it should be in the Museum of Modern Art. Black tiles are an easy way to make a statement and they go well with different design styles and various accessories. There’s really so much you can do with this material.
The best part is that tile not only looks good, it’s also a really durable material (which is why it has been a mainstay in bathrooms forever). Because there’s so much you can do with tile, it’s a really great way to unleash your creativity and is an ideal option if the thought of painting your bathroom walls a solid color bores you.
All About That Brass
The Heritage Double Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucet with Brass Pop-Up Drain is a vintage-style brass faucet sold by Wayfair.A brass faucet is an easy way to make your bathroom fixtures stand out without spending a lot of money.
Interior designer Emily Henderson touts brass as one of her budget-friendly go-tos for bathroom faucets, especially if you have a more classic style.
“If you have a widespread faucet, then [this Heritage Double Handle Widespread Bathroom Faucet with Brass Pop-Up Drain] is a great traditional option that is simple and stylish,” says Henderson, a host with HGTV, best-selling author and stylist based in Los Angeles.
Brass faucets are not just for a more traditional look. They’re versatile and fit an array of styles, from conservative to modern. They’re even a great way to mix and match different styles without them clashing. You could pair a more traditional faucet with a minimalist bathroom to create a space that’s calming and comforting at the same time.
Danielle Small is a freelance writer and strategist with a few awards under her belt (including a 2016 Min Online’s Editorial & Design Awards – Editorial Award for Opinion/Commentary).