Make Your Bathroom a Sanctuary

We talk to an expert to find out how to turn your bathroom into your favorite room in the house.

Bathrooms, like kitchens, can be a main selling point in a home. But it’s also great to make the most of the space while you live there. Because let’s face it: A nice bathroom can be your sanctuary. To help with your next home improvement project, we’ve tracked down some of the latest ideas in bathroom remodeling.

“If you want to know the latest in bathroom style and trends, look at the hospitality industry,” suggests Maria Stapperfenne, former president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association in Hackettstown, New Jersey. “Many of those spa-like features aren’t that difficult to replicate in your own home. They’re a great upgrade for you and your family—and will help increase your comfort as well as your home’s resale value.”

Shower…or Bath?

If you’re searching for bathroom remodeling ideas, look to remodelers who are pulling out shower-tub combos to install walk-in showers. They’re also installing standalone tubs where room allows, Stapperfenne says. “They are all the rage because they help maintain the large look of a space in what is usually not a huge room. They also are really beautiful now—with artful form and lines.”

But bathtubs aren’t typically for daily use. “Not everyone wants to take the time to fill a tub and then spend a long time soaking,” Stapperfenne says. So be sure your shower provides a stress-relieving experience by adding features and accessories like multiple showerheads or a rain head, which “gives you the experience of a standing bath,” she says.

Water from rain heads can come straight down and hit your eyebrows, making you blink, according to Stapperfenne. She recommends supplementing a rain head with a more standard showerhead angled out from the wall or a handheld device, “which is also great on an adjustable slide bar for younger users who might not want such a dramatic cone of spray coming right down on them,” she says. Handhelds are also great for washing pets and cleaning the shower.

Lighten the Mood

In a room that spotlights your reflection, don’t forget the importance of lighting. Always make sure the lighting is in front of your face, Stapperfenne says, suggesting sconces or a lighted swing-away mirror.

“Lights coming from high above your head make you look scary,” she cautions. A lot of people are opting to eliminate medicine cabinets and just have mirrors on the wall flanked by good lighting.

Other bathroom light ideas include adding touches like a mini-chandelier.

“The bathroom is typically on a smaller scale, so you’re drawing the eye to something very detailed,” Stapperfenne says. “A mini-chandelier can dress up a powder room and make it look fresh and new or upscale.”