Top 7 Trends In Bathroom Remodeling
What's hot, what's not? Without further ado, let's jump into the top trends that Clark Construction is seeing in Fairfield County.
1. Bigger Bathrooms
Bathrooms are getting bigger and so are bathroom budgets. A recent Angie'slist.com survey reported that 62% of remodel clients are now willing to spend $5-10k more on the room where they shower, bathe and brush their teeth. It's not only movie star mansions; regular people like you and me are spending more money transforming their bathroom spaces into luxurious relaxing spa-inspired retreats.
It looks like this is money well spent for homeowners as more and more house-buyers say they are on the lookout for something special when it comes to the master bathroom. Desirable features include French doors, glass walls or airy open plan layouts that link up into the master bedroom.
2. Scrub the Tub
With the great tsunami of baby boomers now influencing market trends, the shower seems to have hit its heyday. Clients are opting to ditch the tub and lavish their love on luxury shower experiences like wet rooms and walk-ins.
With stressful jobs and busy lifestyles, homeowners are rewarding themselves with showers that promote relaxation and wellbeing.
Advances in plumbing and clever wall-mounted tech mean you can now play music via Bluetooth in the shower, turn on the water and bring it to a specified temperature before you get it in, splurge on soothing steam settings, body massage jets and giant rain shower heads all to create a luxurious and sensational shower.
3. Wiser with Water
Gone are the days when taps were either on or off. The latest trend is for smart, user-friendly fixtures such as thermostatic mixers, multiple water sources and touchscreen shower panels that give you control over the precise flow, source, pressure and temperature of the water.
In addition to dual overhead shower-heads and hand-held sprayer options these advances make it possible to install luxurious double showers and large shower-bath combos where two people can enjoy their individual preferences at the same time.
4. Closets You Get Lost In
We’re finding that more and more clients are asking for spacious walk-in closets – usually one per spouse. You can certainly understand why: it transforms your morning scramble to get dressed into an effortless Julia Roberts in Pretty Womankind of experience. Seeing your clothes, shoes, scarves and cufflinks displayed in front of you, within easy reach, streamlines your morning/evening routine and helps keep you and your outfits beautifully organized and coordinated.
We know of a designer who installed 1,300 square feet of high-end walk-in closets for a client at a cost of $130,000. In total, they housed 3,200 pairs of shoes and provided 245 feet of hanging space. Most of us might not need that much but we’re all outgrowing our dressers aren’t we?
5. Custom Cabinets for Clutter
Storage in general seems to be high on our list of bathroom considerations and for good reason. This is one place in the house where clutter seems to mount up on every available shelf, ledge and windowsill. Shower gel, shavers, towels, toothbrushes, bottles and bath bubbles all have a place in our bathrooms but we don’t really want to see them lying around. They seriously detract from the sleek, spa-like serenity we’re aiming for. That’s why many of our clients are turning to custom-built cabinetry as a beautiful and practical solution to the problem.
Our clever carpenters have recently put their talents towards a variety of custom-designed linen cupboards, vanity units, floating shelves, under-tub shelving, wall units with integrated electrical outlets to help clients display what they want to see and to hide what they don’t.
6. Going Gray Gracefully
"A lot of our clients are incorporating gray and ‘greige’ – a blend of beige and grey – for walls, cabinets and tiles,” says Natasha Vecca, Lead Designer at Clark Construction. “Gray is now the new most popular neutral. I always recommend that people go for the warmer, earthy grays rather than the colder, bluey shades. These make for a soothing ambiance and it won’t feel outdated in a few years. You can always throw in a pop of bolder color to liven up a neutral base. Gray is a really easy color to work with and is a trend with good longevity
7. Making a Splash with Tiles
People often keep their overall bathroom color scheme plain, neutral and calming, opting for a mix of timeless whites, grays and beiges. But clever use of tiles can give an important touch of individuality. Natasha says, “In today's bathrooms, less is more; it's all about getting that spa-feel with clean lines and simple styles. But you can use pattern and mosaic tiles as accents for a splash of color and texture. Also as bathrooms get bigger, larger format tiles are also becoming popular: 12 by 24-inch and bigger. Arranging these over the floor and shower walls creates a cohesive, unifying flow in larger spaces”. Under-tile heating is also becoming mainstream, says Chief Estimator Ross Clark: “It used to be just high-end projects that called for electric radiant floors but now a lot of people are treating themselves to toasty toes in their new bathrooms.”
You don't need to blow your budget to make your bathroom a dream space; be sure to choose a design team who has the talent and experience to create a luxurious bath while keeping an eye on the costs. You can see some of the beautiful bathrooms we’ve created at Clark Construction in our portfolio gallery.
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