Are you thinking about updating your bathroom, but don’t want to deal with all the mess and upheaval just so it looks better? At Columbus Bath Design, we often perform a one-day refresh for tired bathrooms in the Lewis Center, OH area lending them a more contemporary appearance. But if you are frustrated by more than just outdated tile and a rose porcelain tub, a renovation could help you to love one of the busiest rooms in the house once again.
How many times have you bumped elbows with your spouse while brushing teeth and putting on makeup? Do the kids fight every morning over who is in the way? By replacing the sink with a dual-sink vanity, you take away a stress point from daily ablutions. This simple upgrade should not demand the addition of an extra drain. Many two-in-one vanities tie the drain from both sinks and direct the water down the existing pipe.
A larger vanity also opens up opportunities for added storage for towels, toilet paper, and toiletries. There would no longer be a need to head out to the hall closet for supplies. Changing the vanity will also encourage you to opt for a larger or second mirror. Remember to improve the wall lighting to eradicate those annoying shadows that always slow down your morning shave.
Whether you are getting a little older, have toddlers, or just find it difficult to climb into your tub for a quick wash, a bathroom renovation can replace that traditional tub with a walk-in shower or bath. Many people prefer a quick shower anyway. When your muscles ache, and you are tired at the end of a rough day, a walk-in design eliminates trip hazards and makes it easy for your guests to enjoy a refreshing wash. We can also add grab bars that blend in with your design and no-slip flooring.
A safer bathroom does not have to look like one found in a hospital or rehab facility.
From high school athletes to workers in the trades to joints that suffer from arthritis, a jetted tub or power shower head with massaging pulses helps to ease pain at the end of the day. The best time to install a whirlpool or jetted tub is during a full renovation, as any changes to your plumbing and wiring will be completely hidden as you finish the job with fresh paint. Even if you aren’t recovering from a weekend run, those soothing bubbles make a fantastic addition to a night of self-care.
Does your sink make you mad every day as you have to wiggle the knob to shut off the constant drip? Perhaps one of the switches on the wall makes the lights flicker overhead. Are you always scrubbing around the toilet and cannot get rid of that black ring?
A bathroom renovation is a perfect chance to finally banish all those fixtures that don’t work quite as they should. But it doesn’t mean that you have to take the room back to the studs. Now is the time for your electrician to add a GFCI-protected outlet by the vanity that can prevent shorts and shocks. Any damage they do to the wall will be immediately fixed with a fresh tile or paint job.
If you own an older home, those may still be copper connections under the vanity. Changing old copper pipes out to PVC makes it easier for you or a plumber to repair any future problems with the pipes or the faucets. Also, the cost of replacing pipes will be less when the plumber is also adding connections for a new walk-in shower.
While ceramic tiles will always scrub clean even after decades of use, the grout will lose its water resistance and become a home for mold and mildew. Since you are replacing the fixtures, it is likely that you may need to do repairs or replace the existing floors. Finally, you can banish the stale odors and unsightly stains.
Did you know that toilets are often the last fixture to be replaced in a bathroom renovation? That is because it is near impossible to damage one beyond use and the porcelain will almost never lose its like-new shine. However, an old toilet uses six gallons of water with every flush. In a family of four, the toilet flushes an average of 25 to 40 times a day, using up to 85,000 gallons a year. Modern water-efficient toilets use just 1.6 gallons per flush, lowering your water usage to about 22,000 gallons per year. Whether you are on a well or city water, that can cut your water bill by half.
Modern shower heads and even faucets also offer water-efficient options, further lowering the stress your home puts on the local water supply.
As you can see, a remodel is not just about dressing up an old bathroom with a 21st-century design. It’s about making it work for your lifestyle. If you would like to know more about how a bathroom renovation can improve the quality of your family’s life, give us a call at Columbus Bath Design for a personalized consultation.
It can seem counter-intuitive to think that using black in a small bathroom is a bright idea. However, black is once again trending in home decor and provides the perfect solution for a small bathroom that lacks personality.
Since black is the complete absence of any color, when you use it as the base hue in your bathroom design, any other tint will instantly bring the room to life. Black walls or flooring put an instant spotlight on the gilt mirror, alabaster tiles, or a window filled with small plants. Instead of staring at the whole canvas, black eliminates distractions and leaves only the premium finishes on display.
When you use black for a small powder room off the back hall, it creates an escape from the rest of the home. Your guests enjoy a heightened sense of privacy as the room looks so different from the social spaces. Paired with luxury towels, handmade soaps, and bespoke decor, you find restful elegance.
Perhaps your small bathroom features beige fixtures and rose or sage green walls leftover from a past decade. There is nothing wrong with the toilet and sink, but how do you bring the room into the 21st century? Black walls will change everything without breaking the bank. Add a fresh set of colorful towels, and it’s like a whole new room. Open a can of beige paint and a black vanity becomes a bold statement.
What happens when this year’s dusky blue-gray becomes a dated statement? Since black is a neutral color, you can pair it with any other color in the world, and it will never clash. Keep your small bathroom current by switching out the linens and accent art while the black anchors the space for an always-evolving space.
Have you ever visited a luxury hotel built during the first half of the 20th century? The Art Deco movement embraced the use of large geometric patterns, which often included black and white tiles in bathrooms. It remains a flawless choice for flooring and wall panels. Go tiny with intricate mosaics or create an accent wall covered in oversized hexagons. Search for wallpapers that use gold to define the repeating black shapes. When matched with cotton rugs and fine china accents, the small bathroom becomes a study in elegance and art.
How do you make an ordinary two-piece bathroom with white fixtures more interesting? While pale colors help the porcelain pieces fade into the background, your pedestal sink becomes a piece of artwork when standing against a black tile floor and textured wall. Its gleaming surface invites you to touch its sleek surface.
Your guests will be less likely to leave behind the rings they took off while washing hands as the platinum piece will stand out against the monotone environment.
It is possible to custom order your fixtures in black. Switch up your design with bamboo flooring, jade walls, and a large beveled mirror for a unique twist. Imagine a gold faucet gleaming against an ebony porcelain background. Rich, lush, and dramatic.
If you love a crisp modern look, consider an all-white or clear glass square sconces that provide brilliant illumination. Should you prefer a bit of glitz, a small gold chandelier dripping with crystals will bring glitter to the room. The black floors and walls become a study in spotlights and shadows. Go minimal and choose recessed lighting perfectly positioned over the sink and toilet.
Did you fall in love with a bold piece of stone at the bathroom design center that features large blocks or stripes of black? Placed on a black vanity with a stone sink, you can opt for a medium gray wall and lighter gray flooring for that contemporary style that supports a relaxing vibe. Add a matching stone shelf over the toilet to display small ceramic pieces and store some extra white towels.
If you are staring at a tired and dated two-piece bathroom and want to breathe new life into it, give our design specialists at Columbus Bath Design a call! We will be happy to visit your home and provide an estimate to get rid of that aging design and add any color you desire, including black, for a modern finish that complements your personal style.
Do you want to give your bathroom a new look? If so, you might be thinking about adding a fresh coat of paint. When you take a look at the options, it is easy to get overwhelmed. There are so many colors available that you may not know exactly what to choose.
Keep in mind that there is no single best option when it comes to a color for your bathroom. This is always a matter of personal preference; however, you do need to think carefully about several important factors before you decide what color to paint your bathroom. What do you need to know?
Before you paint the bathroom, you have to get a clear picture of what you are dealing with. Therefore, you should wash the walls and wait for them to dry. As you look at your bathroom, you are probably envisioning what it will look like; however, if there are a bunch of stains on the walls, this might be difficult to do.
If you have recently purchased a house, then there could be mildew on the bathroom walls. This could require a special solution to get off. If you are concerned about the appearance of your bathroom walls, you may want to reach out to a professional who can clean them for you. That way, you can get a better idea of what your bathroom truly looks like.
Even though you are free to paint your bathroom any color you want, you do need to think about the room next door. For example, your bathroom might be attached to a bedroom. If that is the case, think about the color of your bedroom, as you may want to paint your bathroom a similar color. If the bathroom is attached to the living room, then you may want the bathroom color to be relatively close to the living room.
Before you decide which colors to choose, you may want to play with some online tools. That way, you can figure out what colors match and which don’t. You can also get used to the color wheel, which can help you make up your mind.
If you don’t have a specific color in mind, then you might want to reach for neutral tones. A lot of people decide to go with neutral tones in the bathroom because they will match just about anything. For example, a lot of people like agreeable gray or mindful gray. These are two specific colors that tend to work well in a lot of bathrooms.
If you think that neutral tones are a bit boring, there are plenty of ways you can spice this up. For example, you may want to add an accent wall to the bathroom. Or, you may want to introduce color to the bathroom using a few accessories.
After you figure out what color you want to use, you need to think about the finish. If you are looking for something that will truly shine, then you may want to go with a satin finish. Satin is incredibly durable and easy to clean. Therefore, this is a great choice for the bathroom because it will make it easier for you to clean the walls without damaging them.
If your bathroom already gets a lot of natural light, then satin may be too bright. If that is the case, you may want to go with an eggshell finish. Even though eggshell is not necessarily as durable as satin, it will still work well in the bathroom. There are other finishes as well, so you may want to talk to a professional painter to learn more.
If you have made a decision regarding what color and what finish you want to use, you need to think about the moisture in the bathroom. Of course, your bathroom is going to be a very wet place. You need to make sure the paint can stand up to this type of wear and tear.
Some companies have a better reputation than others when it comes to moisture. If moisture is going to damage your paint, you need to go with a different option. No matter what type of paint you use, you need to wait a little while before you run the shower. Allow the paint to dry before you start using the bathroom.
Finally, you should also think about whether the paint is going to fade with time. If your bathroom gets a lot of natural sunlight, UV radiation could damage the paint. Even though the paint looks vibrant right now, it may not look the same way in a few years.
You need to make sure you protect the paint accordingly. A professional painter should be able to help you do that. Paint can go a long way toward increasing the value of your home, but you must protect your work accordingly.
Even though you may feel like you can paint the bathroom on your own, you will always get better results if you decide to go with a professional team. If you are looking for experts who can help you paint your bathroom, it would be our pleasure to assist you.
We are Columbus Bath Design, and we have painted bathrooms of all shapes and sizes. We have also used a wide variety of color schemes. We are confident that we can help you paint your bathroom as well.
If you want your bathroom to look beautiful, contact us today! We will walk with you every step of the way during the bathroom redesign process.
Spring cleaning usually involves clearing closets, cabinets, and storage areas on unwanted clutter. We wash windows, refinish floors, and prep the windows and doors for warm weather. What about the bathroom? Some bathrooms have no windows, which means mold and mildew growing over the long winter. Because of this, it is important to deep clean bathrooms as well!
Just working with a can of scrubbing bubbles and a sponge might not cut it. Here are the supplies we recommend you pick up for this endeavor:
Many bathrooms have wooden cabinets. To dust and clean them, mix in a small jar one half cup lemon juice to two cups olive or coconut oil. Shake until well mixed, then dust your wood cabinets. It’s a natural alternative to cleaning chemicals and will make the wood glow.
Some people mix dish liquid with vinegar and water to wash glass and mirrors. However, the dish liquid isn’t really necessary. Lemon juice or vinegar and water will clean most everything.
Close the glass shower door after you’ve turned on the hot water. Allow the steam to build up, and then shut the shower off. On the glass shower walls, apply a paste of baking soda and vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes, then wipe off. Spray with water. Wipe down with microfiber cloths to prevent mildew.
Close the shower door again with hot water running for steam. Use either the Seventh Generation cleaners or a mixture of vinegar, lemon, and water. Apply the cleaner to the tile walls and floors, then close the door. In a few minutes, shut off the shower. With a Swiffer or a microfiber mop, remove the moisture from the ceiling.
Wipe off the tile walls and floors. If not all dirt was removed from the grout, apply a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Scrub with a toothbrush. If it still won’t come clean, then a professional formula should be applied.
Now the windows, mirrors, walls and floors are clean, it’s time to deep clean the sink and toilet. One of the best tips we’ve seen for cleaning the toilet and sink is to sprinkle in baking soda. After a few minutes, pour in vinegar. It will sizzle and bubble. When it’s finished bubbling, rinse it. It will shine like new!
Next you’ll need plastic sandwich baggies and rubber bands. In the baggie, mix vinegar, baking soda, and water. Wrap the faucets and shower head with the baggie. Let them sit for a couple of hours or overnight. Then, remove them and wipe them down. Your faucets and shower head will shine!
These simple tips and tricks should be all the cleaning you need to make your bathroom shine like new. If your bathroom needs more than just a little freshening up this spring season, give Columbus Bath Design a call to get started on your dream bathroom!
While you make time for de-cluttering, cleaning and storing winter clothes, welcome spring by sprucing up your bathroom, too! With new décor, colors, and creativity, a dull area becomes a dazzling paradise. Take a peek at our tips below to get a fresh spring look in your bathroom!
Nothing says springtime like bright colors. Get rid of black, white, brown, gray, beige, navy blue, and neutral shades and aim for colorful bath decor. Mint, yellow, red, pink, green, and purple shades are great standout colors to incorporate into the room. If changing the wall color to be brighter is too much for you, however, use bright pops of color in the vanity, artwork, or vases to get the same feel.
Designs and knickknacks add personality to any room. Stripes, shapes, and patterns on towels, shower curtains, window curtains, bathroom accessory sets, mirrors, and artwork enhance that personality. Embrace the shape of the decorative piece (likely a square or rectangle) in multiple areas to create balance in the space. Quirky accent pieces such as artwork, sculptures, or trinkets tell a story through their detailed designs.
Flowers, plants, and beach pieces will give a spa-like, natural element of the area. It makes the room feel fresh, intimate, and special. Flowers in vases, potted plants, seashells, and conch shells are examples of different natural elements to add to your space. Accessories made of brick, stone, or wood work well also. You could even add a reclaimed wood wall or shelves to give some texture to the room.
It’s impossible to have too much storage space in bathrooms. When shelving is too full to store unused items, portable storage space may be your solution. Portable storage items make bath items easy to access while being stylish. Baskets, bath storage racks, shower caddies, and countertop organizers are great storage options. Larger rooms can add small bath cabinets, over the toilet storage, and ladder shelves for more space.
A mirror is a staple in bathrooms for enlarging the room, so updating the mirror with a new frame will make it pop. If you have only space for small mirrors, we recommend adding multiple to create symmetry. You could even replace one large mirror with two smaller ones to enlarge the space and allow for more creativity. Pair mirrors with sunlight and new lighting fixtures, and the mirror-light combo will illuminate the space.
Let light brighten the area through natural and indoor light. You may even want to replace darker shades or curtains with white or see-through ones if you can. Adding bright, new light fixtures help a space appear brighter and refreshed as well. That could even become a fun spring DIY project – painting old light fixtures to give them a new look!
As you can see, paint jobs and renovation overhauls aren’t necessary to turn bathrooms from drab to fab. Swapping home decor to and from the area will have a major impact on the appearance and vibe without spending thousands to achieve a similar result. Even if Ohio’s weather isn’t ready to welcome spring gracefully, welcome it in the bathroom using accessories.
If you’re looking to give your bathroom a complete or partial update besides fresh paint and accessories, contact us today to get started!
Trying to surprise your mom is a tough proposition–especially when you’re looking at a remodeling project. You know that she’ll be quickly frustrated by a half-done room that’s difficult or impossible to use, so surprising her while she’s away is one of the most effective ways to get that remodeling project taken care of. If you’re planning a one-day remodeling project, however, make sure that you’re appropriately prepared for the process.
Step One: Create a Plan
If you’re going to finish your remodeling project in a day, you need to know exactly what you want to do. Work closely with your contractor as you discuss details like color scheme, how much remodeling you really need to do, and other key attributes of the project. The better prepared you are, the more likely you’ll be able to complete your project effectively.
Step Two: Let Your Contractor Evaluate the Space
There’s nothing worse than diving in with a project that’s supposed to take a single day, only to find significant problems with your home that will lead to more difficulty. Bring your contractor in when Mom’s not home and let them take a look at the space. They may be able to predict issues like mold behind the walls, uneven surfaces, or tile problems before they start the project, allowing you to assess whether or not you can really complete that project in a day.
Step Three: Prioritize
When you’re working on a remodeling project, things often fail to go exactly according to plan. Those tiles you just had to have for the bathroom walls will fail to stick, or the vanity will come apart as you’re trying to take it out, or you’ll discover that an unexpectedly wet day makes it take twice as long as usual for the paint to dry. By creating a priority list, you’ll be able to decide what pieces of the project can wait until another day if you need to finish up fast.
Step Four: Prepare
In order to truly remodel a space in a single day, you need to be prepared. All of the items you need should be purchased ahead of time, from new mirrors to towel bars. The last thing you need to do is spend your day running back and forth to your local store. Make sure that you’ve chosen materials that work well together and that will effectively fit into your space in order to streamline the remodeling process.
Step Five: Stick With It
A one-day remodeling project is not the time to decide that you want to turn your original ideas upside down. Instead, make sure that you’re willing to live with your original plan–and more importantly, that Mom will be! Last-minute changes can extend the time necessary to complete the project, leaving you with a half-finished room when Mom gets home.
Choosing the right contractor is critical to ensuring a smooth remodeling project, especially if you want to do it in a single day. Carefully preparing and letting the contractor know what you’re doing, however, will ensure a smooth process that will result in a great surprise when Mom comes home.
The start of a new year is the perfect time to plan for updates and remodeling projects around your home. Your budget may be holding you back, but with proper planning, you can save what you need to give your bathroom a fresh look. Here are some tips for saving money so you can afford a beautiful new bathroom in 2018:
One of the first things you need to do is look at the areas where you can cut back and spend less. Take an honest look at your weekly and monthly expenses, and see where you can make cuts. By reducing your expenses, you will have more leftover to put into your savings.
In order to ensure your savings won’t be spent on other things, you should create a dedicated savings fund. You may want to open a new account with your bank that is connected to your checking account. This will allow you to easily transfer money to save for the project. You’ll be able to watch the savings build up over time, and keep better track of your progress.
If a home renovation project is a priority for you, then you will need to reduce your spending on other things. Make a list of your top priorities and allocate money toward them. A bathroom remodel is an excellent priority because it will add value to your home and give you an updated space to use and enjoy every day.
If you don’t already have a budget, now would be a great time to make one. A budget allows you to see your monthly expenses and to track where your money is being spent. You can also determine how much money you would like to spend on a new bathroom, and inhibits you to save more since you can easily identify the categories where costs can be reduced.
Proper planning is one of the keys to keeping the costs of a remodel in check. As you start saving for a new bathroom, you can begin to plan it out. Think about what you would like to have in the space and what elements may need to be replaced. We offer free in-home estimates, so one of our bathroom remodeling experts will be able to tell you exactly how much you need to save. By planning ahead, you can have realistic expectations about the total cost and the completion of the remodel.
Contact us to start planning and saving for a beautiful new bathroom. The new year brings the opportunity to make improvements in both your home and your budget.
When doing a remodeling project, you simply can’t overlook the importance of bathroom lighting. It’s a space that you spend a lot of time in, and it needs to be comfortable and well lit. Here’s what you need to know about how to light your bathroom:
Brighten It Up
You want your bathroom to be a functional space, so it has to be bright. That’s why it’s necessary to use both task and ambient lighting. Task lighting should be added around or above the vanity and mirror. This makes it easier to do everyday things like apply makeup and shave. The room has to be brightly lit for these types of tasks.
If space allows, you will also want to have a light mounted above the tub or shower stall. Ideally, there should be a light placed at both ends of the tub to create an even cast of light.
Consider LED Lighting
LED lighting is a great energy saving option. One of the reasons many people have avoided them in the bathroom for years is because they don’t provide the warmest light. However, they’ve been significantly improved over the years. LED lights best used in combination with incandescent bulbs to create the right warmth and coloring in the space.
Avoid These Lighting Mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when installing lighting during a remodel is not adding enough of it. Having more lighting is better than having less. Use dimmers to make one lighting fixture multi-functional. This is especially helpful if you’re working with a smaller room or on a tight budget.
Placement of the lights is also important. If you place a fixture directly overhead of where you’ll be standing at the sink and vanity, it can create a harsh, unflattering look. Determine the most practical spots to install lights that also offer the most flattering illumination.
Regardless of whether your bathroom is old and outdated or you simply want to change the decor and make it more luxurious, your dream bathroom can be a reality.
There are several factors to consider when planning your bathroom remodel project. The first is whether you want a traditional look or prefer another style, such as a contemporary or a “green” bathroom.
Traditional bathrooms typically feature calm colors, sophisticated cabinets, and standard lighting, while contemporary styles use contrasting bold colors, unique lights, and crisp simple lines.
Green bathrooms are highly popular among today’s homeowners as well, and often feature eco-friendly characteristics, such as cabinets and fixtures made from bamboo, and soft, earthy colors, such as various shades of green and brown.
The practical aspects of the project depend on things such as the shape and size of your bathroom, and the desired features. Vent stacks, water lines, and plumbing drains must be considered when you remodel. Therefore, when you or your bathroom designer are evaluating space guidelines, make sure everything is figured into the design.
You may also simply choose to make minor changes that can create a dream bathroom without a high price tag. For example, tiling the floors and walls add a sense of grandness and luxury. You can choose from a variety of patterns and designs to create a dramatic and luxurious look.
Another great tip for a dream bathroom remodels project is to install smoked glass shower doors instead of traditional transparent glass. This definitely creates a luxurious atmosphere in this much-used room. The smoked glass also offers a sense of refinement and privacy, which can add to the overall ambiance of your bathroom.
If you plan to hire an expert for your remodel project, contact one of the experienced professionals at Columbus Bath Design to request a free estimate and find out about one-day remodeling. With a bit of planning and a little creativity, it is entirely possible to make your dream bathroom a reality.
One of the most common upgrades that are done to a home is a bathroom remodel. Space is the room where many people relax at the end of a busy day. However, a bathroom can become outdated. Here are some signs that it is time to consider a remodeling project.
Mold is an Issue
When pondering when to remodel, a smart time is when you start to notice mold. If the area around your shower is looking green or black mold may be to blame. If it is a minor case, you will be able to clean the space with bleach. A wise project is to install drywall that resists mold. If mold is a major problem, you should consult with a professional testing and remediation company.
Leaking or Old Fixtures
When fixtures like a shower or toilet leak water, an upgrade is necessary. Today, many units are friendly to the environment and help to save water. Consider a toilet that uses less water per flush or a shower head that sprays less. Besides lowering your monthly bills, you will be doing something that is good for the planet.
Just Want a Change
If it has been years since your last bathroom remodel, you may be sick of looking at the same vanity or paint colors on the walls. These are cosmetic changes that are easy to complete. Paint is very inexpensive, but it can dramatically change the feel in the space. Numerous vanity styles are available. Some can provide necessary extra storage. If this does not fit into your budget, consider swapping your old hardware for something new. This will create a fresh look for a fraction of the cost.
After learning when you should decide to upgrade your bathroom, you may need some remodeling tips. At Columbus Bath Design, we will be happy to assist you throughout all of your projects. Our experts will recommend the best solutions for your needs and budget. When you are ready for a change, let us fulfill your dreams. For over two decades, we have provided quality service to residents in the Columbus area. To partake in a Columbus Bath Design experience, call to schedule a free in-home estimate today.
Contact Columbus Bath Design today to start designing your dream bathroom. We look forward to exceeding your expectations.
