14 Bathroom Remodel Ideas

July 9, 2024

The bathroom is a vital part of your home, serving as a personal retreat and the place where you begin and end your day. When remodeling, it’s important to carefully consider your options. Bathrooms are often a key focus for potential homebuyers, so thoughtful updates can significantly enhance your home’s appeal. Even if you don’t plan to move, keeping the end user in mind while exploring bathroom remodel ideas is essential.

Why Remodel Your Bathroom?

You might wonder why you’d put money into remodeling a room that is only used for a short while each day. Here are some of the most common reasons:

Return on your Investment

Minor bathroom remodel projects have an increased value of 71 cents per dollar spent. While a 100% ROI would be nice, earning 71 cents per dollar is great. Considering you’ll get use out of the investment on top of seeing an increase in home value, it’s a solid decision.

Transform Your Bathroom to Suit Your Needs

If your bathroom is outdated and not fully functional, remodeling can be incredibly rewarding. Upgrading to new fixtures can solve issues like leaky pipes, an unsatisfactory shower, or insufficient storage. A bathroom remodel can make your space feel like a brand-new home.

Refresh Outdated Designs

Trends evolve, and an outdated bathroom can feel far from relaxing after a long day. Consider updating your bathroom to align with current styles, enhancing both your personal enjoyment and your home’s resale value.

Transform into a Guest Bathroom

If you’re now an empty nester, it might be time to update your bathroom for guests. This could involve repainting, updating or replacing fixtures, and enhancing the overall ambiance.

What’s Included in a Full Bathroom Remodel?

If you’re all in and want to fully remodel your bathroom from top to bottom, there’s a few things it might entail. Most full bathroom remodels start in the ‘wet area,’ aka the bath or shower areas. This is usually the most complicated part of the remodel, so most contractors start there. First, they work the design around your chosen tub or shower. If there are any plumbing issues, there may also need to be drywall work, so most work starts there. Working in the wet area includes replacing or repairing the shower walls, installing a new shower head, or possibly installing a new shower stall and/or shower doors.

Even more work is needed if you’re moving the shower or changing from a tub to a shower. After the shower or tub area is complete, contractors move on to other bathroom areas, including the floors, vanity, mirror, and fixtures. You may even get a new toilet. But, of course, let’s also not forget the ventilation system, as that’s the most important piece of the puzzle. Some full bathroom remodels include replacing electrical outlets and ensuring everything is up to code. Finally, most full bathroom remodels include repainting the bathroom to update its look and give the walls a refresh.

Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

Whether you’re thinking about a full or partial bathroom remodel, here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Upgrade the Vanity

If you have an old vanity in your bathroom or it’s not as functional as you’d like, consider upgrading it. It’s amazing how this one change can totally alter the bathroom’s appearance. From wanting to upgrade the color or appearance of the cabinets to wanting a larger vanity than you have now, there are many ways to upgrade your vanity and change the appearance of your bathroom.

2. Choose Modern Sinks

Today’s bathroom sinks are nothing like the sinks builders put in years ago. So if you’re looking for a more modern bathroom, check out the upgraded sinks available. From pedestal sinks to sinks that sit on top of the countertop, many options help you achieve the updated look you desire in your bathroom.

3. Add Shower Niches

Consider a shower niche or built-in shelf if you have a small bathroom or don’t want to take up space with shelving in your shower. It helps keep your shower tidy with bottles tucked away, but it doesn’t look bulky or take up too much room. Make it large enough to add a shelf separator, and you have plenty of room to store everyone’s shampoo and soaps, so they are out of the way and look aesthetic.

4. Consider a Clear Glass Shower Enclosure

You might think clear glass doesn’t give you privacy, but that’s what doors are for, right? A clear glass shower enclosure is aesthetically pleasing because it lets you show off the beautiful shower walls. If you paid big money for the tile in your shower, why not show it off? It adds to the bathroom’s décor and makes the room feel bigger.

5. Install a Heated Toilet

It’s a novelty but one splurge you won’t regret. A heated toilet seat is a little luxury you didn’t know you needed until you had it. While it’s not super expensive, it does increase your bathroom remodeling expenses, but it will be one change you’ll be glad you did.

6. Change the Flooring

If you have old-school flooring in the bathroom, upgrade for a better look. Avoid choosing wood flooring as it’s not good around water, but you can get wood look-alikes like vinyl or luxury vinyl planks that work well and give your bathroom a luxurious appearance.

7. Add Wainscotting

Wainscotting is a great way to protect your walls, especially the lower half. If you have kids or just take a lot of baths, water will likely hit the walls, which can easily be affected by moisture. To reduce the risk of mold growth, add wainscotting to the lower half of the walls with oil-based paint, and water won’t cause any damage to your walls.

8. A Fresh Coat of Paint

It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can change a room. Changing dark colors to lighter or brighter colors can make your room look instantly bigger and fresher. Choose light neutrals or blues and enjoy the newness that the coat of paint brings to your bathroom.

9. Change your Mirrors

If you’re still using the builder’s mirrors, it’s time to upgrade. Mirrors don’t cost a lot and can dramatically change your bathroom. You can replace the mirror with one the same size or split it in two and make an even greater change. Of course, if you split the mirrors, you’ll likely have to repaint the wall, so it’s a great time to choose a new color and give the bathroom an entirely new look.

10. Change the Lighting

Changing your bathroom’s lighting can make a big difference in the room, especially if there’s little natural light. Consider either a statement piece or hanging lights to change the room’s appearance and bring more light into the room. You can typically swap out lighting inexpensively, but still make a big difference in your bathroom.

11. Change Cabinet Hardware

If you don’t have the budget to change the vanity or upgrade the cabinets, consider trading out the cabinet’s hardware. This simple change, which likely costs less than $100, can change the bathroom’s appearance more than most people realize. Go for something bold and see how much the room’s appearance shifts.

12. Refinish the Bathtub

Replacing a bathtub or shower can be expensive. If the tub or shower is in good condition and needs cosmetic changes, consider refinishing it. This job doesn’t break the bank and can instantly change the bathroom’s appearance.

13. Upgrade Window Treatments

Old, yellowing window treatments can give your bathroom an old and dingy feel. To avoid this, upgrade to roman shades or window treatments that are mildew-resistant and give your bathroom a beautiful upgrade for very little money.

14. Change the Faucet

If a new vanity isn’t in the cards, consider changing out the faucet. A new, fancy faucet can cost less than $100, and you can likely install it yourself. Choose one that fits with the décor in the room, but that’s an upgrade from the old-school faucet you currently have.

Final Thoughts

Remodeling your bathroom can increase your home’s functionality and value. Of course, a full bathroom remodel will give you the largest increase in home value, but even small changes can have a significant impact. Consider your budget and options when upgrading your bathroom and see how much it changes the room’s appearance. Whether you change the floor plan or make minor changes like the faucet and cabinet hardware, you’re sure to see a whole new room that breathes new life into your home.

To find a Local Bathroom Remodel Pro who can help you, click here!

FAQs

What design elements can help make a bathroom feel more luxurious without breaking the bank?

Incorporating larger and more luxurious fixtures such as a rain showerhead, deep soaking tub, or modern free-standing bath will drastically give your bathroom that luxury aesthetic while staying within budget. You can also use light-colored tiles and contrasting darker grout lines to create stunning patterns on the bathroom’s walls and floors. Investing in a statement mirror like an oval or round mirror can help brighten up the space. By adding stylish lighting fixtures like ambient lighting and sconces, you’ll create even more of a luxe feel to your bathroom redesign.

What are some lighting options that can help create a relaxing and calming atmosphere in the bathroom?

When it comes to creating a relaxing atmosphere in the bathroom, lighting is key. Soft and warm light can instantly create an inviting and calming ambiance in the bathroom. For this reason, most people opt for smaller recessed lights or LED bulbs that have adjustable white light color temperatures (2500K-4000K). Downlighting from wall sconces can also be very effective providing that they are positioned around the vanity area for even distribution of light. Last but not least, adding dimmers to your lighting circuit will allow you to control the brightness level according to your preference and create ambient settings perfect for relaxation.

What are some smart technology options that can be incorporated into a bathroom remodel?

Smart technology in bathrooms can include motion-activated faucets and toilets, heated floors, mirrors with LED lights and built-in speakers, and remote controls for showers. Smart electronic devices such as digital thermometers or steam systems can also be installed to monitor water usage. Additionally, automated ventilation systems are becoming popular and help purify air while eliminating humidity issues. All of these technologies offer increased comfort while also reducing energy consumption.

Additional Bathroom Remodel Resources