Home Decor Tips

An Insider’s Guide to Designing Your Luxury Bathroom

Are you planning on building your dream bathroom? Still on the fence about which design would work best for you? Your bathroom is your private sanctuary, and it deserves a lot of thought when it comes to design and material selection.

Custom home builders share design tips and ideas you should try. Learn the best layouts, colour schemes that will work to soothe you after a tiring day, and the spa-like features you can integrate to make your bathroom luxurious and restful.

8 Bathroom Design Tips to Consider

1. Create an efficient layout

Even the most beautiful bathroom will need to deal with water lines, vent stacks, and plumbing drains. Like other sections of a house, bathroom floor plans come in different layouts.

● The one-wall layout lines up the toilet, sink, and shower in just a single wall in the bathroom. Custom home builders say that this is the most cost-effective design. However, it is also the most limiting.

● The two-wall layout will give you more flexibility because the shower and tub can be plumbed on one wall with the toilet and sink on the other.

● As for the three-wall layout, this is the most versatile yet the most expensive and complicated design. But working with the best bathroom designer will help you get the most use out of the space and prevent you from making any costly mistakes.

2. Choose the right sink

Undermount and integral bathroom sinks will make it a lot easier for you to wipe off any mess from the counter into the sink. On the other hand, self-rimming bathroom sinks are the easiest and most economical to install; however, their perimeter lip can easily collect grime.

3. Have a bathroom lighting plan

When it comes to bathroom lighting, the mirror is the most critical area. At each side of the mirror, you should have wall-mount lights at eye level. Also, place a third light above the mirror. This lighting plan will illuminate your face from above and both sides, thereby getting rid of shadows.

Generally, consider using ceiling-mounted fixtures or add mood and style with pendant lights or chandeliers. Use accent lights to highlight an architectural feature or a collection. This will also add mood and sparkle. For enclosed tubs and showers, use vapour-proof downlights.

4. Show your style with cabinetry

Bathroom cabinetry combines function and form. It is also part of the style statement you wish to express whether it be vintage, contemporary, traditional, or modern.

Opt for cabinets with semi-custom options. If not, have them custom-designed and built. This way, all your bathroom storage needs will be met. You can also decide on the cabinet’s construction, materials, accessories, and finish.

5. Go for easy-to-care flooring

Bathroom floors must be easy to care for, slip-resistant, hardworking and impermeable to water yet stylish. Ceramic tiles and stone tiles are some of the most luxurious choices. But for better traction, opt for a honed flooring finish.

6. Use colour to create mood

Colour has the ability to soothe, energize, calm you down, and wake you up. Before choosing your palette materials, it is crucial to figure out the mood you want to evoke. Once you have decided on your bathroom colour scheme, bear in mind that colours come from more than fabric and wall paint.

The colour of the tiles and the cabinetry wood you choose will also play a crucial role when creating the overall colour personality. In fact, even the tub and sink can contribute to the bathroom colour scheme whether they are made of dyed concrete, stone, or white porcelain.

7. Add luxurious amenities

To have a spa-like bathroom experience, consider integrating features that will take your bathroom from utilitarian to pampering. For instance, install in-floor radiant heating to take the chill off of your tile or stone floors. Other amenities that will make your bathroom really comfortable will include sound systems, television, a gas-insert fireplace, and a beverage centre.

Luxury showers can also replicate the spa-resort experience in your bathroom. Choose from a wide range of spray heads. Handheld shower heads let you direct the spray for rinsing off your hair while ceiling-mounted rainfall shower heads will soak you from above.

8. Make a statement with your tub

Bathtubs are the usual focal point of a bathroom as it has a powerful impact on its interior design. Opt for a whirlpool tub or a soaking tub to maximise relaxation during each bath.

Designing and building your dream bathroom is not an easy task. But with the help of custom home builders, this can be made a lot easier. They may even give you some suggestions to make your bathroom even more beautiful, luxurious, and functional. The Trendsetter Homes blog offers more tips and ideas for designing your spa-like bathroom, among other things.

AUTHOR BIO

Robert Allam has had an understanding of Trendsetter Homes inside and out since he started with the business as a client over 10 years ago. Eventually becoming part of the company as a Sales Consultant, then Office Manager, and now as Finance and Sales Manager, Robert has seen the company grow from a small team of 4 to a professional team of 16 and has guided many clients through the process of developing their dream of a unique, luxury home.

Making Your Garden Come Alive with Striking Colors

We all love a garden which is rich with life and color. It is a joy to just sit around and watch it bloom. On the other hand, a garden which is muted in color will appear sad and lifeless. If this is a problem you are having, then there are ways to fix this and inject a lot more color into your garden and we can help. These tips should put you on the right track.

1. Do some deadheading Deadheading is the process of removing spent blossoms in order to allow new ones to bloom. This will cause more flowers to spring up in every patch and thus bringing more color to your garden. This can be done on annuals, as well as perennial flowers, but there are some exceptions such as perennials that all bloom on a single tall stalk. In order to deadhead, cut off the entire spent flower stalk as close to the base as you can. When there is more than one bud on a single stalk, cut as close as possible to the next unopened one.

2. Re-seed flowers Deadheading does not work for all flowers. Planting annuals is a great way of ensuring that your garden is full of color all year long, but some of them simply bloom and die out before they have time to set more buds. In order to correct this, you will have to re-seed them manually several weeks after they were initially planted.

3. Add some foliage Not all color has to come from flowers. A little bit of foliage mixed in will work great as it just keeps getting bigger and bigger all throughout the year.

Whenever you are looking for some new additions to your garden, such as outdoor patio umbrellas, visit YescomUSA. There you will be able to find everything that you are looking for, all available at affordable prices.

New Bathroom Construction and Fire Indicator Panels

It is a common occurrence with most families that as time goes by their bathroom shrinks and no longer meets the needs of their family. When families come to the conclusion something must be done – think about remodeling before uprooting the family and changing addresses. Look at the possibilities of a do it yourself project or hiring a professional contractor to create a more user friendly environment.

DIY Project or Professional Contractor

List your family needs required to make a positive change with a new bathroom construction project. Then decide if this is a do it yourself project or should you consult a professional. If working on a tight budget, DIY is a good option IF you are willing to expand your horizons to include knowledge of home and fire safety codes, local building codes and general plumbing, electrical and construction skills. Another aspect is time and budget constrictions. After considering all the DIY pluses and minuses, perhaps calling a professional bathroom remodeller is a better option. In most cases, not doing it yourself will save you money and time, compared to a novice taking on a DIY with many unknown factors and limited skills.

Remodelling an existing bathroom or constructing a new bathroom is similar in outcome – the creation of a more suitable fire and accident proof room with ample amenities. Remodelling an existing bathroom is a lesson in fire and accident safety precautions with the removal of existing water, sewage and gas piping plus electrical wiring disconnection, removed and reset to accomplish the renovation specifications. Besides all the other things that must be done to complete a new construction or remodelling job of a bathroom, now a FIP should be on the list of things to install.

What Are FIPs?

Fire Indicator Panels, FIPs, are designed to detect hazardous situations such as fire. FIPs may also indicate an accumulation of dust or steam in smoke alarms that could delay the recognition of an actual dangerous situation. Fire safety authorities have determined new and remodelled domiciles should have Fire Indicator Panels to enhance the detection capabilities of heat and carbon dioxide detectors and smoke alarms.

How Does an FIP Work?

Fire Indicator Panels are activated when smoke alarms, which are wired into a FIP, detects a hazardous condition. A signal is sent to the FIP which then activates other panels, sprinklers and/or an Alarm Signal Equipment (ASE). The ASE then sends a signal to its private contracted safety/security entity, which relays the signal to the proper public safety/security fire suppression authority.

3 Factors for Choosing a Kitchen Hood Fan

The kitchen is considered to be the most important part of the home by many people around the world. This is the place where people go to cook their food and then enjoy it with their loved ones. Having said all that, the kitchen can also be a place of bad odors and moisture. Air conditioning units can only do so much for this problem, which is why hood fans are a great addition to any kitchen. This is not the most popular renovation idea for the kitchen, but sometimes it is the most important one that can be made. Here are three of the most important factors that you need consider when choosing a new hood fan for your kitchen.

Cubic Feet Per Minute

The main thing that you need to think about when it comes to choosing a hood fan to help you with your air conditioning needs is power. The general range and power of your hood fan will be measured in cubic feet per minute. When your hood fan has a higher CFM, you will notice that it is able to take care of moisture and odors in a more efficient manner. Most electric stove tops will be find with a hood fan that has 300 to 400 CFMs, while someone with a gas stove should be looking for something with at least 700 CFMs.

Sones

Another measurement that you need to look at with your new hood fan is sones. This is the measurement of the overall sound output of your hood fan. Although having a powerful fan is important, it will be rather useless if you cannot hear anyone talk when it is turned on. It is important to look at the different sound ratings for when the fan is turned on different power settings. You will probably have the fan on a low setting while you are actually cooking, while you will also need to turn it up to a higher setting while you are finished with the preparation of a meal.

Types of Blowers

One final thing you should consider when it comes to your hood fan is the various blower options that are available to you. There are three different spots where the blower can be located, and the placement of the blower can have a huge impact on the overall sound impact. If you are looking for a high-end hood fan, then you may want to look into getting a fan with an external blower. This will dramatically lower the overall sound output from your hood fan, and it gives you more customization over the entire ventilation process.

This post comes from Rafkia Solar & Electrical, a Brisbane business specializing in air conditioning and solar power. Check out their website for more ideas you can use to improve your kitchen.

Avoiding Hazards When Renovating Your Bathroom

DIY projects for renovations and remodeling are pretty common these days. This could mostly be because of the fact that they are much more rewarding, save money and are fun to do. However, when you undertake a DIY project to renovate your bathroom, there are certain hazards that you should avoid. Following are a few bathroom renovating hazards –

Asbestos – Asbestos removal should be on top of your list before you go ahead with your renovation project. Asbestos is durable and heat resistant, which is why many old homes use it in the flooring and roofing materials. It is also used in insulation. The tiny asbestos fibers can enter your lungs and cause diseases like Asbestosis and Mesothelioma cancer. They also affect the lungs by causing scarring and lung tissue weakness. If you find out that there is asbestos in your bathroom walls or ceiling, make sure asbestos removal is your first step.

Lead – Lead is found in paint that is used houses built before 1978. It can easily spread from your house into the soil nearby and be hazardous to your kids and pets. If exposed to it, some common symptoms include headache, constipation, nausea and fatigue. Thus, it should be removed before starting the remodeling project.

Mercury – Mercury is often found in thermostats and heating systems of old homes and is pretty toxic in nature. Even a little exposure to Mercury can be harmful and can cause liver damage and learning disabilities. In large quantities, Mercury can even be fatal.

PCBs – PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) are certain chemicals that are found in electronic equipment and paints used before 1977. PCB exposure can be extremely damaging to the nervous system, immune system and is also known to cause cancer. PCB removal is very important before your renovation project starts.

Formaldehyde – This is an industrial chemical and is often found in plywood materials, insulation and particle boards. If a person gets exposed to Formaldehyde in high quantities, it could cause coughing, burning in nose, throat and eyes and also, nausea. The long term effects of this industrial chemical are not much known, but it is best to practice precaution.

Molds – A type of fungi, molds grow everywhere and anywhere when conditions are right. One of the biggest targets for mold growth is a dark moist place like the bathroom. Though most types of molds are not life-threatening for healthy individuals, for those who have a weak immunity, which include those who suffer from asthma, the elderly and the babies, bathroom molds are a waking nightmare. When exposed to black molds, a person may suffer from dizziness, coughing, irritability, depression, lung infections, sinusitis, seizure, skin rashes, body aches, flu-like symptoms, and other serious respiratory problems.

Always get your bathroom tested for any of these toxic substances before you start your remodeling project. To be safe, wear protective mask to cover your mouth and nose when you are working. Use protective gloves as well because you can never be too safe.