Archive for the 'Bathrooms' Category

Feb 15 2010

Bathroom Sinks – What You Should Consider When Shopping For Bathroom Sinks

Published by San Antonio Decorator under Bathrooms

If you’ve begun shopping for bathroom sinks, you may have already become overwhelmed with the sheer breadth of choices available to you. From pedestal sinks to vanity sinks, from porcelain to stainless steel, the options and consequences of isolating a single choice are endless.

Bathroom Sinks Style: Pedestal or Vanity?

The first choice you must make involves the most fundamental of sink choices: do you want free-standing bathroom pedestal sinks or do you want bowls set in an enclosure? Both the vanity sink and the pedestal sink will hide your plumbing and drainage and both come in a wide variety of shapes and styles.

Vanity sinks are great for giving you plenty of space for both grooming and storing your assorted bathroom accouterments, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, hairbrushes and more. Vanities with vessels also give you an opportunity to establish a color and style for your bathroom. If you decide to go with vanities with bowls, make sure they match your mirror. You also want to make sure the material of your surface top matches the materials used in the rest of your bathroom.

Pedestal sinks are especially great for smaller bathrooms, such as powder rooms. While they don’t provide the working surface of a vanity, they can fit into much smaller areas and still provide both function and elegance. However, a pedestal style can’t provide the storage capacity of a vanity, so if you need to store toiletries or the like in that bathroom you’ll want to make sure you have a separate cabinet available. Pedestal vessels by their nature create a bold statement of style. While that style can still be quite diverse, from classic and ornate to sleek and modern, you still have the basic look of a free-standing vessel upon a stem or column.

Undermount, Overmount or Solid Piece?

Another fundamental consideration you will want to weigh is whether you select an undermount sink, an overmount sink or a vessel where the surrounding material and bowl are all the same in a single solid piece sink. If you choose a pedestal vessel, in a vast majority of the cases you will be limited to a single solid piece.

But if you choose a cabinet with an inset bowl, you can either have the bowl installed into the cabinet from the top with a lip around the top (an overmount sink), or installed upwards from the bottom to create a smooth surface from the vanity sides right up to the dip into the bowl (an undermount sink). Undermount sinks provide a more bold appearance and are great if you want a clean, flat surface all around your vanity. Overmount sinks can be easier to install and are really the most common style of bathroom vessel you’ll see.

Solid piece sinks are when you have the vessel sculpted into the same piece of material as the cabinet surface. These are great for creating a seamless look and feel. While they limit your material choices and give you less flexibility for changing your appearance in the long run, they are also very easy to clean and maintain. With a seamless solid piece vessel and vanity design, you never have to worry about the germs and grime that can become trapped in those creases between the vessel and cabinet surface.

When you’ve decided between a vanity sink or a pedestal sink and then from undermount, overmount or solid piece sink vessel designs, you’ve greatly narrowed your choices. This makes shopping for bathroom sinks much more simple and intuitive.

To learn what you must know about buying and installing an undermount bathroom sink or any other type of bathroom vessel, please visit my new and comprehensive guide: Bathroom Sinks

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Feb 14 2010

Bathroom Remodeling For Accessibility

Published by San Antonio Decorator under Bathrooms

The bathroom can be a hazardous place for anyone, but for older people, who just are not as steady on their feet as they once were, they can be particularly dangerous. A carefully planned bathroom remodel can remove many of these dangers, allow older persons to retain their sense of independence and give loved ones a little extra piece of mind. Here are a few simple ways you can make the bathroom safer:

Walk in Bathtubs

Climbing out of the bathtub onto a wet floor can result in a slip and fall accident no matter what your age, but such falls can be life threatening for some seniors. A walk-in bath tub is the solution of choice for many. Watertight doors allow easy access and minimize tripping dangers. Walk-in bath tubs come in all shapes and sizes and the higher end models feature all the same bells and whistles as a “regular” luxury bath tub, including whirlpool and water jet features. Some walk-in bath tubs also come with an electronically powered bath seat that makes getting in and out of the tub even easier. Consult a bathroom remodeling specialist to find out which options will not only fit your needs but your budget as well.

Transfer Benches

A transfer bench is a removable alternative to a walk in bathtub. A transfer bench is affixed to one side of a tub and the user then sits on the seat and either slides or swivels into the tub. It is obviously important that a transfer bench can handle the weight of anyone who will be using it, so shop carefully. Most standard transfer benches can only safely support a person who weighs 250 pounds or under, so if the person you are shopping for is a little heavier, ask to see what are known as bariatric models.

Grab Bars

Grab bars are helpful for anyone, not just those who are elderly. For maximum safety grab bars should be installed in multiple locations around the bathroom, not just in the tub or shower. Installing grab bars does not have to detract from the look of a well designed bathroom, as these days they can be found in designer colors and finishes and can even be purchased to match a fancy new faucet.

Wider Doors

If you are undertaking a bathroom remodeling project in a home where an elderly or infirm person lives, now might be a good time to consider widening the door a little. Even if your loved ones are not currently using a wheelchair to help them get around, that may very well happen somewhere down the line. Addressing the concern now will save having to pay for a second bathroom remodel in the future. For even easier bathroom access, consider replacing your traditional bathroom door with a sliding version.

Although you can undertake such a remodeling project yourself, a good bathroom remodeling contractor can help you plan, design and build a bathroom that will allow an older person to retain their sense of independence and dignity in the bathroom without sacrificing style or comfort.

Please go to http://www.renovationexperts.com For a more detailed information

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Feb 13 2010

A Discussion on Bathroom Furniture in the 21st Century

Published by San Antonio Decorator under Bathrooms

Whether you redecorate or decorate your home for the first time, starting off with the bathroom is not only wise, but also necessary. Because the actual room is not that big, you can slowly let your creativity take hold when you are ready to choose bathroom furniture.

Can you remember how dull and dreary your grandparents or even great grandparents’ bathrooms looked like. This was only because they used their bathrooms for functionality. Aesthetics didn’t play a huge role in those days, purely because industry had not yet become creative enough. There just wasn’t enough demand.

Once plumbing moved into our homes, things started looking much better for the old bathroom. When material like porcelain become abundant, the manufacturers of bathroom furniture finally realized that they can be much more creative with color and shapes.

With time, our bathrooms became bigger and fuller. Now we have a myriad of things to choose from; like beautifully crafted vanities, basins and bath tubs. With these new features, there also sprouted bidets, urinals and functional showers. Needless to say, with each piece of furniture there was also an accompanied set of accessories.

Let us look at the shower. Many years back it was a stall like structure with a curtain hanging on a rod which enclosed a small space on the bathroom floor. Water had to run into a outlet drain which caused many problems. Today it’s not just a frame and glass, but to a bathroom’s ambiance and personality it can play a huge role. Glass doors or shutters are stylishly crafted with patterns or prints covering the glass.

The cream-de-la-cream in bathrooms, is no doubt the bath tub. Here you can really express your inner desires. How about a large old fashioned enamel one, standing on exquisitely crafted legs and matching faucets to boot! Or, if you want a body massage, why not get a water jet tub. Just think about lying in one and letting the water massage those tired bones. Also stunning would be a corner tub with lots of room for two!

Let’s not forget the “throne” – which has of course taken on he life of it’s own. Nowadays toilets are an art from. They are available in variety of colors, matching your bath tub and vanity of course. Have you seen some of the seat covers in the stores? They are even filled with water and have fish floating around.

Yes, bathroom furniture has come into it’s own. The evolution was swift and painless. It is a thrill to be able to walk into a showroom where the entire bathroom is exhibited. You immediately know that maybe it’s time for you to upgrade yours!

bathroom furniture is available online in larger selections. bathroom vanity furniture and double bath vanity remain to be most desired bathroom furniture for remodeling.

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Nov 17 2009

Importance of Bathroom Fans

Published by San Antonio Decorator under Bathrooms

The bathroom is considered as one of the most important room in a home and homeowners are giving it utmost importance like any other room in the house. Earlier, people used to pay more attention to their bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms etc. But, nowadays, we see homeowners all over the world giving bathrooms all their attention that any other rooms in the home. At least, one bathroom in a home is a luxurious one these days. Proper care is taken by the homeowner to install the right type of bathroom fixtures that suits the mood and the need of the person as well as the visualized atmosphere.

The most common type of bathroom fixtures includes lightings, floorings, cabinets, sinks etc. But, nowadays, the primary importance in any bathroom is given to the bathroom fan or vent. It is considered these days, that the bathroom without proper ventilation is like a fireplace without a chimney. Most of the walls will absorb the moisture generated in the bathroom. These moist walls, in due course of time will tend to grow molds and mildew or blister the paint on the wall or will peel off the wallpaper. So, proper ventilation in the bathrooms is of utmost importance and homeowners all over the world have realized it.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of relaxing and soaking away in the bathtub is experiencing natural light and warmth of the sun streaming in from a well placed and creatively crafted window system. In the olden era, people used to have small windows or opaque holes at the top of the wall. Nowadays, apart from the increase in the size of the window vents, the location and position has also had varying changes in the due course of time. The window vents are most important to not only to allow natural light to enter the bathroom but also to let out the moisture and the vapors inside to the outside.

A right bathroom fan or bathroom vent is another fixture that is helpful to have steam free mirrors or damp walls. They come in various styles and sizes to suit one’s bathroom and preferences. A bathroom vent fan will pull out the unnecessary moisture and odors inside the bathroom and will improve the air and the atmosphere inside the bathroom. The bathroom vent fans will help in eliminating all the bad odors and pungent smells that prevails inside the bathroom after one uses the toilet inside the bathroom. The bathroom vent fans available these days, are very compact and are extremely noise free and it will hardly be noticed in the bathroom. But its very presence will help you to reap a wide array of benefits.

One has to be careful in choosing the right size and style of bathroom vent fans as small fans will not be able to completely deal with the moisture inside the bathroom that finally results in the development of mold and mildew problems. The slightly costly vent fans are most ideally suited for bathrooms in the master bedroom as it will not disturb the other person sleeping in the room. Proper air flow through the bathroom fans is an absolute necessity to keep the bathrooms free from foul smell and also devoid of moisture. Nowadays there are varied bathroom vent fan options available – fan only, fan/ light, fan/light/heater and also fan/light/heater/ night light. Also there are different types of controls available these days like on/off wall switch, motion – sensing and humidity- sensing.

Bathroom Fans have a very important role to play in keeping your bathroom moist free, and with cool air flow, this might have a dramatic effect on all the things that you place in your bathroom, and therefore should be one of your major considerations in designing your bathroom. Get more information about bathroom vents and fans at http://bathroomscentral.com

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Nov 16 2009

Planning a Bathroom Tile Design, Pattern and Installation

Published by San Antonio Decorator under Bathrooms

If you are planning to do your own project by yourself, this article will help you plan your tiling project in the best and most cost effective way to get your bathroom tile design underway.

Please note,to get good results,it pays to plan out your ideas on paper. Then once yours ideas are clear and well thought out,a smooth problem free job should be the result.

A good DIY plan saves money,time and effort.

Take care choosing the materials and tools needed.

How do you want it to look.

Getting ideas about how you want it to look,can be a stumbling block. For ideas,take notice of washrooms and similar areas that you like when you travel about. Checkout Google images,magazines and shop displays.
A good idea is to choose contrasting colors for the floor and wall. Then have a skirting line the same color as the floor .
Another idea is changing color at chest level, which will enhance the look of the job when finished.
Try to choose accessories that compliment the color of the walls. If it looks right it usually is right.

Tile Choice.

Here you need to think about,color,size and is it good choice for the job.
They come in two sorts.
Porous,they absorb water and non-porous,they are water resistant. For areas were it will get wet or moist,chose the non-porous ceramic kind. For this kind of job,water resistant are best,
Does a manufacture make it in the size, color and design you require? Please remember tiles are made in batches and you will always need a few more than require for the job.
To help you,there are a large variety of standard designs on sale at reasonable cost.
So now you have an idea how you want it look. Next materials.

Size.

If the area you wish to cover is small,a large tile could well look out place. A Smaller design will usually be a better choice. With a plain color,the size it is not so important.

How much will you need?

To calculate the quantity of materials that you need, you must take precise measurements of the total area that you wish to cover. Once you have chosen the size of the tile you are going to use,simply calculate the number needed. If in doubt,just ask at the shop when you get your stock.
You must also remember to take into account the gaps between each one when calculating the number needed, so make sure you include spacers, appropriate to the size chosen.

When calculating, consider more than half as a full one and less than a half as a half. If you have chosen a multicolored finish, calculate each color separately and note down the separate requirements.

Ordering

Order on the basis of the measurements taken. Note that they are packed in boxes and the supplier is unlikely to sell them individually.
Always order extra,even the best professional break a few! Another good reason to order extra is replacement in the future. This is a good practice. Why? Well finding a matching replacement in a few years time will not be easy. Chipped or cracked tiles need replacing so often. Getting the right color or pattern can be very hard to do.

Tools.

Use the best tools. Hiring the right tool for the job, is usually the most cost effective and safe answer.
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Remember,Plan,Plan and you will take out a lot of the problems out of your own bathroom tile design before they appear,resulting in a great job well done and you can be proud of.

By Malcolm Ross. I have this article squidoo, with some additional features http://www.squidoo.com/Planning_Bathroom_Tile_Design/

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Nov 15 2009

Bathroom Fixtures & Bathroom Lighting Basics

Published by San Antonio Decorator under Bathrooms

Bathroom is also considered to be the most important room or living space in any home. Nowadays, bathroom is not just a place where people just have a quick wash and perform morning ablutions, but also a place where they groom themselves as well as wash away a day’s tiredness and strain. So, it is imperative that proper planning must be done in selecting bathroom accessories and bathroom fixtures. Of all the types and varieties of bathroom accessories, bathroom lighting fixtures are considered to be most important fixture in a modern bathroom.

Generally, whenever one talks about lighting a bathroom, a wall mounted fixture above the mirror props up immediately in one’s mind. Even though, this is the most common type of lighting fixture known to people since last century, there are wide varieties and styles of lighting fixtures that are now available in the markets all over the world. The different varieties of lighting fixtures include ceiling fixtures, side wall mounting fixtures, etc can be chosen as per one’s taste and requirement for his or her bathroom. Also depending on the size of the bathroom, one can choose from a single light fixture to a couple or more lighting fixtures.

Proper lighting in the bathrooms is most essential as in the case of other rooms in the home. The right type of bathroom lighting fixtures ensures that one can easily locate all the toiletries placed in the bathroom as well as have proper lighting for relaxing and reading books and magazines and also will aid a long way in shaving properly without any cuts or scars on the face. There is no rule such that the bathroom lighting should be provided only in the ceiling or is better if it is provided at the sides or on top of the mirror. One has to fix the bathroom lightings according to one’s taste and the mood that he or she wants to bring into the room. Even for a small bathroom, people, these days, go for two or more lighting fixtures. Thus, lighting is the most important factor to be considered in any modern bathrooms.

There are lots of varieties and styles of beautiful flush and semi- flush ceiling mounts of bathroom lighting fixtures available in the markets, which will go well with the mood of any bathroom. There are smaller sizes of bathroom lighting fixtures that are easily available these days, which not only requires less space but also opens up a wide array of possibilities of bathroom lighting. It is always better to use a mix of ceiling mount as well as wall sconces type of fixtures to light up a larger bathroom. Most bathrooms there days are more spacious as well as luxurious. To light up these types of bathrooms is a task that one has to carefully undertake to produce the desired results.

All the bathrooms, be it small, medium or larger ones, requires general lighting, which provides illumination to the entire room without any shadows and provides proper lighting to the floor of the bathroom. This type of lighting is often derived from the recessed ceiling bathroom fixtures that not only provide the light but also creates lesser glares when compared to the wall hanging fixtures. Natural light that is let through the windows which are made of frosted glass or glass blocks will also provide ambient lighting to the bathroom as well as privacy.

Bathroom Lighting and more about bathrooms at Bathroom Central.

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Nov 13 2009

4 Easy Steps to Designing a Child’s Bathroom

A typical bathroom is designed for adults. However, if you have a specific bathroom in your home that is designated for your kids, you might want to do some adjusting when it comes to creating a décor. You can easily create a bathroom that’s perfect for a child by keeping in mind who you’re decorating for and running any ideas you might have past your children.

Accessibility Is Key
If you are creating a bathroom for your child, it’s important to make sure that your child will actually be able to use the bathroom by himself. There are many different ways you can help make the room more accessible, particularly for younger children. Simple things like a kid-friendly faucet or cabinet pulls can instantly create a more accessible bathroom for your child. Place a stepstool in the bathroom if your child can’t reach the sink by himself, or consider lowering the height of the counter and sink.

Make the Bathroom Safe
A bathroom can actually be a pretty dangerous place for a child. By making the bathroom as safe as possible, you will feel much more comfortable with your child doing things by herself in her own bathroom.

· Install non-slip adhesive decals or a mat in the shower for your child.

· By placing a cover over the faucet and bathtub spout, you can control the temperature of the water and prevent scalding.

· Be sure to place items in places your children can reach, so they don’t have to climb up to get to them.

· Place toothbrushes and other items down lower in a cabinet rather than above the toilet or the sink.

Add Plenty of Storage
You’d be surprised how many items a child can accumulate in the bathroom. The key to getting your child to keep the bathroom neat is to have plenty of organized storage in the room. Children tend to be much more likely to keep things clean and neat if they have specific places to put items away. Drawer organizers and bins work great for smaller items, whereas plastic baskets and bins are perfect for larger ones. A separate bucket for tub toys is also a great idea, so they’re not all over the bathtub.

Sharing Is Possible in a Child’s Bathroom
If you have more than one child who will be sharing the bathroom, then you may be concerned about how they will share. But if you keep things organized and labeled, then sharing the space should not be a problem for your kids. For instance, give each child his or her own basket or bin on its own shelf, which will prevent confusion over whose item is whose. To prevent fights when your kids are getting ready, you might want to consider installing a double sink in the room if you have the space. Be sure to get design ideas from both children, so the bathroom will feel like both of theirs.

A child’s bathroom can actually be pretty fun to design, especially when you get your child involved in the process. This is a great opportunity to spend time with your child planning and creating a special bathroom specifically designed with her in mind.

About the Author…
Leon has been in the interior design and home furniture business for 40 years. Over that time he’s helped thousands of people make their homes more comfortable, efficient and family friendly. Whether your searching for information about decorating your home with solid wood furniture or you’re simply planning on adding a great functional mission file cabinet to your home office he can helping with all your home decorating needs.

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