Anouslavie

One of the most common questions we receive from our clients is:

What material are your vanities made from?

Though the answer is a simple one, the response we get from clients can be at times frustrating. There are many myths about bathroom cabinetry material type. The goal of this article is to help educate you on this subject and provide clarification.

Bathroom vanity cabinets can be manufactured from many materials including solid hardwood, MDF (medium density fiberboard), laminate, and glass, just to name a few.

Here are a few advantages and disadvantages to each:

Solid Hardwood

You will pay a much higher price for a vanity made from solid hardwood. Solid hardwood needs to be laminated together matching grain and color. It must also be adequately dried to prevent warping. There is a higher waste factor in the manufacturing process. You can easily determine if a vanity is made from solid hardwood by looking at the interior finish; if the inside of the vanity has a stain finish, it is made from solid wood; if it is painted, it is made from MDF.

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)

MDF is a composite wood product made out of wood waste fibers glued together with resin, heat, and pressure. MDF is used in many applications because it is smooth, uniform, and won’t warp with a quality paint or finish. MDF is appropriate for bathroom cabinetry because it is more stable with changing humidity levels (no swelling or shrinking). MDF has gained popularity because it has a lower impact on the environment as compared to lumber because it is made from leftover scraps that would otherwise be dumped into a landfill.  Read more...

Improving your bathroom takes a lot of planning. You will need to decide if you would like to replace the sink, bathtub and shower and it is always good to update the toilet to a more water efficient model. When you are trying to decide if you are going to do with the sink you have a few choices. There are sinks with cabinets, stand alone sinks, pedestal and more with the tub and shower you need to choose if you want to put the bath and shower combination or just a shower or just a bath. Then there is the lighting in todays market there are probably hundreds of choice for lights so you need to go out and do some research bring home some samples and then do your home work because bathrooms can be expensive and you will want to be sure you have the lighting that you will love for a long time to come.

Once you have decided on all the amenities then what do you do. The Internet has become a great resource to help with home improvement bathroom and remolding. You can find help on how you can design your bathroom, which can be very important part of the project. On the Internet you will be able to find bathroom sinks, cabinets and many more items. If you do not have the experience or the time to do the bathroom yourself you can always look into hiring a contractor.  Read more...

The perfect bathroom can be a wonderful retreat, but unfortunately remodeling a bathroom can be very expensive. A contractor can easily consume your budget because it takes a lot of time and work to remove tiles and fixtures, and install new ones. It can easily run tens of thousands of dollars. If you want to update your bathroom but cannot afford to spend that much try some of these tips.

Do Only What You Have to

Do not replace things that you do not have to. If your flooring, bathtub, and other fixtures are in good shape, then do not get rid of them. Instead update them by adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls and floor. Add a new shower curtain, towels, and accessories. These objects will make the room look like new again. Work with the room rather than against it. If your bathroom has vintage tile, for example, then bring in other pieces that look vintage. Change out the faucet with one an antique looking one. Bring in colors and accents from that time period, like lime with black and white for a 1950’s style bathroom.

You may be surprised how much of a difference painting and adding new hardware will make to your cabinets. Showers can look dated, especially if they are not porcelain white, so disguise it with a classy shower curtain that will completely hide it.

Pick a Theme for Your Bathroom  Read more...

If you know how to remodel a bathroom, you can enjoy a wonderful new bathroom, but if you don’t know what you are doing, you may find yourself headed for a big disaster. The good news is that there are some simple steps for getting started that can get you going in the right direction.

When you want to know how to remodel a bathroom, the first thing you really need to consider is how far you want to go with this remodel. There are several different choices that you have to choose from when making this decision. Here is a look at some options you have:

- Altering the Surface – Instead of doing a full scale remodel, you can choose to simply do some surface alterations. This means covering things instead of replacing them. Instead of getting involved with tearing up walls and pulling out fixtures, this can include painting the walls, adding some flooring, and perhaps changing the basic décor.

- Changing the Layout – Another option, which is a bit more difficult, is changing the layout of the bathroom. You won’t have to tear down walls, but this may require tearing out the sink, toilet, and bath and coming up with a layout that will better use the space and make the bathroom look better.

- Complete Remodel – This last option is the most difficult and can include tearing down walls, reinstalling dry wall, and basically tearing out and redoing the entire bathroom.  Read more...

If you are planning on remodeling your bathroom, a bathroom shower remodel may also be in order. Many older houses have run of the mill showers that are leaky, inefficient, mildewed, slimy, and otherwise gross. If you have purchased an older home with the intentions of remodeling it, the bathroom is a great place to start. Once you have a quality bathroom, you can move on to the rest of the house. Here are some bathroom shower remodel ideas that you should consider during your bathroom shower remodel project.

Storage

It is always important to have good, quality storage in your shower. It is great to have a linen closet and a medicine cabinet for your bathroom, but your bathroom shower remodel should make it so that you have actual storage inside of your shower. If you cannot store items in your shower, you will often find yourself without a razor, shampoo, soap, sponge, or shaving cream. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, you may find all of that rolling around at your feel instead of properly stored somewhere.

The best showers for your bathroom shower remodel will be showers that have shelves built into them. Many older showers have one shelf at arm level in the shower, but that simply is not enough room for a family. Instead, look for a shower that has corner shelves. These shelves take up little to no room yet provide an incredible amount of storage for shampoo, razors, sponges, and soap.  Read more...

How To Remodel My Bathroom

When considering the remodeling of your bath you are not alone. This area is one of the most common remodeling areas. Where will you begin?

 Bathroom Plan Designs

First plan your inspiration with a bathroom remodeling folder

Bathroom remodeling entails having in your mind what you desire for your new bathroom with a design. Make a list of items to be included along with the sizes and styles of the bath items. Having a folder to store this information is a wonderful way to keep your bath planning organized. Pictures, web page planning information, and pricing information with bids and contracts from contractors can be stored here. Items of importance to find information on include a flooring style, counter-top desires, and your plumbing and cabinetry selections.

Work with a reputable remodel contractor

Working with a reputable contractor is of utmost importance. Getting referrals for your bath remodel contractor from a local lumberyard is one of the most valuable sources if you do not have a friend or relative who has worked with a great remodeler. Getting at least three estimates for the remodeling may be in your best interest , still work with the contractor you does quality construction and works with quality products. A good younger contractor may be a source of savings for you, still have a contract and understand exactly what products and construction will be done.

The Demolition Process  Read more...

While the bathroom is usually not thought to be an important part of a house, it actually ranks up there with other integral rooms, such as the kitchen. A bathroom is a personal sanctuary; one of the only places a person can go to be completely alone. Everybody knows never to interrupt someone while they are in that room. In addition, guests to your home almost always use the bathroom, and to make a good impression, the bathroom must be outstanding and appealing. If your bathroom is not looking its finest or you just want to have it improved, a remodel or renovation is your best option.

For the remodeling to go smoothly, it is critical that you have a plan to follow. Designing a plan keeps you on track, lays out your goals, and decreases the chances of money being wasted or anything going wrong. Just jumping in to a project as large as renovation is a formula for disaster, so do not try to speed through the planning phase.

Doing the job yourself saves a lot of money, but many people do not have the skills or the time to complete such an intensive job. In this case, hiring a contractor may be the best route for you to take. They know exactly what they are doing and can actually save you time by picking materials for you. Knowing that time will be conserved in the future, take your time in choosing a contractor, as hiring a poor craftsman can result in more trouble than benefit. Go online for reviews of different contracting businesses and ask your friends for referrals. The more information you have, the better.  Read more...

As a person ages so do their needs. These changes include the use of their bathroom facilities.

To assist a senior citizen in maintaining their independence and dignity for as long as possible it may become necessary to remodel their bathroom to suit their particular needs. It may be helpful to speak to their doctor to inquire about the person’s prognosis in order to plan for the future.

You may also want to speak to contractors in your area who have remodeled bathrooms and kitchens for the handicapped. They will have many wonderful ideas that you have not thought of.

The cabinets containing the sink may need to be lowered so enable the person to reach the faucets from a seated position or while using a walker. The toilet may need to be raised to aid the person who may be in a wheelchair and unable to lift themselves from a low seated position.

One of the most important features of the newly renovated bathroom is the bathtub. At one time the only option was to put a shower chair into the existing tub or shower. Now there is another choice that is even more valuable to helping a person maintain their dignity.

A walk-in tub should definitely be investigated and considered before the remodel begins. Designed to fit into a smaller space than a conventional bathtub, a walk-in tub allows for more room in an area that is usually already too little.  Read more...

Interestingly enough, bathrooms lead the way as far as remodeling is concerned, both in new homes being built, and in existing properties. At least, this is what statistics tend to suggest, and they also tell us that on average, bathrooms nowadays are approximately three times bigger than they were sixty or seventy years ago. Of course, the biggest reason for people having a bathroom makeover is because we tend to spend more time in our bathrooms nowadays than we did before. Gone are the days when a bath or shower was a quick, rushed affair, but instead, most people now like to use the opportunity to relax and unwind after a stressful day. To a great extent, this due to the fact that spas have become increasingly popular, and many people are now trying to recreate the same environment in their own bathrooms.

Many manufacturers are taking this opportunity of a love for larger bathrooms to heart and providing various new and interesting items. These may include anything from shower cubicles, bathroom furniture, fittings, and large luxurious bathtubs and so on. Of course, because we keep seeing all these latest products arrive on the market, many people simply cannot resist the temptation for a complete bathroom remodel, and let’s face it; who can blame them?

Many families want a bathroom makeover to add even more storage space when they have a growing family. Manufacturers and cabinet makers are only too happy to comply with some great looking bathroom pieces especially designed for the bathroom. This can be anything from a built-in wash basin in a custom cabinet. These pieces may include various materials such as glass, wood, and brushed stainless steel.  Read more...

Bathrooms can be designed or remodeled in many ways depending on your budget. You can build a high end bathroom which are can cost tens of thousands of pounds and low end bathrooms which can fit into your budget. Basically there are four main components which should be considered in bathroom design; they are bath, showers, sink, and toilet. Other than these three main components we can also install other components like luxury showers, designer towel warmers, massaging tubs and many more. These decorative components can be endless. These type of decorative products are made from variety of different products with different prices, they can be a custom-made products depending on there costs.

In any type of bathroom designs we must consider some basic requirements which apply no matter what material and cost you consider. The basic design requirements are line, form, scale, pattern, texture and colour. The direction of the lines of the bathroom help create the sense of the room that is desired. Horizontal lines emphasize serenity and give a more contemporary feel to a room. Strong vertical lines emphasize formality and a traditional style. The principle of form relates to the shape and structure of the components in the design, and this includes not only shape but size. Scape is an issue of relative size among the various elements in the room. Pattern refers to repeated shapes and regularity. Texture refers to the visual and tactile surface of all the materials used. Color is a powerful design element that can transform a space and give it much of its character  Read more...