So, you have made it. You have bought your very first home. After much sweat and tears trying to get past due diligence, negotiating the best price with the broker and gathering enough funds to afford a down payment, you’re now the owner of prime property in a community you like. The only thing left to do is to turn it into the home of your dreams.

Closing the purchase gives you ownership, but renovation builds the connection between you and your home. After all, you need to infuse your personality to it and design it whichever way you want. Only then will you call it truly your own.

People would usually spend more time on aesthetic changes, focusing more on curb appeal and interior areas such as the living room and the dining room. The reason for this is that these places are the most visible. People are in a constant need for appreciation and validation and that would explain how some may spend a lot just to update the exterior paint job or replace the living room floor with new material.

It’s not entirely a bad thing to spend money on aesthetic renovation. However, renovation doesn’t have to limit itself to making your property more attractive to visitors. Eventually, renovation should also cover areas around the house that are just as important as the living room and the dining room.

Your bathroom is crucial because, one, it’s where you and your family “take care of business,” and two, it’s where proper hygiene is practiced. These reasons alone should make your bathroom a top priority for home renovation. For sure, you will find numerous factors that should convince you to give the area a well-deserved upgrade. Broken and outdated fixtures are just a few of these factors. There are also design preferences as well as the need to improve the functionality of the bathroom.

One more thing: Your guests will probably judge your home based on the experiences they have with your bathroom. So, to complete your guests visit your home, make sure to renovate your bathroom with these important tips.

1. Explore your design options

In renovating your bathroom, you either make simple changes or give it a total makeover, right from the ceiling down to the counter and the tiled floors. Either way, you should be able to know what your goals are. Are you aiming to increase the functionality of the bathroom and make it more friendly for the handicapped? Or do you want it to include certain design elements that best represent your personality?

Every large-scale project has to have a clear plan. You need to know what you want to achieve before you take a step further. You will have to be careful about planning the project, or else you’ll be starting all over again if you think the design doesn’t look as good as it does on paper.

Make sure you spend ample time choosing the best layout for your bathroom. There are actually apps that can help you with your bathroom renovation. The Reece Bathroom Planner, for example, lets you select different styles that match your preferences. The app uses 3D templates you can use to test different design styles that make it easier to plan your renovation and avoid unnecessary wastage in time and money.

2. Do a thorough inspection

Property inspection is required when you’re conducting due diligence before purchasing the house. However, there will be minor issues you still need to address. There are also leaky faucets and defective toilets that you will need to repair.

Older homes are especially required to undergo inspection, considering the age of the pipes and other fixtures. A thorough inspection can help you find these issues and determine the best course of action to take. With a professional home inspector, you can save a lot for repairs and apply more practical measures to scale down your bathroom renovation costs.

3. Upgrade your insulation

When it comes right down to insulation, bathrooms can be pretty demanding. Considering the moisture contained inside, controlling heat transfer can be challenging. Your problems don’t end there. The accumulation of moisture creates a breeding ground for mold. Not only that, but hot days can damage wooden cabinets and windows as well as leave unsightly water markings on your tiles and pipes.

Nowadays, most prefabricated homes come with insulated interior walls with vapor retarders. These make for easier heat transfer and temperature regulation that prevents moisture build-up. While it’s obviously impractical to purchase a modular home, you can use similar technology for your bathroom walls.

Sprayed insulation such as cellulose provides a great way to prevent the flow of humid air. It’s also important to check if your bath fan is properly working so you won’t have to worry about moist air all the time. Make sure to scrape any water markings or, if it’s been used for a long time now, have it replaced with a better performing bath model.

4. Change your tiles

Do your tiles appear moldy or discolored? You may want to consider replacing them with new materials instead. One thing’s for sure, replacing the tiles involves major work, so make sure you plan this project carefully.

That being said, you should spend ample time looking at possible styles that will suit your floor. Try to think beyond standard white porcelain tiles. There are other options to consider for specific purposes. For instance, if you’re aiming to achieve a cooler feel, you can use black granite tiles.

You should also know the design and size of the tiles you want for the bathroom. Mosaic designs have always been ideal for most modern homes, so feel free to test this option out while you can.

5. Add a bit of zen

The bathroom is supposed to be a place to feel relaxed and be at peace. Introducing Zen elements is without a doubt a great idea, to begin with. For this, make sure to use the colors that dominate this motif: black and white. You can use white for the walls, posts, ceilings, as well as the countertop and the fixtures. For the floor, go with either beige or navy blue tiles. Make sure to get the ones with a simple and elegant design.

For the shower, install clear glass around and select a showerhead with a simple design. The Zen tradition espouses minimalism. Less is more, so make sure to look for fixtures that aren’t too loud. In other words, shop around for bathtubs, sinks, and toilets that have sharp geometric shapes.

6. Add some wood

If you’re looking for a more rustic feel for your bathroom, you can add a bit of wood to areas such as the countertop or window sills. You can choose hardwood that’s thoroughly sanded and finished off with a clean glossy coating.

In addition, you can place wooden planks on the walls to achieve a backwoods effect. One thing’s for sure, wood gives off a fresher feeling. But whatever you’re planning on with wood, make sure to check for termites and mold that can damage the material.

7. Cap everything off with plants

You can never go wrong with plants. They give life to any room and provides a pleasant atmosphere to relax in. It’s only a matter of choosing which plants to get that suits your bathroom.

Opt for plants that are easy to maintain and require little attention. Aloes are preferable as they require less water but can still survive a very long time. Apart from that, they also have therapeutic properties. If you’re feeling stressed, then having an aloe around can help you get much-needed relief. Simply place it by the window or near the countertop.

Aside from aloes, you can also opt for bamboo grass. Like aloes, they are easier to maintain as they require less sunlight. However, you may want to trim the plant once in a while. It can grow rapidly within days, so you may as well shape it down to keep it at a more reasonable height.

8. Change your lighting

Lighting is also a crucial part of the bathroom that you may want to replace. Outdated bulbs, for instance, tend to lose their glow and yet consume more power as they age. You can replace these with LED or CFL bulbs. They consume less energy, but they can still emit just as much light.

For aesthetic purposes, you may want to consider install accent lights on each corner of the room. When choosing bulbs for your accent lighting, make sure to choose those with a warmer glow.

Here’s a quick tip: You can install these lights on either side of the mirror. These lights can follow the contours of your face, making it easier for you to apply makeup or shave.

Finally, you can also use layered lighting to achieve a certain mood or emotion for your bathroom. For this, you can install a mini chandelier above your bathtub. You can also add in a couple of ceiling lights to increase the shadows.

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