Top 13 Trends in Bathroom Remodeling

    The bathroom is the new living room. Experts say people are going to their bathrooms to relax after a long day at work. Homeowners are upgrading their bathrooms with everything from soaking tubs to heated floors. A remodeled bathroom is a good investment that you can enjoy and will help sell your home later.
 

    MSN polled several award-winning remodeling experts around the country for their recommendations about what's on the rise. Here’s a list of 13 trends to consider, both for yourself and for the market.
 

1. Large, airy showers: Showers are big, literally. Not only is the stall getting larger, it's getting more airy, with much more glass. Hinged doors and heavier glass, instead of the sliding glass. Some homeowners are even taking out partial shower walls, or all shower walls entirely, and making the entire tiled bathroom a shower like they do in Europe.
2. Noisy Jacuzzis replaced by soaking tubs: Today’s homeowner prefers a quiet, serene experience of a soaking tub.
3. Let the light in: People want master bathrooms to be brighter and more sun-filled. That means adding windows and even skylights to a bathroom.
4. Steam bath: A big thing in bathrooms to help de-stress is steam. You can purchase a steam room system from Steamist the cost is between $1,500-$5,000.
5. Better Ventilation: As a vital component of your home’s ventilation system, bathroom fans exhaust offensive odors and pipe vast amounts of humid air to the exterior of your home. We recommend the type that has the fan motor located in the attic. These residential bathroom exhaust fans are the quietest and are extremely powerful.
6. Privatization of the toilet: Experts say one of the biggest trends is giving the master bath's toilet its own private room, or at least a privacy wall.
7. Bathroom as entertainment zone: More folks are requesting small coolers and flat-screen TVs. There are flat screens that sit behind a mirror, where you don't see them until they're turned on.
8. Smarter storage: People want more storage. You need small drawers with dividers. Vertical storage works well where you have drawers that start at countertop height and go up, because it puts all the stuff where it's accessible. Pre-manufactured medicine cabinets or vanity cabinets are also attractive options, helping move items from out in the open and give the bathroom a much less cluttered look.
9. Dueling vanities: This is a trend that has been around for some time now. Homeowners are asking for his-and-hers sinks and vanities, even in small bathrooms. Sinks continue to become more stylish, too: Homeowners are interested in "vessel sinks" that rise up from a base, or faucets that protrude directly from a wall, or sinks that have their own legs or stand.
10. Grab bars: Once found only in nursing homes, grab bars are hand bars bolted to walls in showers and tubs to prevent people from falling. They're appearing in more bathrooms now. A big reason is that baby boomers are graying and looking for a surer grip. But younger people are accepting them, too, because the bars no longer look so institutional they actually look like jewelry.
11. Radiant electric heating to floors: It's a comfort thing. People complain about cold tiles all the time. Companies such as Nuheat sell a mesh that is placed under the tiles when they're set, and then is connected to a thermostat on the wall. Another option is to incorporate electronic heat-mat systems such as Step Warmfloor under the walls and floors of the new, open showers so that they warm up faster. It's safe, and uses little energy.
12. Quality tile: Linoleum and glazed tiles are out. Porcelain tile or stone tiles are popular choices providing more warmth to the room. Another tile gaining in popularity is Glass tile. Designers say it’s best to stick to more natural tones-- cool greens, light browns, clear glass colors to be less flashy. Then, strike a bolder note with things that are not permanent, such as towels, bowls, even things like paint.
13. Green products: If you install a heated floor, make sure it's attached to a timer. Check out the latest low-flow toilets by companies such as Toto and Kohler. Another thing that's become more popular is on-demand water heating systems. The unit heats water almost instantaneously, eliminating the need for a water heater, which is very inefficient because it always has to keep water hot and ready.