15 Jun Making Your Bathroom Budget Go Further
Luxury bathrooms are almost on par with the kitchen in terms of their new status as the heart of the home; and along with the kitchen, they’re definitely one of the biggest value adders to a house. But not everybody has the budget to pay out for high end brands when it comes to designing and installing a bathroom. So, how can you create luxury on a shoestring?
Read on to find out!
The golden rule when it comes to designing anything:
Plan, Plan, Plan!
This is important for every room in the house, but especially so with the bathroom, where rectifying a mistake after installing pipework and electrics can be messy, stressful and expensive.
Make sure you have the room dimensions drawn out accurately to the last millimetre; this will safeguard against any mistakes later on and will also ensure you choose correctly sized furniture and sanitaryware. You might have your heart set on that stylish, free standing vanity unit, but your space might tell you otherwise!
Ensure you have enough space in between appliances in order to utilise them freely. For instance, if you have chosen a shower cubicle with an outwards opening door, ensure that there’s no danger of it hitting other furniture or sanitaryware and that you can easily step in and out of the cubicle.
If you don’t feel confident planning what kind of sanitaryware you should have or where it should be placed, most reputable bathroom showrooms and installers will offer a free consultation to help get you on track and many will offer a professional bathroom design service at a nominal fee.
Think! about the space you have available to you and what you need from your bathroom.
Replicating that trendy hotel bathroom you stayed in on a trip away might seem like a great idea, but is it right for your needs? If you have a family, think practically. How much storage do you need for toiletries and towels? Are the floor tiles you’ve chosen safe for small children when the floor is wet? Is the bathroom easy to clean? Having soft furnishings and accessories in your bathroom looks great on paper, but if you have small children, it can be hard work to keep these stylish furnishings clean and dry.
Invest
There are some things you should never scrimp on, even when on a budget. Soft lighting and a good quality floor will instantly add value to your bathroom as well as a luxurious feel.
Plan your budget so you that you can effectively allocate money to the items that will give you the most return. For instance, lino might be a low cost way to floor a bathroom space, but it can often cheapen the room and doesn’t always last, proving less cost effective in the long run.
Source Alternatives
Thanks to online shopping, it can be really easy to find viable alternatives to luxury bathroom furniture. If you like the look of something that is well beyond your budget, a bit of online research can often bring up some cheaper copies. However, always look at product reviews and the online company reviews before purchasing anything and ensure that they have a good customer return policy as a safeguard. Do bear in mind, however, that lower end bathroom brands may be cheaper but they often only last a quarter of the time as high end bathroom furniture. Most high end bathroom furniture manufacturers have fantastic warranty and customer service policies on their goods, so paying out for the quality is often more than worth it.
Get Creative
Investing in good sanitaryware is definitely a good move, so if you need to cut back on your budget elsewhere, upcycling old furniture is always an option.
If your current vanity unit is looking a bit old and tired but is still in perfect working order, why not research new colours and styles online and then repaint it? There are some fantastic paint brands out there that don’t even require you to sand the furniture down or prime it first, making upcycling even easier than before. Add some stylish new door handles and hey presto! You have a brand spanking new vanity unit. Likewise, you can spruce up mouldy old bathroom tiles by giving them a deep clean, having them regrouted and painting them with tile paint.
Redesigning your bathroom on a budget needn’t be a hassle. If you do require any help or have any questions, however, don’t hesitate to give us a call today!