Since bathroom renovations inevitably gobble up the budget and make your savings account a thing of the past, it’s important to have the details right, and to save money wherever possible. I’ve yet to encounter a project in my life where money is truly “no object,” so my approach is always to get the most for the least and to make it look as though you sacrificed nothing to achieve your dream room. In reality, you have to keep your eye on the bottom line every step of the way to avoid drowning in debt when it’s done. This bathroom served as a kitchen in a multiplex until I scrubbed it clean and created a home spa.
Whether you install a freestanding bathtub or a built-in model is a matter of personal preference, but your choice can also impact your budget and time line. A freestanding option is ready to go and easy to install. Once the lines are roughed in, all you need is a visit from the plumber and you’ll be ready to get out the rubber ducky. Meanwhile, the built-in option is more complex. The choreography goes something like this: carpenter builds the base, tiler covers the skirt, marble company measures for a stone surround (and you pay for the giant piece of marble that gets cut out of the middle), stone takes two weeks to arrive, then the plumber returns to hook it up, and you realize that the big built-in cost as much, or more, than that sleek stand-alone tub you thought was out of your budget!
It’s only natural to be dazzled by the wide variety of mosaics designed to tempt your pocketbook. Generally priced around $15 per square foot (before installation charges), those pretty pieces can drive the overall cost of your reno way up. A typical 5-by-3-foot walk-in shower needs approximately 100 square feet of wall tile. If you do the math, you’ll soon understand why wherever possible I use inexpensive white wall tile that costs about $2 or $3 a square foot, then dress it up with accent bands or a single accent wall using the fun stuff.
Storage is a key consideration when I’m designing a vanity. Ensuring there’s ample space to absorb all the products and tools we use to get ourselves ready to face the day is important. To break up the lines of a long vanity, I divided it into sections by function and varied the heights and depths of the units accordingly. The main section has cubbies for fresh towels, as well as the usual undersink storage; a small, lower makeup table has a concealed drawer and a kneehole to tuck away a stool; and a raised, six-drawer tower is both higher and deeper than the flanking units to create a furniture-inspired storage cabinet with room for everything you might ever need. Before you order a run-of-the-mill vanity, consider what the ideal scenario might look like for you!
A double vanity with two sinks is the norm in master bathroom layouts, but it’s not a necessity. If you and your partner have the exact same schedule and tend to be in the bathroom at the same time during the morning rush, you will likely want to invest in two sinks. If you have a staggered schedule and aren’t tripping over each other, it may not be necessary, so consider your schedules and your lifestyle before you double up.