Remodeling tips and trends for the bathroom
By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Sloane Marshall
This Castle Pines bathroom was recently renovated, showcasing a number of trends in a unique combination: large-scale tiles in the shower, marble and natural stone porcelain tiles, pendant lighting, full-height tile backsplash with lighted mirror mounted on top, and a one-piece skirted toilet.
Like all rooms in a home, bathrooms get outdated. For those living in houses built in the early 2000s, many bathrooms included features such as large, frameless mirrors, dark marble or an all-white color scheme, bold motifs on bathroom tiles, jetted corner tubs, carpet, shiny brass fixtures and glass-block bathroom windows. While these features were once the hottest trend, today they may need an update.
Resident and interior designer Sloane Marshall of Sloane Marshall Interiors, Inc. provided some tips and trends to keep in mind when renovating a bathroom. Marshall said she always works with her clients to select the “star” of the space first. The tile, cabinets and countertops all need to work together, so pulling ideas from the internet and magazines to help decide the focal point that will drive the other selections is recommended.
“If a very detailed tile is selected, usually we try to stay relatively simple with the countertops. If the slab countertop is going to be the most important and impactful element in the space, we usually tone down the flooring, shower tile, and backsplash. I always liken the process to a man dressing in a fine suit, with a patterned tie, patterned shirt and pocket square … it can only work together with a great sense of taste and style!” Marshall remarked.
As for trends, Marshall stated that large tiles are a huge trend right now. “It does not matter how small the space is, fewer grout lines are always better. However, this type of tile takes a very experienced tile subcontractor in order to do the cuts on a 24” x 48” tile. In addition, subtle stone-looking tiles are very popular: marble, vein-cut looks that add a linear pattern to the space, textured tiles that add a 3D look add interest to a wall. There are even porcelain slabs that can be applied to an entire wall that make the wall look very sophisticated,” Marshall added.
Bath vanity light bars with rounded bulbs are being replaced with pendant lights and lighted mirrors that project flattering light for shaving or applying makeup. Some smart mirrors have touch-activated features to control illumination and connect to devices via Bluetooth and an LCD screen display that displays temperature and a clock.
Marshall added that remodeling multiple baths at one time, if possible, can result in great cost savings overall as plumbers, tile setters, and slab installers are coming out once instead of multiple times. Be prepared for the noise, dust and inconvenience, however. Consider hiring a pro, Marshall advised. “There are always things that come up during a renovation, as there are quite a few things that need to be done in a specific order to make the process as seamless and the least time consuming as possible,” Marshall stated.
