Warming Up Your Bath With These Simple Tips

What could be more luxurious in winter than a warm bathroom? Happily, almost anyone can achieve this luxury without sacrificing period style or overrunning your budget. Many of the most desirable options are also the most affordable. For instance, plug-in electric towel warmers can be had for under $150, whereas overhead rain shower fixtures start at around $60. You can find a good pressure-balance mixer for as little as $200. However, if you have money to spend, you can find luxuries such as jetted pedestal tubs and steam shower systems that will set you back a few thousand dollars.

Today’s towel warmers and radiators come in two basic styles. There’s the traditional round tube shape and the flat-panel “Euro” style. If you’re dealing with a smaller space, a great option is a tubular towel-warming basket, which can be mounted to keep your hot fluffy towels within easy reach.

Every towel warmer will generate heat, but some of the more powerful hard-wired versions can rightly be considered radiators. Even the inexpensive electric models that put out 100 watts or so are a wonderful addition to your bathroom. Not only do they dry the towels, but they also reduce dampness and mildew in the room. The more powerful hard-wired electric or hydronic towel radiators will easily heat a larger space if they’re sized and placed properly. If you’re worried about safety, neither version gets too hot to touch. Electric towel warmers only reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas hydronics range between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how hot you keep the system. These radiators can provide your bathroom with zoned heating.

A good dealer will help you find a unit to match the needs of your space. You need to take into consideration the amount of tile or stone, the type and location of existing heat sources such as steam radiators or forced air, and the number of windows. For those of you will really tiny bathrooms that won’t even fit a small towel warmer, you can probably find room along the baseboard to put a couple of horizontal radiator panels.

Most important, however, is the water in the bath or shower. Especially if you are upgrading the shower anyway, be sure to install a pressure-balanced or thermostatic mixing valve. Pressure-balance valves are less costly and simpler, keeping the water pressure in the shower constant and preventing sudden fluctuations in water temperature, as often occurs when the toilet is flushed, for instance.

If you’re looking for a more sophisticated system, then consider a thermostatic valve, which mixes hot and cold water to fairly precise temperatures (within one degree Celsius of the setting). These valves regulate fluctuations in the incoming water pressure as well.

These truly luxurious valves go for at least $1,000, although you can certainly spend more. No matter your décor, you can find a valve that fits beautifully in your bathroom. Many of these mixers are available in suites that include period-inspired shower heads and cross-handled knobs or levers. Higher-end valves even come with memory settings, allowing each family member to choose and record a preferred shower temperature.

If you are a shower lover who can’t get enough humidity in winter, consider a steam shower. Installing one usually involves a major retrofit. You will need a spot for the generator, and you may have to make modifications for the steam shower doors. On the upside, you’ll use very little water for a twenty-minute steam: only about two gallons. But be prepared. A basic system (including generator, steam head, and temperature controls) starts at about $3,000. Once you’ve added any extras such as stereo speakers, light, and aromatherapy packages, the price will go up.

Do you prefer an old-fashioned tub for your bath? Prices for reproduction roll-top designs with claw feet start at about $1,000 for either cast iron or the more environmentally friendly acrylic. Unsurpassed for soaking, these deep tubs also come in double-ended styles that accommodate two, or multiple children. With the claw feet available in different styles and finishes, you can choose a tub that will complement any décor. If you’re looking at high-end options, you can find custom-made tubs in copper, steel, marble, and even teak.

If you’d prefer a traditional tub that also accommodates a water- or air-jet system, your best option is a pedestal or Roman tub. The skirt will conceal the tubes and motor. Any bathtub can be turned into a home spa with strategically placed jets. Do expect to pay upward of $4,000 for a fully equipped air-jet tub.

Avo Barsoumian has been in the home flooring and interior design industry for over 25 years. He owns and operates a flooring company in Orange County. The carry the best in elegant hardwood flooring, beautiful laminate flooring and plush carpeting. Searching for floor carpets for your new condo or floating wood floors to makeover your older house? Then Carpet Wagon carries everything you need.

Decorating 101: Bathrooms

Do you have a bathroom that feels small and cramped? There are many possible ways to make your bathroom feel more spacious and less cramped. This article will give you tips and ideas that will help you go from a small cramped room to a room that you can appreciate.

By changing the color, lighting and a few other things, your bathroom can be transformed without adding to the square footage. Whether you want your bathroom to look cozy and inviting or elegant, it can all be accomplished with a miniscule amount of changes.

Pale Colors Open Up a Room
This does not mean that you need to paint your bathroom white, but instead that light, pastel colors make space appear larger visually. If you have lighter colored floors try a dark one. Soft shades of peach, cream or any other light colors should be used for the walls. Darker, bolder colors should be used for smaller accents such as towel holders or artwork for the walls. It is preferable for the top of your vanity, as well as the doors underneath, to be light colored. This can be easily achieved with little paint for wooden cabinet doors. If towels are used as décor, light shades that compliment the room should be chosen.

Bring More Light In
An area can be opened up and brightened visually by adding light to it. Wall sconces can be considered for additional sources of lighting in a bath, so can recessed lighting in the ceiling or a small lamp for the vanity. If you have the means for a skylight, consider purchasing one in order to allow natural light to brighten up the room.

If It Takes Up Space, Take It Out!
Many times people will have extra shelving in order to hold vanity items like cotton balls or towels. Objects that protrude into the room often detract from an open and spacious look. Removing shelving and other units of storage should be considered; items stored in them can easily be moved into a linen closet or be put under your vanity. Removing clutter, to find that the room looks larger, will amaze you.

Expand With Mirrors
It has been known for a long time that mirrors reflect light, and this will help any room appear larger. The color and design of the bath can easily be reflected by simply replacing the mirror over the vanity with a larger one. Do you need to use a single, large mirror? No, you can just as well use several attractively arranged mirrors in order to add interest and reflect light. Expanding the boundaries of the room can be easily accomplished by placing another mirror on a separate wall, if space allows.

Clutter always looks messy and, no matter the room, will visually diminish the area. The same holds true for your bathroom. Removing clutter means a more streamlined and cleaner look in the room. You should remove clutter on the vanity by storing away smaller items such as toothpaste, lotions, and deodorant in order to free up space. Make sure to put these ideas to use if you want to make you bathroom look as if it has doubled in size!

About the Author…
Leon Tuberman has been part of the furniture and interior decorating  business for 40 years. He owns and manages a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They have a large inventory of handcrafted Amish built solid wood furniture for your bedroom, dining room and living room. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for oak dining sets for your dining room and kitchen nook  or tv stands for your living room or media basement then they carry everything you need.

Create Your Spa Bath And Relax

Is your life filled with fifty-hour workweeks, your free time crammed with meetings, soccer games and obligations to your schools and community? Many people today are challenged to find solace in their lives. They have too much to do and too few opportunities to combat the effects of the resulting stress. As you wind down after a hard day or gear up for a new one, can you think of a better way to relax, clear your mind and get some perspective than by immersing yourself in the comforting elements of a spa right in your own home?

There is no more perfect relaxer than water, especially when combined with aesthetically pleasing materials. Think out-of-the-box when creating your own relaxing space. Try Asian-inspired open-base vanities and faucets or traditional console lavatories.  These are spacious, simple solutions, even in the smallest bath.

Look for new formats in tubs that offer the luxury of a deep soak or the exhilaration of a hydro- and air-jet massage. Looking for the ultimate in wake-up stimulation or end-of-the-day relaxation? Consider a shower powered by multiple heads and body sprays. Want an even richer spa experience?  Consider a combination steam and shower unit. Nowadays, you can effortlessly create the perfect spa bath to suit your needs. Looking to create a true spa feeling? Consider a bidet. These traditionally upscale fixtures are now being more frequently used in new construction and remodeling projects.

Nowadays, there are so many new products available that make retrofitting your existing space practically effortless. Tearing into your bathroom’s drywall is not always necessary Consider these soothing options, whether you’re building from the ground up or planning a remodel. There are relaxing options to accommodate any plan, no matter what type of space you’re working with—all with the same luxurious result.

Avo Barsoumian has been part of the interior design and flooring community for the past 25 years. He owns and operates a flooring company in Orange County. The carry the best in elegant hardwood flooring, beautiful laminate flooring and plush carpeting. Searching for that perfect floor laminates for your new home or quality wood flooring to makeover your older home? Then give Carpet Wagon a call.

What To Look For In Bathroom Wall Cabinets

Without a doubt, one of the most neglected rooms in the home is the bathroom. People will spend a lot of money and time in decorating and remodeling their living room, bedrooms and kitchens; but the bathroom is usually left out of the equation. The bathroom, however can be modernized just like every other room in your home and one way to give yours a new look is by installing good quality bathroom wall cabinets.

Bathroom Cabinets: Functional And Attractive

When you think interior decorating, it’s true that you probably don’t immediately think of bathroom wall cabinets. Therein is the problem of perspective. People only look at the cabinets in terms of their functional value. Of course, these cabinets have much more to offer than that.

Namely, a wall cabinet that is made from oak or other such fine wood can significantly improve the look of a bathroom’s interior. In many instances, a wall cabinet can turn a plain, dull bathroom into something that is original and exciting. And, really, exciting trumps dull any day of the week!

Bathroom Cabinet Design

Your bathroom cabinets are not all for mere functionality. There is also a decorative quality to them. You can find cabinets made from the finest wood with mirrored doors and in a range of styles which offer the perfect match to every bathroom.

You’ll want to make sure that any bathroom wall cabinet you’re looking at will fit comfortably into your bathroom. If you buy a cabinet which doesn’t fit into the available space in your bathroom, then it really doesn’t matter how great it looks. So, always be sure to take the proper measurements before purchasing a wall cabinet. It will save you a lot of trouble over the long run.

One way to avoid making a poor purchasing decision is to avoid rushing into things. Take your time and browse. You will eventually come across a wall cabinet that matches your aesthetic and practical needs.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Bathroom Wall Cabinet

A high quality bathroom wall cabinet can be a little pricy, but remember that this is an investment in your home and that you do get what you pay for. Your bathroom wall cabinet should be built to last from good quality materials. For example, if the cabinet is damaged after a few weeks, will you have a warranty that fixes or replaces it? What is the store’s return policy? A warranty is also something you should look for - if your cabinet is already falling apart a few weeks after purchase, you want to make sure that you’re protected.

If you’re in need of a new bathroom wall cabinet, there’s no time like the present to get started looking. You can find bathroom wall cabinets which are high quality and fit the style of your home perfectly; just don’t rush into this purchase and go for a quality cabinet with a warranty that protects your purchase.

Finding The Perfect Fit In Bathroom Vanity Cabinets

If you are choosing your bathroom vanity cabinets , there’s a balance you’ll have to strike between cabinets which are in accordance with your personal preferences while still meshing well with the existing decorating scheme of your bathroom. It used to be easy to choose bathroom vanity cabinets since there weren’t a lot of different choices out there but today, you have a mind-boggling array of cabinetry options open to you.

The sheer number of different styles out there makes it a lot harder to choose the right vanity cabinet. Bathroom vanity cabinets are an important part of your bathroom, being part of your decor as well as serving the always-welcome function of providing storage space in a room where space is usually hard to come by. When you are making your choice, you should keep decor and practicality in mind. Here are some tips that can help you to make the right choice on cabinets for your own bathroom.

Check Inside Drawers

You’ll want to make sure that the inside of the drawers is finished. After all, you don’t want the inside of the drawers to be unfinished and end up eventually being totally ruined from moisture in the bathroom.

Design and Texture Must Match Your Bathroom Decor

Look at the design and the texture of cabinets you’re thinking about and assess whether they will be a good fit for your existing bathroom decor. You definitely don’t want a cabinet which looks as if it was thrown in by accident and does not match the rest of the room.

Look for Plenty of Space

On the practical side, when trying to find the best bathroom vanity cabinets, you’ll want to ensure that they have plenty of space. If they look great and don’t offer the space you need, they really aren’t going to do the job for you. Make sure that you’ll have all the space you need and more for storage with the cabinets you choose.

Stay Away From Dull Cabinets

Dull bathroom cabinets can bring down the look of your whole bathroom. You don’t want to destroy the look of your bathroom with cabinets that are drab. The wrong cabinets can totally take away from a chic classy look or a nice elegant look in the bathroom. Stay far away from the boring cabinets.

Get The Best Price

Everyone wants to get the best possible deal, whether on vanity cabinets for the bathroom or anything else. It’s always worthwhile to shop around to find the best price on the cabinets which are perfect for your bathroom. Don’t make price your only consideration, but once you know exactly what you want, look for the best price you can find.

Choosing bathroom vanity cabinets Is never going to be easy. However, with these great tips, you’ll find it is much easier. Your choice of bathroom cabinets has a serious impact on the look of this room, so be a savvy shopper and hold out for the perfect bathroom vanity cabinets for your home.

Bathroom Decorating Tips To Give Your Bathroom A Lift

A bathroom that needs to be redecorated begins with finding great bathroom decorating tips. There are a number of different ways that a person can redecorate to make their bathroom seem more spacious without having to remodel the bathroom or spend a lot of money on the decorating items. Lots of the time, you can make your bathroom look bigger by using some easy bathroom decorating tips that are easy to do and take no time to get in place.

Lighting Tips For A Bathroom

Bathroom and home decorating ideas that are often overlooked is the use of lighting in unique spaces especially in the bathroom. You make a huge difference in the appearance of your bathroom by adding brighter lighting. There are many different ways that lighting can be placed using others bathroom decorating tips. Instead of taking up lots of room in your bathroom, consider using recessed lighting on the walls or in the ceiling or install a skylight.

Using additional mirrors in the bathroom is another one of those bathroom decorating tips that will help the bathroom appear much larger than it actually is. Mirrors in the bathroom capture the available light and causes it to reflect around the room creating additional illumination and making the walls appear farther away. There are many bathroom decorating tips that can be used to make a bathroom more attractive and most can be accomplished within a few hours. Online stores provide many suggestions, so read some reviews, such as an eFaucets review.

Make The Bathroom Appear Larger With The Right Color Paint

One of the easiest bathroom decorating tips to complete is to choose light paints for the walls and ceiling of the bathroom to make the space appear more open and airy. Bold paints and dark paints make a larger bathroom appear tighter and more formal and in a small bathroom, dark paints can have a more claustrophobic effect. Bright or bold items should be used as accents of the bathroom or incorporated in very small amounts using bathroom decorating tips that deal with brightly or bold colored items.

Just as light paint on the walls makes the room appear larger, so do light color flooring materials. Consider materials such as linoleum or tiles in light colors such as grays and tans for a bathroom floor. By following these bathroom decorating tips, you will begin a light decorating scheme that will make your bathroom appear much bigger than it truly is.

Add Sparkle With Bathroom Fittings

Don’t forget how new shiny taps can add lustre to your bathroom, so take a look at bathroom fittings and accessories. For very little cost you can give your bathroom a facelift by removing the old and replacing with the new. With these few bathroom decorating tips you can turn an old bathroom into a younger looking one very easily.

Designing an Ocean Themed Bathroom

One popular way to decorate a bathroom is with an ocean theme. With some ocean-themed décor items, you can give your bathroom a unique ocean look so that every time you set foot in the room, you feel like you’re at the beach. By following these tips and using your creativity, you should be able to come up with an awesome ocean theme for your bathroom.

Paint the Bathroom with Colors from the Ocean
You can quickly transform your bedroom into an ocean retreat by painting it blue, green, tan, and cream: the colors of the ocean. Paint the walls cream and then add a turquoise accent wall for a distinctive twist to the ocean theme. Another great way to add more color to the room is to add yellow, which highlights the feeling of a warm sun over the ocean.

If you’re really creative, then a really unique idea is to paint an ocean mural on one of the walls. This is a great way to fill a large space and can add a wonderful focal point to the décor. If the bathroom is right off your bedroom, then it will seem as if you are right on the ocean.

Use Real Ocean Accessories
Don’t buy all your décor items from the store. Instead, use items you would find down at the beach or ocean. Things such as shells and sand make great additions to an ocean-themed bathroom. To add instant ambiance, place a basket of shells or bottles of sand on the shelf.

Hang an Ocean-Themed Shower Curtain
People often first notice the shower curtain when they walk into a bathroom. By adding an ocean-themed shower curtain, you can really play up this area. You might choose one with a beautiful ocean or beach scene, or go with a more playful look, perhaps with pictures of fish. Choose your curtain based on what type of mood you’re trying to create: ocean retreat or a fun beach theme.

Look for Themed Accessories to Complete the Look
You should have no problem finding ocean-themed bathroom accessories, as this type of theme is rather popular. There should be lots of soap dishes, bath mats, wastebaskets, and even towels that are ocean-themed. A fish-shaped soap dish would work great with a fun variation of this theme, whereas elegant shell-shaped soaps in a blue soap dish would be more appropriate for a serious ocean retreat.

You’ll find that an ocean theme is just as suitable for a child’s bathroom as it is for a master bathroom. After all, there are many different variations upon this theme, from sand sculptures to fish, to lighthouses. Have fun with this theme, and be sure to include your own personality when designing the style.

About the Author…
Leon Tuberman has 40 years of experience in the home furnishings and interior design industry. He owns and operates his family owned furniture store. They have a large inventory of handcrafted Amish built solid oak furniture for your bedroom, home office and living room. Whether you’re looking for a oak bookcase for your office or a mission bed for your bedroom then they have everything you need.