Give your bathroom a lift
Property Experts believe bathrooms can be great little earners. An ensuite can boost the salability of your home by as much as 17% according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), and Nationwide calculate that a second bathroom can add as much as 15% to the value of your property. Perhaps this is why bathrooms regularly come top of a homeowner's list of renovation projects.
And then, of course, there is the feel good factor of a quality bathroom which is much harder to put a price on. Restful, decadent and streamlined are watchwords for today's spa style bathrooms. Take inspiration from Gidleigh Park, a Devon hotel whose spa suites are fast becoming the talk of the town, and a popular retreat for well-heeled Londoners.
They are bathroom extravaganzas designed by with smart Kohler suites, in-room saunas, huge freestanding baths, hot tubs, dramatic rainfall style showers and heated spa loungers - all walled in the finest Italian marble. How do you get a similar spa effect in your home? On smaller budgets you can create your own spa with multi-jet body sprays, walk-in shower cubicles, a whirlpool bath, glass walls and atmosphere lighting. Stick to restful neutrals - materials such as marble, granite, slate, glass, copper and limestone - woods such as cedar or cypress and colour schemes in white, sand, stone, champagne or soft greens.
Cheryl Gurner, Creative Director at Bathrooms International shares her top bathroom trends:
- Seek our white crystal - clear colour transparent shades against dark contrasts are a key theme in bathrooms.
- Consider space, light and height before anything else.
- Keep to your budget by combining expensive with cheap - pay for the technology and always invest in high quality taps and shower fittings, but economise on accessories such as sanitary ware.
- Earth colours and white work best - especially if you layer the tones and textures.
- Look for natural materials such as stone and wood - recycle and organic principals and materials are key in today's bathrooms.
- Think symmetry when creating a relaxing environment.
And remember, if you are planning on going for it and giving your bathroom the ultimate in spa treatment, follow these tips on what to do and what to avoid:
DO
- Check the position of your water tank - power showers need sufficient water pressure to ensure a steady flow.
- Consider sound-insulation in bathrooms - ceramic tiles tend to echo.
- Investigate hotel-style mod cons - speakers in the ceiling for a sound system and in-spa television. Use large mirrors - they reflect the light and create the illusion of space.
- Experiment with shape and contours.
DONT
- Sacrifice the main bedroom for a small ensuite - better to focus on updating the main bathroom.
- Forget to look for alternatives to enamel - investigate baths fashioned from copper, marble, cast iron and nickel coated.
- Dismiss installing your own private sauna.
- Use tiny tiles in small bathrooms - large tiles make a small room appear larger.
As featured in London Property News - July 2007
