Idea Center

The kitchen and bath are the most essential rooms in a home. Spaces should be welcoming and reflect your sense of style and personality. (In fact, it has been stated that the bathroom is the most private room in the home, yet can be the most public.)

So many ideas, so many choices... so where do you start?

You can choose a designer to help you with your project. You can look at the latest trends in magazines or makeover television shows for ideas. But remember, this is your makeover.

While you are developing ideas for your new Kitchen or Bathroom, be sure to visit Frank Webb's Bath Center to look at a variety of styles from traditional to contemporary. Here you can touch it, feel it and see working displays. Let Frank Webb's Bath Center be your idea center.

For now, we would like to provide some ideas to consider while thinking of your new bathroom. When you are developing the layout for your new bathroom - consider what ultimately is going to be most important in your new space:

• Easy access into the room?
• Lots of space inside the room?
• Conveniently placed fixtures?
• Ample amounts of storage?

Of course, when and how the bathroom is used will determine which of these will be most important. For example, in a powder room or half-bath used occasionally by visitors, storage is not very important. But a family bath that is used several times a day by adults and children must have storage space for each user.

• Half bath

  Also known as a powder room, guest bath, or the main bathroom on a first floor used by the whole family. This room usually contains only a toilet and a sink but no shower or tub and really does not have any storage. This type of bathroom is probably used frequently and is usually more of a showroom with fancy hand towels and finer finishes on the fixtures. These rooms are also typically pretty compact - and if you are working with a really limited amount of space you could consider using a corner sink and/or pocket doors to help conserve space.

• Three-quarter bath

  Also known as a guest bath. Usually a bathtub is all that is missing from a three-quarter bath and this might be a good choice if the bathroom will be used primarily by older children or overnight visitors. The three-quarter bath is larger than a half-bath and should probably have a limited amount of storage space.

• Full bath

  Also known as a family bath since it can be used by everyone in the family. This type of bathroom will have all the fixtures - and if you are considering a full-bath you will need a minimum of 5x7 foot of space to allow for toilet, sink, and tub/shower. If you have more room than that, you might want to consider compartmentalizing the toilet and tub for privacy, while keeping the sink area open. You will also want to think about adding some extra storage to a full bath if you can.

• Two-person bath

  The idea here is to create a bathroom that has "usage zones" so that two people can use a bath at the same time. What this means is you would add partition walls to the bathroom to create a measure of toilet privacy, leaving the sink and tub free for another's use.

• Dual bathrooms

  When space permits, dual baths could give youngsters more private space... and grown-ups peace. If you have enough space you could keep the toilets and sinks separate and private with pocket doors that would flank the shared bath and storage area.

Tip: Universal design - Safe, convenient use of interior spaces by everyone is the goal of a growing trend called Universal Design, and it applies especially to bathrooms. For little ones, the elderly and the disabled, barrier-free showers offer grab bars, seating, handheld showers, long lever handled faucets or lower/higher height vanities.

Remodeling Projects That Pay for Themselves

Remodeling an outdated bathroom can be a great investment. According to a recent Remodeling Magazine "Cost vs. Value" report, American homeowners recoup an average of 90% of their renovation costs at resale. Adding a second bathroom is another project that will help make a property significantly easier to sell.

If pleasing prospective buyers and getting the greatest return on your investment is a major motivation behind your remodeling, you should keep the following in mind while you are renovating your room:

• Keep it Simple

  Clean and simple is always more marketable than anything that is ornate or highly stylized. You might even want to consider sticking with white fixtures and a neutral color scheme. If you are also redoing the floor, consider using ceramic tile as it tends to provide the greatest return on investment.

• Add Water

  Full baths definitely maximize a home's marketability and value. When you are creating the room layout you should keep the shower separate from the tub if you can, especially in the master bathroom. You might also want to consider adding in a steam shower instead of a whirlpool bath. However, because some people prefer one over the other, if you install only a shower you should make sure it is at least a 5-footer - so that the next owner has the option of removing it and putting a tub in its place if that is what they prefer.

• Stick with Silver

  Cleanly designed nickel or chrome faucets are more likely to provide a decent return on investment than faucets in decorative specialty finishes.

• Go Handheld

  Handheld showers facilitate cleanup and are considered a "must have" by many remodeling professionals and homebuyers.

• Stay Consistent

  Make sure all your accessories, from the door hinges, window locks, towel bars match the fixtures in the room. You should also think about the style of the house to make sure the new bath fits in with its surroundings.

• Create the Illusion of Extra Space

  Anything you can do to make a bathroom feel bigger is a plus and a wall-to-wall; counter-to-counter mirror is the best way to make a smaller space seem much larger.

• Always Popular

  Other items that are always popular are double sinks (especially in the master bathroom); recessed medicine cabinets; dimmer switches; a shower light; solid surfaces such as granite and marble countertops; and ample storage space

Small Changes You Can Make On Your Own

In the bathroom...

• Change your faucet for a fresh look
• Add towel bars or shelves to update your look
• Change light fixtures for a nice look and energy savings
• Install a shower door for a totally new look
• New shower rods, tank levers or cabinet hardware are easy do-it-yourself jobs
• Add baskets in the tub or shower to organize bottles and soaps
• Magnifying make up mirrors can be wall mounted to save counter space

In the kitchen...

• Change your faucet for a fresh look - add a pullout or soap dispenser
• Add strainers and drain boards for added function
• Install a filtered water dispenser, stop those trips to the store for bottled water, and save more money.
• Shed a whole new light and look with an updated light fixture

Ask our helpful showroom staff about ideas on how you can give your kitchen or bath a whole new look for not a whole lot of money!

Stop by your Frank Webb's Bath "Idea" Center.

Contact Us today to make an appointment with one of our Frank Webb's Bath Center specialists.