Special flooring and smart toilets are among the latest trends.
Did you hear? Bathrooms are having a moment.
HomeAdvisor’s latest True Cost Report found that it’s the most remodeled room in the house, taking over the top spot from the kitchen. Manufacturers have responded with a slew of products aimed at making bathrooms more functional, stylish and efficient. Designers and architects, meanwhile, are coming up with new design schemes for the spaces.
If you’re planning a bathroom remodel of your own, here’s a trio of trends to consider.
FAUX FLOORING
Wood flooring is popular throughout the home, but it’s not ideal for wet locations, including the bathroom. That’s what makes new wood-look porcelain-tile planks so alluring. They’re the spitting image of real wood, whether cherry, ash, oak, or redwood, and they’re totally water-resistant, so you don’t have to towel off before stepping out of the shower. The textured grain of the material also means added slip-resistance, minimizing the risk of slips and falls.
Looking for a low-maintenance vanity countertop to go with your porcelain floors? Consider quartz, which was tapped by 91 percent of kitchen designers in the latest trends report by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Granite and marble followed, at 61 percent and 45 percent, respectively.
HIGH-TECH FIXTURES
The bathroom has been the last frontier for smart home technology, but that’s starting to change. More homeowners are used to controlling cameras and doorbells and appliances on their phones. The expectation is they can now do the same with the shower, turning the water on and setting the temperature from an app on their phone, or even through the voice-controlled smart speaker on the bedside table.
Smart toilets, with their built-in bidets, embedded speakers, and other high-tech conveniences, are another hot bathroom trend, especially with older Americans, who are embracing the technology as an aging-in-place upgrade. If you’re remodeling, remember to put a GFCI outlet near the toilet location to power your smart toilet.
WATER EFFICIENCY
With water costs on the rise, this trend is as good for your household budget as it is for the planet. Better still, you don’t have to sacrifice performance when choosing water-efficient bathroom fixtures. For example, toilets that meet the strictest 1.28 gallons per flush deliver superb flushing power. Likewise, you can get an invigorating spray from a showerhead that uses a miserly 2.0 gallons of water per minute.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Proper planning is critical to a successful bathroom renovation. Ideally, you should spend about three months in the planning phase, setting the budget, assembling your team of pros, and shopping around for products and materials.
On average, homeowners report spending around $9,742 to complete a bathroom remodel. Of course, lower-end projects with a focus on cosmetic changes average $2,500, while higher-end jobs run closer to $24,000. Ultimately, the cost of your bathroom remodeling project will depend on the materials you choose and whether you decide to move plumbing and fixtures. That’s one task that will add significant dollars to your remodeling budget.