Bathrooms have seen a dramatic shift, thanks to technological advances in home design. What used to be an afterthought, with a sink, toilet, tub and/or showering has evolved into a more thoughtful space. It has grown from purely functional to aesthetically pleasing and pleasingly pampering.
If you’re ready to take a fresh look at your bathroom, consider add any or all of these 7 bathroom upgrades to your wish list.
#1. Pocket door
We’ll start with the entryway. The bathroom often has limited space. In truth, no matter how much space you have in this vital room, you could also use more. By installing a pocket door, or even a sliding door, you conserve that area where your door swings into the room, which is approximately 14 square feet.
If you don’t want to install a pocket door inside the wall, a popular trend is hanging a barn door on a rail above the frame, so it slides back and forth.
#2. Heated floor
What could be more welcoming than stepping onto the cold bathroom floor first thing in the morning and feeling the warmth of radiant heating under your feet? Radiant heat under your floor not only treats your feet, but also efficiently heats the room. You can even set a timer to begin warming up your floor in advance so it’s at the perfect temperature when you walk in the room or step out of the shower.
#3. Luxury shower
Perhaps the focal point of today’s bathrooms, the shower has been reborn. Between the overall size, the wealth of tile choices, a new generation of shower head technology, and the sleek look of frameless, curbless doors, your shower can be a private spa. Expand the space and install multiple showerheads, above and on the sides, if you like. The tiles can be glass, ceramic, or stone—or a combination—to customize a unique look.
The curbless, walk-in shower has no threshold to step over. The shower is flush with the bathroom floor, for a sleeker style. And a frameless glass door and windows gives a more spacious, elegant look.
#4. Motion-activated faucet
You might already have one of these in your kitchen, because a motion-activated faucet gives you hands-free functionality. Why not enjoy the same convenience in the bathroom. Whether you have soapy hands, wet nail polish, or a fistful of whatever, you can turn the water on and off without having to turn the faucet handle or lever.
#5. Dual flush toilet
Energy efficiency can be built into every room of your home. A dual flush toilet gives two choices for flushing. Press one button to use less water and another for a bigger rush in your flush—because you don’t always need a lot of water to rinse the toilet bowl. High efficiency toilets use only one gallon to flush liquid waste, or either 1.28 (required in California) or 1.6 gallons for the solid.
#6. Softer bathroom lighting
The old-fashioned, overhead bathroom light is a thing of the past. Today’s bathrooms feature more functional and visually appealing lighting. Sconces on either side of the mirror add better lighting than overhead. If you can add a skylight, you can also enjoy natural lighting.
#7. Dual sinks
If you’ve ever tried to jockey for space at a single bathroom sink, you can appreciate the value of two sinks, no waiting. Many of today’s bathroom vanity designs feature space for dual sinks, because the demand has soared for master bathrooms.