A Lesson in Bathroom Lighting

As many get into the remodeling mode and are in the process of upgrading their entire home, bathroom lighting often falls dead last. More important are the kitchen and living areas, and even the garage takes preference. However when the bathroom has a ceiling light, that’s good enough. But is it? Even in large families, the bathroom is where each member starts the day and ends it there as well.

So as you plan for new showers, bathtubs, commode, toilet, and whatever else is in the room, plan for relaxation too, but don’t forget the light above the mirror. Dads shave there, Moms do their hair, put on makeup and they both plan for the day in that same spot. It may be a place where sharing takes priority so lighting should too.

Leave the light in the ceiling if that’s your choice, but think about lights above the mirror, and install those that give out the proper lighting. You often find fluorescent lights in the room, but they aren’t necessary as long as you have plenty of lighting in appropriate places.

Lighting over the mirror and above the vanity need top consideration. When you place the lights at the side of the mirror they give the best lights without the shadows you receive when the light is above the mirror. However many prefer large mirrors, and the side lighting would be impractical. Recessed lighting is attractive, but may not give the best results in lighting the person in front of the mirror. At the very least the light should be 150 watts.

The lessons learned about bathroom lighting may suit one person, but not all. Remember the one that takes long soaking baths. Their light could be subdued, even candle light can serve their purpose while the bright ceiling light may not. Somewhere in between would be best.

Showers may not require special lighting and as long as you have other lighting over the vanity, a 75-watt light in the ceiling would work well.

When you do the remodeling yourself, decide on the lighting issue before you begin, even if you’re only painting the room. You’ll save work for yourself in the long run. If you’re hiring a contractor to upgrade your bathroom even if everything stays in its original place, you need to discuss the lighting before they get started.

If all else fails, hire an electrician, they’ll give you a lesson on the best use of bathroom lighting.

Home Improvement Guide specializes in Southern California home improvement, Coto De Caza home improvement and Orange County bathroom remodeling.

5 Quick Ways to Create Bathroom Space

Is your bathroom too small? Is it cramped for space? Is there anything you can do to at least get that room to appear larger even if the space remaining hasn’t changed? If you’re like most people today, money is tight and you can’t imagine any way to get rid of the cramped feeling whenever you’re in that room. It’s a room that you can’t hide, even if you’d like to. So what to do?

One thing that takes more elbow grease than money is to get rid of the junk on the countertop. Do you have cupboard space? Is it cramped as well? Clean it out and get rid of those partially empty bottles or cleaning supplies. Throw them away in the trash, or better yet, recycle them and with the dollars you earn, buy a new rug and a couple of new towels.

That’s a start. Are the cupboards almost empty? Surprise, you didn’t really need all that stuff. The cleaning supplies could go elsewhere. Now organize the things that you still need. If you have drawer space, great, use it. If more than one person uses the room, put their stuff together even if you have to use an old shoe box or one of those cheap plastic boxes, then store the box in that empty cupboard. Give everyone their own box and make them responsible for putting their things away.

A skylight will increase the impression of space. Instead of cutting the room in half with a shower curtain, install a glass shower door. You never want to divide a room and if you do, the room grows smaller.

Paint the room, and/or put up wallpaper. Stripes make the room look taller. Have hooks on the back of the door where everyone can hang their clothing while bathing. Install a larger mirror; pick up the new colors around the mirror with flower stencils.

Is that heavy hamper still sitting almost in the middle of the floor? Get rid of it and have smaller hampers in each bedroom closet. Teach your family members, that nothing should be left out of place when they are finished in the room. Put all of the clothing, shoes, and night clothing, in the proper hamper, hung back up, or folded neatly in a drawer for later use. Never leave anything on the floor for others to stumble over. The same goes for used towels and when hung on the rack, adjust them so they’ll dry properly.

Make housekeeping a daily objective and everyone in the family should do their part.

Home Improvement Guide specializes in Southern California home improvement, Costa Mesa home improvement and Orange County bathroom remodeling.

Waterfall Faucets

You might agree that there are a lot of faucets out there and many don’t look alike, but almost all of them work the same way. To turn the water on, you either push or pull, and many have one handle while others have two, one for cold and one for hot water. If you haven’t seen the newly developed waterfall faucets, take a look. You’ll be amazed, and you can use them in the kitchen, bathroom sinks, and even your showers.

The old type faucets remain popular mainly because they’re cheaper and work well; even those that rise far above the sink. The waterfall faucets work the same way but they’ve modernized them. Most of the innovative waterfall faucets come in a glass-plate design that is an angled glass tray that hangs several inches above the sink by a long sloping cylinder. In the middle of the plate, a long metal rod sticks up into the air.

When you turn the metal level the water courses out across the plate and falls into the sink similar to a waterfall. They come in pewter, brass and plated nickel and you can now match the rest of the metal in your kitchen or bath. The waterfall faucets will gain a lot of attention from new users as they try to figure out how they work. As the water falls across their hands you’ll hear sounds of delight, and you’ll understand because you feel the same way every time you wash your hands or rinse a dish.

The waterfall faucets are available for the shower as well, and imagine how you will feel as you stand under the warm water those courses over your body from above. It is invigorating to say the least and may be the way you’d feel standing under a real waterfall.

The waterfall faucets bring a relaxing feeling in the shower, and you’ll tend to stay in longer than necessary. Whether you shower in the evening for relaxation or in the mornings to wake you up you may want to do both as you hoard your shower. However you really need to share the waterfall shower with the rest of your family and let them realize their own satisfaction.

When they enjoy it as much as you have, they’ll insist that you buy one for every faucet in the house. If you aren’t interested in installing the waterfall faucet yourself, hire a professional to install them for you. Be sure to watch him that he doesn’t try out your new waterfall shower, because he’ll still be on your dime.

Home Improvement Guide specializes in Southern California home improvement, Mission Viejo home improvement and Orange County bathrooms.

Orange County Bathroom Remodeling: Tubs And Toilets

There are numerous ways to improve a bathroom. Some are inexpensive while others are very expensive. Homeowners who find themselves in need of an overhaul in a particular bathroom but remain unable to afford such a project can, as an alternative, choose to upgrade or replace one item in their bathroom at a time.
For the many individuals who find themselves in such a scenario there are only two choices, the bathtub/shower or the toilet. These two choices remain the most popular amongst individuals in this scenario not only because they are affordable replacements/upgrades but because these are two of the most frequently used items in any bathroom. Furthermore they are the two items in a bathroom  that draw immediate attention to themselves.

Individuals who opt to upgrade or replace their shower/bathtub have a multitude of choices to consider. There is of course the standard fiberglass and metal bathtub and/or shower to choose from, though many people prefer to put something new into their shower space when upgrading their shower/tub.

Tubs and showers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. There are even those showers and tubs that come complete with built-in lighting and the ability to make bubbles. Those who opt for a new shower will have nearly just as many choices as those that opt for tubs do. Showers like tubs are available in a wide variety of colors and materials. Homeowners with more fastidious tastes in bathroom decor may select an old-fashioned bathtub. Going this route however may require the assistance of a professional contractor in order to make sure that these heavy tubs/showers are too much for existing flooring.

Homeowners who replace toilets have a plethora of choices as well. Colors, materials, styles, and architecture are all things that must be settled upon before a purchase takes place. There are of course bidet toilets for those homeowners who want a little European flair in a bathroom. There also decorative toilets that boasts some unique designs and add plenty of warmth to a bathroom.

Although homeowners who can only afford to replace one or two items in a bathroom at any given time are likely operating on small budgets, these people would do well to remember that they will want to spend as much as possible so as to ensure that there project produces the results that they envisioned. A professional contractor can certainly help with design and style choices but can also help homeowners make selections that work with their budget.
Home Improvement Guide specializes in Orange County bathroom remodeling, bathroom design Orange County and San Diego bathroom remodeling.

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