Can you imagine anything better – a deep, fragrant bath or invigorating pulsing shower, gleaming marble benchtops inviting you to run your hand across their sleek surface, your favourite music gently playing, a thick towel warming up on the heated rail and pure luxury and indulgence everywhere you look …  It’s a total escape from reality – yet it’s not in your dreams, it’s in your own bathroom!

Modern bathrooms are being designed as peaceful sanctuaries from the frenetic outside world.  It’s no surprise that the bathroom is a priority area for renovation as it is becoming the one place in the home where one can relax, recharge, indulge and escape .  First impressions count when it comes to buying a home, and a dodgy bathroom from yesteryear is a definite turn-off.

The only limit to bathroom renovation ideas is how far your imagination can take you.  Functionality and form are merging in a fusion of polished modernity, but it’s all about personal preference and style.  Modern materials are being combined in seamless ways to fuse edgy design with olde world comfort.   Ideas are being borrowed from a diversity of sources including industrial environments, exotic resorts, eastern bathing rituals and nature.  Cascading rain showers, floor to ceiling frameless glass, high gloss polished surfaces co-existing with earthy naturals all combine to create a visually rich and tactile experience.

There aren’t any real rules.  An emerging trend however, is to merge all elements seamlessly into a harmonious and integrated whole.  

An emerging trend is doing away with separate zones in bathrooms and making the whole room into a ‘wet’ room ie no shower enclosures etc, say a prominent plumbing products supplier in Perth, Australia, Civil & General.  Doing away with the traditional shower enclosure uses sloping floors, technologically advanced floor grates and strip shower drains to channel water away to ensure the whole space remains functional and beautiful – and doesn’t turn into a rain forest !.

Another emerging trend is for bathrooms to be placed on centre stage in the bedroom, without having a separate room.  Here, careful and clever design will ensure that privacy and discretion aren’t made redundant by the open-plan features.

Materials are becoming more sophisticated too.  Whether the look is traditional Victorian, eco-friendly rustic, funky and futuristic, sleek and modern or edge and daring, the choice of materials can range from mosaic, stainless steel, wood, concrete and concrete mixes, coloured glass, metallics and stone to name just a few.

Colour schemes range from the wacky and wild to perennially popular neutrals and whites.  Cappuchino and mocha, daring black and grey, elegant chocolate and cream and bold blue feature prominently in bathroom design today, but it’s all about personal choice.  Recurring shapes in bathrooms (ie the shape of the basin, the shape of the bath etc) also need to be considered, with square or rectangular shapes still popular and ovals and freeflowing forms also coming to the fore.   

Renovating a bathroom need not break the bank and there are many, many ideas on how to create the perfect space using interesting bathroom accessories, such as frameless showers.  The internet is a great starting point showcasing every design under the sun, look at decorating magazines, visit the showrooms of bathroom accessories suppliers to get ideas and visit local builders” tradeshows.  Finding the perfect bathroom design may take time, but creating your special space where you can find solace, respite from the hectic world and the energy to recharge your batteries will be worth every minute.    

If you are thinking about doing some home improvements around your property, like building a garage or adding another room, you must take care to hire a trustworthy and dependable builder. What are the steps you should take to ensure this is done? Well, basically, all you have to do is perform some basic research and apply some common sense. Clear and concise instructions will also help. The more clear and thorough you are at the outset, the less chance there is problems arising later on. By adhering to the suggestions listed here, you will be able to find a builder that you can rely on:

Research - No matter what you want to have done, you need to do a bit of research to make sure the builder you are looking to hire has done quality construction in the past. From the builder, obtain a list of approximately 6 customers he has worked for before, and call them to get their opinion. If you can, you might even want to go to one of their properties to see the construction with your own eyes. This is especially helpful if the work done there is similar to the work you need done. If this is not possible, you should obtain letters of recommendation from the builder's customers. A trustworthy builder will gladly give you such a list. If he is reluctant to do so, this will be a huge red flag and you should probably look elsewhere.

Appearance And Behavior - One on one contact should be a tell all session as far as appearance. Ask yourself essential question during your meeting such as: How is the builder dressed? What does his company vehicle look like? The answer will likely be one of two options, grungy or professional. The behavior is another key factor. If the builder refuses to commit to a time frame of completion or a specific work schedule and quickly announces a cheap price without properly assessing the job, do not walk away, run! These are clear indications that you are not dealing with a true professional that will strive to produce quality workmanship for you.

Work With An Established Local Company - Be sure that you choose someone that is established in your local area. Any professional will want to protect their credibility where they live and work. Let's face it, word of mouth travels fast whether it is good or bad. Be sure that they have a long time local address and phone number, because if they are still in business in the same place for a long period of time then they must be doing something right. Email addresses and cell phones are easy to obtain and easily done away with. So, they should be of no comfort. Also, when being charge a VAT it is important to check to make sure they have a VAT registration number.

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Think of a patio as your own private oasis. Most patios are surfaced with something hard like bricks, cement, treated wood or paving stones. Most homes that have patios in towns and cities have enclosed patios. This keeps the world out of your garden, allowing you and your family to enjoy the privacy of your outdoor space.

Simply designed patios are better than cluttered spaces full of furniture, too many plants and loads of garden fixtures. Try to see the patio as another room in your home. You would not want your living room to be too crowded to enjoy and the same goes for your patio.

Patios are wonderful planting areas. Small trees, herbs, fruits and vegetables and all manner of flowers do well in containers on patios. Raised beds are nice ways to border patios and to have more space for planting. Don’t forget to check out the availability of light on your patio before buying plants for it.

Trellises on the sides of patios that are planted with creeping vines also offer another form of privacy, separating the patio from the rest of the garden. You need to sit down and think of the flow of the space and how you want it to feel in the larger area of the garden.

Maybe you’ll want to install a hot tub on your patio. This, of course, depends on many things from whether you enjoy hot tubs to whether you want to pay for a hot tub and keeping the water hot to how much space you have available. Hot tubs can be lovely additions to a private patio, especially during cool times of the year.

Patio lighting is an important consideration. Besides the usual candles and lanterns that many people use in the evenings on patios, you may want some other artificial lighting. Perhaps you would like to read on your patio in the evening or do needlework or some other hobby. You will need a stronger source of light than candles or lanterns. Perhaps there’s some part of the patio that you’d like to enhance with lighting, as one might place a light beneath a well loved portrait. Before buying or installing lighting, it’s wise to sit down and think about these considerations.

A great looking patio can be a sanctuary in your home where you can enjoy your privacy, enjoy outdoor recreation or entertain your friends and family. Before you start your patio take some time to sit down and plan it out. You’ll be glad that you did.

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