Tuesday, November 10, 2009

A Lovely, Updated Bathroom For A Lovelier Home

By Connor Sullivan

As our homes get older, they require upkeep and maintenance. It is the theory of entropy. Things do not improve spontaneously; they deteriorate. This maintenance can be of two varieties: repair of damage and wear and tear and renovating or updating. Usually the two rooms in the house that need to be updated are the kitchen and bathroom. Rooms such as bedrooms and living rooms can be updated with just new paint or new throw pillows. However, kitchens and bathrooms often require more than just a new coat of paint. Over the years, the fixtures and appliances break down and become outdated. This is when you need a competent, creative remodeling firm. In Dupage County bathroom remodeling is as easy as calling a Dupage County handyman.

We will look at bathroom renovation. Bathroom renovation can consist of new flooring, new toilet, new vanity, updated bathtub or shower, paint or wallpaper, curtains, and rugs. The bathroom fixtures are the most expensive and most long-lasting parts of the renovation. For this reason, you need to compare your needs and your budget carefully. Toilets have gone through almost a reinvention over the last few decades. The goal has been to reduce the amount of water that is used for each flush. States have passed laws that require that all new toilets must be of the low flow variety. The other feature is the superficial characteristic of color. Back in the'60s the popular hues were yellow, pink, green, blue, and turquoise. In the'70s gold and avocado showed up in bathrooms as well as kitchens. These days, most fixtures are white, and that is a good thing. White goes with everything and is always in style.

My fantasy bathroom has a bidet. Originally, bidets were developed in Europe. All bidets used to were a separate fixture in the bathroom, beside the toilet. Today, you will be able to find a combination toilet seat-bidet that eliminates the need for extra floor space. The job of the bidet is to wash the derriere with a stream of warm water. Some even provide a stream of warm air for drying after the cleaning is finished. While they are rare in the United States, they are very commonly used in Europe and Japan. In this country we are behind the times. Some say that bidets haven't been accepted because Americans discovered them when they visited French prostitutes during the First World War, so they were considered naughty.

Many old bathrooms are tiled with ceramic tile on the floors and the walls. While this tile is currently popular, the styles are very different more decorative than in the past and beautiful. However, my feeling is that you should think twice before tearing out old ceramic tile. This tile is very durable and easy to keep clean. You may need to regrout it, but even if it is an old-fashioned color, leave the ceramic tile in the bathroom.

These are a starting point for bathroom remodeling. Beyond these basics are a long list of choices about color and style. Do you want a modern style? Casual? The possibilities are limited only by the imagination.

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