How’s the serenity? So much serenity…

While few understand the appeal of a big two stroke engine on full throttle, the bit of Darryl Kerrigan in all of us is the seeking, experiencing and appreciating serenity wherever we find it. It’s what compels us to return to favoured places. Places that bring us that sense of calm and peace that are so difficult to find in a world that seems to so readily take them from us. That new convenience of mobile phones that offered untold freedom now controls; and once simple pleasures are complicated by too much traffic and not enough time.

Mental Wellbeing and Sanctuary

Our mental wellbeing provides much needed safety and refuge from the demands and stresses of life. Clarity of thought is crucial in finding inner peace and feeling protected. Sanity is our sanctuary; and that sanctuary has to be home. One of the few places you can close the door on chaos with no questions asked, is the bathroom.

Designing for Calm and Creativity

It’s a space where we not only clean our body, but with thoughtful design we can cleanse our mind. Standing under the optimum temperature of a shower head that mimics the sensation of rainfall, or the relaxing and restorative experience of a bath, moves us from convergent to divergent thinking. It encourages our mind to wander, to go on its own meandering journey that unlocks creative connections, and generates ideas and solutions that are so buried and silent in a saturation of skin-deep opinions and collective echo chambers.

The First Step in Bathroom Redesign

You owe it to yourself to have the room and the scope to question.

Everything needs a starting point, and it was Stephen Hawking who said, “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it’s the illusion of knowledge.” Take that as the first step in the planning and creation of a bathroom with first-rate function and blissful form. There’s plenty to know about redesigning a bathroom. The Dunning-Kruger effect isn’t the ambiance created by an upmarket bathroom fixture brand, and already knowing that means you’re aware of the pitfalls of thinking you know what there is to know.

Certainly, nobody can know everything. It’s why bathroom renovation specialists exist. Resources like Sydney Renovations Bathrooms will work with you to avoid regrettable mistakes.

Budgeting for Bliss

Prior to engaging the services of an obviously reputable bathroom renovation specialist, the most useful thing for you to screw down is your budget.

The rule of thumb is that it should be 5-10% of the value of your home; but with the stratospheric prices in Australia it’s as outmoded as 30% of your wage on rent. So it has to be whatever you’re comfortable spending. A cosmetic renovation that updates the vanity, sanitaryware, hardware and tiling without major layout alterations starts at around $8,000 – dependent of course on the materials you choose. It’s also the opportunity to install dry underfloor heating for the luxury and comfort of energy efficient radiant heat.

Function Meets Form

Structural redesign that greatly improves the functionality of your bathroom along with the aesthetics, has a baseline of $15,000 or so. Often, relocation of plumbing and electrical work is involved; as well as the possible removal or addition of walls to bring the shape or size of your dream room to life.

No matter the budget, it’s detail that make all the difference.

Attention to Detail

Mitred tile corners create a sophisticated, high-end finish that’s worth the extra laying cost.

Stay away from terrazzo and natural stone unless you can commit to the appropriate care each requires. Having no shower screen to clean is great; if that’s not possible, frameless glass lessens visual clutter and simplifies spotlessness. Don’t trash the toilet talk – there are a number of cistern and pan options to understand.

As with every design decision, the best ones are informed ones.

Touches That Last 

All metalware needs to match. From taps to drains; wall, door, drawer fittings and hinges.

Trendy hardware will date: brushed nickel or chrome won’t. Hide power points in cabinetry, and have separate lighting and exhaust switches. Keep daily use items like electric toothbrushes out of sight by devising easy access, space-specific storage. A bin drawer in the vanity means there’s no incongruous afterthought on the floor, ruining the perfection of your dreamt-for design.

Planning for the Unexpected

Keep in mind that labour costs account for 40-50% of anything you decide to do.

Give yourself a decent buffer to allow for contingencies: once you start removing tiles, the unexpected can crop up. Taking up flooring, for example, can affect waterproofing. So your budget needs that allowance. The usual suggestion is 10-20%, but if you can manage 25% you’ll alleviate the stress of any surprises. You may even spend any change on champagne!

An Investment in Daily Living

Whatever you spend is a significant investment in your home. However, the focus has to be the personal value it adds to your day-to-day living.

After all, that’s what prompted you in the first place.

Somewhere that simply beckons contemplation of the greater things of life, the universe and everything. With so much serenity.

For broader financial perspective, take a look into the types of home renovations that add value.