You can make a bathroom better.
A hall bathroom should be a space in your home that receives just as much attention as any other room in the house. A small bathroom, even one with a bathtub, can be made over with a few updates or a full renovation---it depends on your needs, wants and budget. Whatever you do to improve your hall bathroom, it always helps to have a plan.
First Things First: Basic Decision-making
Decide who will do the work and what should be changed.
First you will need to make some basic decisions, such as whether you will need a plumber's or other professional's services or will do the work yourself. You will have to differentiate between needed changes and desired changes, such as whether you need a new toilet or would just like a better model---perhaps one that conserves water and is more economical. If you wish to replace the sink, you may need to set a price range, as the costs of sinks vary considerably depending upon the size and style you choose. If you plan to redo the floor, consider all options: tile, wood, slate or marble. For an area with such a small footprint, you might be surprised that you can afford your most expensive choice for flooring to update your hall bath.
Imitate Other Good Designs
Creating your dream bathroom.
After discussing the nitty-gritty details about what needs to be replaced and how much money you have to spend on new ideas and updating, the most helpful thing you can do is find a photo of a bathroom that you love---one that is of similar size and configuration, preferably---and set out to "copy" the ideas of your dream bathroom. This gives you an immediate bathroom "plan" that you can keep referring back to, and you can take the picture with you on your visits to home products and improvement stores when selecting paint, vanities, sinks, lighting, and other materials for your bathroom update project. Browse Internet sites and print magazines for great bathroom ideas and research bathroom ideas at the library.
Your Time Is Valuable
Planning your hall bathroom project must also take the timeline into account. If you will do the work yourself, you might want to get out the calendar and mark off the days in the coming months that you predict you can spend on updating the bathroom. Once you have it figured out, write down what you plan to do on specific days and try to leave time for some relaxation if you only have weekends to do the work. Also, think about whether it will cause any problems for those in the household who are accustomed to using your hall bathroom on a regular basis.
Extra Time Is Needed to Schedule Professionals
Hiring professionals increases costs.
If you will hire a professional to do some or all of the work, you will have to plan ahead to be able to complete the hall bathroom updates in a timely way. You will have a better chance of having the work done in the timeframe that you desire if you can schedule it months in advance. If it is a summer project, for instance, you will not want the bathroom work to conflict with your vacation plans. Also, obtaining three estimates of what the job will cost is a wise use of your time if you will be using a professional contractor for the work.
Little Things Mean a Lot
Update towel racks, medicine cabinets, lighting and more.
No matter how simple or complicated your bathroom project is, there are many ways to end up with a spectacular hall bathroom. Your local home improvement stores offer so many choices in sinks and faucets---including some beautiful and stunning designs---that you may wish to make the sink the focal point. If you plan to complete only cosmetic improvements, changing the wall color and adding a new mirror and lighting can do wonders. A super small bathroom may be improved with just a new floor, wall sconces and additional shelving and towel racks if storage is a problem. If the hall bathroom door is plain and uninviting, place a mirror and a small table outside the bathroom for added interest and an extra location to store small items. And don't forget: You are decorating a room---artwork is appropriate and desirable.
Tags: hall bathroom, your hall, hall bathroom, will have, will work, your hall bathroom