Great Escape

Your bathroom has star power - here's how to find it

By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features

According to American Standard's 2008 Bathroom Habits Survey, one in four Americans spend more than an hour in the bathroom every day. And while that time is often meant as an escape, bathroom visits can end up being an exercise in frustration.

Lack of storage, poor lighting and ventilation, and other problems plague many bathrooms, which bath experts say are often out of date with modern needs.

"Many people are dealing with bathrooms that either were built in the '80s or remodeled in the '80s," say Katie Coblentz, an interior designer in Lakesite, Tenn. "These bathrooms are typically 5x8 with a tub/shower combo, toilet and average-size vanity with a medicine cabinet. I call them builder's bathrooms, which are functional for the basic needs." The solution to many of these problems can range from minor fixes to a complete remodel, depending upon your budget.

Problem: Bad Lighting

Solution: Many baths have only overhead lighting. Side-mounted lighting on each side of the vanity mirror "gives well-balanced light that is also more flattering," says Debbie Nassetta, a certified bath designer with Roomscapes, Inc. in Laguna Niguel, Calif. "Natural lighting from windows or skylights is also an advantage, not only for the visible light during the day but also for the ventilation."

For those wanting to keep their energy bills down, Nasetta suggests dimmers in bathrooms, "so in the evening, you don't have to have hundreds of watts on ... just lower it to a comfortable level. This also works well for night lights. Installing lighting under the cabinets (in the toe kick area) is a great way to include a night light. We also use recessed medicine cabinets that have built-in LED lighting installed on the bottom edge of the door. This gives a nice gentle, wash of light at the vanity, just enough to give someone a gentle lighted path into the room."

Problem: Inadequate Storage

Solution: If you have the money and the room, expanding your bathroom into an adjacent hallway, room or closet can provide more storage room for your toiletries, makeup, blow dryers, towels and yes, your iPod. "Once space has been gained, then the proper cabinetry and/or shelving can be added to accommodate the needs of people today," says Coblentz.

If you do not have the funds for an expansion, consider design changes to your existing bathroom.

"Niches in showers allow for immediate placement of product without using the tubs edge or filling a bench with shampoo," says Susan Sawasy, owner of Casawasy Interior Design in South Pasadena, Calif.

Nassetta suggests installing wall cabinets that sit on the vanity counter in the bathroom. "These cabinets are very functional, like oversized medicine cabinets, and they can be very beautiful," Nassetta says. "With mirrored or decorative glass inserts in the doors, they add a very custom design to the room."

Another idea: "Sink cabinets don't have to be large empty boxes wasting space," Nassetta says. "They can have roll outs or special organizers built into them, fitting around the plumbing."

Problem: Poor Ventilation

Solution: Since many baths, especially larger master baths, do not have fans that are vented to the outside, Nassetta suggests "the addition of a quiet fan - that really helps keep the bath a more healthy space."

To combat dampness that builds up in a bath, which causes problems with allergies and makes cleaning harder, Nasetta suggests operable windows and towel radiators. "Towel radiators help to keep the bath warm and dry your towels for reuse," she explains.

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