Posted on: June 9, 2010

Sink On In

The DIY Network's resident bathroom expert explains why a red tub is worth considering and how easy it is to tweet from the shower

By Robert Sharoff
CTW Features

Matt Muenster is the Bath Guy. Over the last few years and on several different shows - he's currently the host of DIY Network's "BATHtastic" and has "Bath Crashers" premiering this summer - he has designed dozens of bathrooms in a range of styles.

"I like the idea of focusing on one room and really getting to know it inside and out," he says. "It's something I've become passionate about."

It's also a subject that dovetails well with the current focus on cocooning.

"There was a mindset for awhile in the early 2000s that whatever house you were in was just a stepping stone to the next one," he says. "Today, however, people are staying put a lot longer, and they're less willing to live with a shoddy bathroom."

The Minneapolis resident, 33, is one of the few home makeover show hosts who actually has substantial design credentials. Right out of college, he went to work for Perkins & Will, a leading international architecture firm, where he designed a number of residential and commercial projects. Later, he switched his focus to residential work and joined a leading interiors firm.

"The more I do this," he says, "the more I realize that the key to remodeling is good design. I get blown away by clever things rather than expensive things."

How tricky are bathrooms to remodel ? Are they something average people can handle on their own?

It depends. You can certainly paint and install tile and fixtures on your own. But anything that requires pulling a permit is probably best left to professionals. Plumbing is not something you want to mess around with if you don't know what you're doing.

I keep hearing that bathrooms are getting bigger. Are they?

Not bigger so much as more open. Over the last decade, high-end bathrooms became mini-suites with separate spaces for the tub, the shower, the closet, the sink and toilet area. But all those walls and doors ate up a lot of space. The trend today is to re-combine some of those functions so that whatever space you have feels larger. It's about a certain sense of ease and graciousness. The word I hear over and over again from clients is "spa." People want a room where they can escape and relax.

What are the features people ask for today?

Steam showers, air tubs, glass mosaic tile and lots of electronics. People today, especially young people, are used to constant communication. I get a lot of requests for TVs and computers. I just did a bathroom that has a Twitter feed in the shower.

Doesn't all of that take a lot of power?

It does. Some of the bathrooms I've been doing lately have three or four dedicated electrical circuits, which is more than some kitchens.

What are the most common mistakes people make when remodeling their bathrooms?

Cutting corners so they can get to the cosmetic stuff, the pretty stuff. They don't take the time to correctly prep the tile walls of the shower with the result that the sheetrock in back of it gradually disintegrates into muddy clay. I see a lot of that kind of thing and down the road it can cost you or the next owner a lot of money.

Any new fixtures you're excited about?

Anything environmentally conscious like low-flow sinks, showers and toilets. Early on, there were some quality problems with this technology but that has now been corrected. I don't see why everyone shouldn't have a dual flush toilet today. It just makes a lot of sense. They're not expensive. You can get one for under $200. They also reduce your water bill by up to 30 percent.

How large should your water tank be?

Get rid of the tank. It's so incredibly inefficient to keep 50 gallons of water in your basement heated 24 hours a day to 120 degrees. The new tankless water heaters are a much better solution. Tankless heaters are coils that heat only as much water as you need when you need it. They solve all the problems of big families and long showers. They also take up a lot less room than tanks.

What are the questions you need to ask yourself before starting a bathroom remodel?

Think about your morning routine and how to make it easier. Maybe a double vanity would help, or maybe better storage. Anything you can do to get the razors and hair dryers and toothbrushes off the counter is a plus.

What colors do you like today?

Color is so individual. Some people like warm colors, others cool colors. The one area of commonality I'm finding, however, is the overall popularity of gray. Gray is what brown and taupe were back in the aughts. Many bathrooms have polished chrome or nickel finishes and gray complements these very well.

Should fixtures like tubs and toilets basically be white?

No. In fact, if you're using a lot of gray, white is probably something you want to avoid. White pops a little too much. The toilet suddenly becomes the first thing you notice in the room. Pewter or platinum works better. And sometimes a big hit of color can be very effective. I can definitely see the merit of having a neutral palette with maybe a bright red freestanding tub.

How did you become the bath guy?

I never planned it. I have a degree in interior design from the University of Wisconsin and for years I worked on a range of projects, everything from restaurants and casinos to government buildings.

What is your own bathroom like?

I'm embarrassed to say my bathroom is nothing special. I go to work and do bathrooms all day long. I've probably designed 60 or 70 of them over the last few years. The last thing I want to do when I come home at night is another bathroom.

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