Bathroom renovation ideas/warnings

[cos]

I'm having the bathroom in my house redone soon.

One thing I worry about is the possibility of failing to specify or ask for things I may have always taken for granted, so they don't occur to me. I know what I'd like to gain, but I may not be aware of all the things I don't want to lose.

Like ten years ago when I got a car that didn't have map pockets on the backs of the seats, which I'd always depended on - I liked being able to store a few large atlases and laminated maps behind the passenger seat, and be able to easily reach for them when stopped at a light. It simply hadn't occurred to me that some cars may not have those. Or when I got some house windows replaced, and ended up with windows that don't have metal bars or little tabs near the bottom such that you can push them up from below to open. I'd simply taken for granted the ability to open a window next to my bed a crack while lying down, and it had never occurred to me that anyone might make a window you have to be standing up to open, so it wasn't something I asked about or looked for. I saw the windows before I agreed to have them, and just didn't notice that critical detail.

So, what am I not noticing about bathrooms? Any ideas?

Comments

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

Do you know what sort of faucet controls you like and what sort of shower controls? Some of the methods of switching from bath to shower are, IMO, kindof annoying. Do you want a shower head that has multiply spray settings? A hose so you can remove it and use it hand-held? Two shower heads so you can share with a friend? Do you rely on using the edge of the tub to store shampoos and soap and the like? Do you have an elevated shelf for such? Would you like one? Do you have or want overhead radiant heat? Assume ventilation fan will be included but in ours that is the same switch as the radiant heat, which is really annoying when it is summer and I DON'T want heat. Would you like dual controls on the lights so you can have only half-on sometimes? I would really like that in our bathroom. I installed some high wattage bulbs because often I want it bright but first thing in the morning it is TOO bright. Have you considered a dual-flush toilet? I installed a conversion kit in ours but as with most things something purpose-built will work better. Would you like a bidet? Have you considered a toilet-top sink? That saves water by letting you wash your hands with the water that is filling the tank. What sort of shower enclosure are you considering? Sliding door, swinging door, curtain? If curtain, would you like one of those bowed hotel-style curtain rods or is a straight one fine? I know I hate it when the shower curtain tries to stick to me, the curved rods limit that. When considering types of tile think of how they will be to clean.

That's everything off the top of my head. Not necessarily things you're not noticing but possibly a few options you haven't thought about. Or if you've already thought of them all then I got nothin' :)

[cos]

Yeah, faucet controls and shower heads and things like that are all things I have strong opinions about and I pretty much start with them when talking about bathroom choices. Same for shelf space around the tub. These are more "foreground" sort of things for me, the ones my mind jumps to first, and the ones that vary most from bathroom to bathroom so you can never take them for granted. Light and heat controls, doors and curtains, etc., are all also "foreground" sort of considerations IMO. In researching bathrooms and asking people about them and talking to the designer, these are all the things that always come up. While there's definitely some choice paralysis, these aren't the sort of things I'm worried about just not noticing at all until they're gone/changed.

I hadn't heard of toilet-top sinks before. I'll ask about that.

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

You spent an awful lot of time on telling me how useless all my suggestion were. Next time I won't bother.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

I dunno -- to me it sounds like he was agreeing with the things you suggested, in that they are so important to him he's already thought of them.

Plus he'd not even known about toilet top sinks and they sound neat enough he plans to ask.

[cos]

This reaction is a surprise to me. It's not how I meant it, so I don't know what to say.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

wild guess -- you were agreeing that these were important but noting that these things were foreground for you in order to help find more background things. I can see how it could be interpreted as 'none of the stuff you've said is in the category I am looking for'