Why We Love Fancy Bathrooms

Bathroom. Lavatory. Powder room. Loo. Restroom. Toilet. Washroom. Facilities. Whatever word you want to use, there’s no hiding how much people love their bathrooms in the U.S. Second only to the kitchen, bathrooms are some of the most renovated spaces in modern homes. And these days, there’s almost no limit to the high-end amenities you can add to a bathroom to create the spa-like luxury that many homeowners crave. Best of all, there’s a tasteful finish to suit everyone’s style. 

Love gadgets and technology? Shower systems today can come with more settings than an elaborate carwash and allow you turn your shower into a steam sauna, a waterfall, a disco party with colored lights, or a relaxing rainforest, complete with bird sounds. More of an old-school design person? You can build an elegant design around a lavish clawfoot bathtub and retro tile. Want to feel like you’re stepping into a spa every time you close the bathroom door? A mix of light and modern minimalist design will highlight the luxury and give you the relaxing feeling you’re looking for. Your imagination and your budget are basically the only limitations you have on designing the bathroom of your dreams. 

Over the last 50 years, the number of bathrooms in American homes has doubled and now sits at about one bathroom per person. In addition, the size of bathrooms has also doubled, increasing in size from an average of 35 square feet to about 70 square feet. A good bathroom remodel is also a great investment in your home, because it can add about 175 percent of every dollar spent back to the value of your home. 

So, what’s the obsession with bathrooms in America? As the world has grown more and more connected, bathrooms remain one of the only places in which people still feel they have the right to be completely alone. Though many people may bring a phone into the bathroom with them (in fact, about 75 percent of Americans admit to bringing their phone to the bathroom), most of us don’t feel obligated to respond to messages or answer a call while in the restroom. Also, it’s not a space where we’re expected to interact with others and we can be completely alone. In fact, one British study found that people spend more time in the bathroom each week (three hours and nine minutes) than they do exercising (just 90 minutes). Given that it’s become a symbol of peace and quiet in an otherwise noisy world, and the amount of time spent in the bathroom, it’s no surprise that people want to spend that time surrounded by luxury. 

When adding fancy touches to a bathroom, there are two main components to consider: aesthetics and function. Both can add value to a bathroom remodel project, though neither should be completely neglected or sacrificed in favor of the other. Instead, beauty and function should be combined to create a design that is useful as well as interesting. There are practically endless options for design choices in modern bathroom remodels and a very high-end look can be achieved even with a small budget. Design choices such as glass tile and upgraded fixtures are great ways to achieve a high-end look even on a lower budget. However, if you want to go all-out on luxury, there are plenty of ways to splurge on a bathroom design. Custom glass shower doors, rainfall shower heads, custom tilework, and huge soaking tubs are some of the more common ways to add luxury to a bathroom. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all upgrades have to be done at the same time. If you don’t have the time or the budget to do a full remodel all at once, you can create a design plan that allows you to upgrade one or two things at a time, without tearing everything down and starting from scratch. This can be an especially good option if you only have one bathroom. Just make sure to plan your remodel so that you don’t have to tear things out more than once.

At Portella, our goal is always to blend utility and beauty to create the best possible doors and windows for your home. Whether you need custom windows throughout your house, or one custom glass door to create the bathroom of your dreams, we have the solution for you. 

If you’re considering renovating your bathroom to get the relaxing oasis of your dreams, take a look at some of the custom steel windows and doors we provide for stunning interior design additions. At Portella, we work with people to realize their visions of the perfect space, and we meticulously craft custom steel windows and doors to ensure the perfect aesthetic for every project.  

What does your dream bathroom look like? What upgrades would you like to make to your current bathroom to make it feel more luxurious?