Fixing Up Your Bathroom
Feb. 21 -- The bathroom isn't just for washing up anymore: What was once a utilitarian necessity has evolved into an oasis, a place to wash away the cares of the day.
In 1997, the average cost of a bathroom renovation was $9,000. This year, people are laying out an average of about $12,000 on bathroom makeovers.
And there are some distinct trends going on in household bathrooms. Bathrooms are growing in size, to the point that they are as large as other rooms in the house. Some people are adding dressing areas, and vanities.
Bathrooms are also getting more high tech. Showers are more elaborate, with multiple heads, side jets and more opportunities to control the ebb and flow of water. You can buy toilets with warming seats. A lot of newer bathrooms now include stereo and TV equipment.
And at the same time, there's a move toward simpler, natural design, marked by the use of such mediums such as wood and stone in the bathroom.
"I think the feeling that people are looking for in their bathroom is one of serenity," Barbara Sallick of Waterworks, in Danbury, Conn., told Good Morning America, which is doing a bathroom makeover series with Home Improvement Editor Ron Hazelton this week. "People are looking for personal gratification. This is their private space and it is the one place in the house where they can close the door and be alone."
Serenity Now One way to achieve that serenity is turning your tub into a home spa. High-tech showerheads let you control the flow and temperature of the water while little luxuries like a book rack let you really sit back and relax.
Soothing neutral colors help set the mood. Mosaic tiles and fancy fixtures add an elegant touch. Even old standards like the toilet and medicine cabinet can add to the feel of the room. But you don't have to throw a lot of money down the drain to jazz up your john.
"I think there are three very quick ways to make your bathroom look more interesting: the first is to buy a new shower curtain, the second is to buy a new rug and the third is to install some new accessories, which is a really easy thing to do," Sallick said.
