If your house is more than fifteen years old, it might be time for you to start coming up with ideas for entire bathroom makeovers. You know that, after the kitchen, the bathroom is the most expensive room in the house for you to remodel. You probably won't get several chances to create the bathroom of your dreams. You had better think hard about exactly what it is you want from your bathroom before you start your work. If you come up with a plan for your bathroom makeover before you start tearing up your old bathroom, you are more likely to get great results and save money.
Sustainable and environmentally friendly renovations are becoming increasingly popular amongst homeowners who want to improve their homes at little cost to the Earth. If you have had the same bathroom fixtures since you moved into your place, they probably are not the most energy conscious fixtures currently available. Begin your eco-friendly makeover by replacing your toilet and shower with water saver versions. Water saver toilets can use up to 75 percent less water per flush than regular toilets. You can even get a composting toilet, if you want to really embrace green living. The newer, water saver shower heads aren't the weak streams you might remember from ten years ago. Today, these shower heads feel as powerful as normal high quality fixtures, thanks to aeration technology. Your environmentally friendly makeover doesn't need to be limited to your fixtures. You can also use beautiful recycled glass tiles on your walls and floors and bamboo for your vanity.
If you are worried about giving your bathroom a makeover that will look dated in just a few years, consider using all natural materials in your redesign. You can use real granite, marble or sandstone tiles on the floors and walls. These natural stone tiles will never look faddish and can make your bathroom look totally luxurious. You can also use bamboo or another hardwood for the vanity and add a granite countertop. Just make sure that you seal your natural stone so that you don't end up accidentally staining it.
If you want to give your bathroom a makeover that is environmentally friendly but looks old fashioned or antique, use recycled fixtures. Check with your local architectural salvage company and you may be able to find a gorgeous old claw foot bathtub that is still completely functional. If it has a little bit of damage, it's pretty easy to get an iron tub re-glazed. You can also repurpose an old table or antique bedroom vanity into your bathroom vanity by cutting a hole in the top for your sink. Try adding a vessel sink like a copper or ceramic bowl to the top of your recycled vanity. If you are worried about your antique fixtures making your bathroom look too stuffy, you can modernize the makeover a bit by painting the walls a very bright color and adding a stone like granite to the floors.