Most bathrooms incorporate some type of either tub or shower into the design. These are usually enclosures that may be separate from the rest of the bathroom and are partitioned off either by a shower door or a curtain. As bathroom sizes continue to grow, however, many people are choosing to use other types of showers in their bathrooms, including the barrier free or walk-in style shower. These open areas are often placed at one end of the bathroom away from the rest of the fixtures, and may or may not use any splash panels, guards, or other types of partitions or screens. The water is allowed to flow out toward the rest of the room; the position of the other fixtures ensures that they are far enough away to prevent them from getting wet. This type of shower installation is growing in popularity, and often leaves homeowners wondering how they can fit one into their own bathroom scheme. There are a few considerations you need to make for the room as a whole to best fit one in.

Sloped Flooring

Because there is no curb or other separation between the shower area and the rest of the floor, the entire floor needs to be able to conform to a slope toward the drain. Therefore, ideally the floor of the whole bathroom should be 2-inches in size or smaller. Using larger tiles on the floor can be done in the rest of the bathroom if you want to change size as you get closer to the shower area, but to prevent cracking and other problems, the area of the floor that does slope needs to be mosaic in size.

Splash Panels

If you have the space to position the shower area far enough away from everything else that nothing will get wet no matter how many body sprays you use, then you don’t need to worry about splash guards or panels. If your bathroom is smaller, however, you can still use this type of shower with a small fixed panel just next to the sprays. This prevents the water from escaping, while preserving the openness of the overall shower.

The bathroom is a room you will use constantly throughout the day, so its lighting is very important.  Proper placement providing all-over coverage is key to making your experience and the experience of your guests a happy one.  Read on to learn some tips on how to properly light any bathroom in your home so you can showcase it at its best. 

Ambient light is the first thing you’ll be needing to step in the door as this is your overall lighting for the room.  Using a ceiling-mounted fixture in the center of the room or installing recessed canned lighting is a great place to start.  Consider using a dimmer switch to customize the level of brightness throughout the day.  You will most likely not want the room to be super bright first thing in the morning or while doing your nightly routine before bed, but you can make it as bright as you want when you are feeling energized during the day.

Next is task lighting, which provides illumination for the things we actually need to get done while we’re in the bathroom.  While ambient lighting ensures that you won’t be standing in a dark room, task lighting will provide a better concentration of light where you need it most.  Two areas to consider are the bathroom mirror and the shower stall.  Try installing light fixtures on each side of your mirror instead of above it as this will better distribute lighting across the face making morning routines easier.  If there are clear glass doors for the shower area, the other lighting in the room may be enough, however any shower with an alternative door or curtain will most likely benefit from recessed lighting in the ceiling above the stall to prevent the area from losing needed light. 

Accent lighting can help highlight any special areas of the room you wish the make a focal point.  If there is a piece of art on the wall or a beautiful stand-alone tub basin you want to be sure is noticed, consider a small spotlight to draw the eye to this area day or night. 

When planning the lighting design for the bathroom, try to purchase energy efficient light bulbs if possible.  LED lights work just as well, last longer and prevent the room’s temperature from rising and becoming uncomfortable which can happen when using standard bulbs. 

We hope this helps you get started on your bathroom lighting project.  Feel free to contact us today to get you started on your bathroom lighting design!

There are many benefits to updating a bathroom. Renovating a bathroom can enhance it’s atmosphere and functionality, making it a more comfortable and appealing place. It can also add to the overall appeal of a house when you decide to sell. Deciding what to update during a renovation is exciting; here are a few recommendations.

Start with the shower. A great upgrade here is converting to a barrier-less shower. Barrier-less showers are user friendly and easily accessible for people at all stages of life. They can be designed to accommodate two people, or built small for one person. The shower head is another key feature that you might look at updating. This is an update that is inexpensive and can save water! The type of shower head you choose will affect the amount of water you can conserve, and today’s shower heads are federally mandated to flow at a rate of no more than 2/5 gal. per minute (gpm). There are other shower heads that will conserve even more water. Finding a shower head with adequate water pressure is also important, and many people like large rain shower heads as they provide a large area of water that streams. are many varieties to choose from when selecting a new shower head; it’s key to identify what is important to you, and to find a shower head that best meets those preferences.

Another area one can update to enhance the functionality, look, and feel of the bathroom is the floor. There are many styles and materials to choose from when upgrading the bathroom floor, and it’s important to pick something that will be able to stand up under the fluctuating temperatures and heavy use. Ceramic is a popular choice and can be arranged in various patterns adding to the beauty of the room. There is also the exciting option of in-floor heat, which is particularly appealing during winter. Another option is wood-look tile or laminate. These requires less care in a wet environment like the bathroom but give the classic look of wood.

Bathroom fixtures add to the style and atmosphere of a bathroom, and are another feature you might consider updating. There are are a variety of options to choose from when updating fixtures, and spending the time to find the right look and price will pay off in the end. Selecting a finish is a fun part of the process as well. A popular finish is oil-rubbed bronze which will give it an Old World look.

Finally, consider updating the bathroom cabinets.  The size of your bathroom will affect what type of cabinets you choose, and there are many options such as stand-alone cabinet storage, storage that is equally divided and symmetrical, or vanity cabinets. A bathroom is a great place for linen storage, so consider a built in linen cabinet. Adding pull-out shelves to deep cabinets is another feature that helps with organization.

Choosing to give your bathroom a facelift is a fun opportunity to be creative and increase the functionality of your bathroom. These are just a few recommendations to get started. Feel free to leave comments below.

Many individuals are on a quest to expand how they can incorporate coconut oil into their life.  Let yourself discover the best bubble bath. During my research I found that if you add 2.5 oz. of coconut in your bath, combined with Epson salt, it removes dead skin from your body and helps restore softness. Try this recipe for a wonderful bath experience.   

What You Will Need:

2.5 Oz Coconut Oil

1 Tbsp. Epson Salt

Lavender Baby Bath (Johnson & Johnson)

Directions:

Melt the coconut butter by placing it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, depending on the wattage of your microwave. A 1200-watt oven takes 35 seconds to melt. You want the coconut oil to be in liquid form so it will mix with the bath water and Epson salt.

Draw a very warm bath. As the tub is filling up add the lavender baby bath. You can use lavender oil drops if you like. But use the baby bath if you prefer the bubbles in your bath.

Add the liquid coconut oil and Epson salt to the bath water. Mix the solution with your arm before you get in.

Take this bath once a week for twenty minutes. The lavender helps you unwind and the coconut oil and salt will do the job of removing dead skin and softening your entire body. 

It doesn’t take a pricey trip to the spa to get a good moisturizing exfoliate. A coconut oil and sea salt scrub is very easy to make and only requires three ingredients; all of which can be found in the grocery store. This particular scrub has the ability to moisturize as you exfoliate. Use the scrub once a week for silky smooth skin, with no added preservatives or chemicals.

This recipe is wonderful if you are attempting to incorporate coconut oil into your daily life. For an original moisturizer, you can mix only coconut oil and olive oil.  However, you can also add sea salt to the mix to make an inexpensive product that could serve two purposes; exfoliate and moisturize. No more expensive exfoliating creams!  This concoction works much better than anything you can purchase!

What You Will Need:

1 ½ Cup of Organic Coconut Oil

½ Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup of Sea Salt

Directions:

Mix all three ingredients in a large mixing bowl by hand. Store in a large mason jar or simply a plastic container.

Use the mixture once a week in the shower after you cleanse with soap.

Note: You can also add drops of aromatic oils such as peppermint, lavender or lemon to your mix.  Start with a few drops – these oils are quite concentrated!

Ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles, it’s a decision you have yet to make for your bathroom tile but the decision needs to be made. What are the differences between these two tiling choices? Turns out the differences aren’t as many as we thought or have been told. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are both from the category of tiles called ceramic. Taking a closer look at a few important categories, lets find out how much of a difference there is between the two. 

Since this tile will be used in your bathroom you will want to ensure that it doesn’t absorb water at a high rate. In this case porcelain wins the battle. Ceramic isn’t the worst choice, but porcelain better protects your tiling from water damage. Porcelain is denser than ceramic so it is less porous and more resistant to water damage.

Porcelain will also be more durable in the long run, its competition lending it to this durability. If there is going to be a lot of foot traffic or heavy usage, porcelain will last much longer than ceramic. Another thing to consider if if chips occur with ceramic tiling, you will have to match your original tile’s color with a new glaze. With porcelain, the color runs uniform through out the tile so you won’t even notice it. 

And finally, depending on whether you are doing this yourself at home or not, you might want to consider a category where ceramic edges porcelain out—cutting the tile itself. If you are planning on taking this project on at home, you can cut your ceramic tiles by hand at home with ease. However, when you are talking about doing the same thing with porcelain you might be making a mistake thinking you can cut this at home alone. It takes a more experienced touch with these to be cut properly and you don’t want to waste any materials.

These are just some highlights regarding these two types of tile and what sets them apart. Now that you are armed with the knowledge to make an informed decision head on down to Dolphin Tile so we can show you your options in person!