A Creative Way to Design Storage Solutions in Bathroom

Whether you have a bathroom as big as a master bedroom or you have one the size of a small closet, bathroom storage is persistently an issue for homeowners. Finding a creative way to design storage solutions while maximizing space is a difficult undertaking for anyone. Most people find themselves overwhelmed with the constraints of their room size or confused by the amount of products that are available and what would be best for their space. From finding storage products that enhance the style of your bathroom that are still highly functional to understanding the underlying source of your storage issues, creating a storage solution can be a challenging project for even a very experienced home renovator.

The Importance of Well Designed Bathrooms

Next to the kitchen, the bathroom is the main room that will draw potential buyers to purchase a home. This is why it is absolutely critical that your bathroom appear as functional and appealing as possible. Investing in adequate storage solutions is a great investment as most buyers are typically seeking a well organized bathroom. In order to get the most for your renovation money. It may help to call in a professional bathroom designer or an organization specialist. These professionals will have ideas on the latest products for your storage solution as well as having tools to help you view various options.

 Whether you are considering a major reconfiguration of your bathroom or just some additional shelving. Professional software can take the dimensions of your translate them in to your improvement ideas. This visualization can often change the direction of a project as homeowners realize what they thought would work might not be the best option. A professional would be able to help you make the right decisions about your project, materials, dimensions and style.

Getting to the Root of the Issue for many homeowners that start out thinking they don’t have enough storage space in their bathrooms, finding the source of the storage issue should be the first stop in the design phase. Having difficulty finding storage for towels is a lot different than lacking storage for dozens of cosmetics and hair products. Deciding whether you want concealed storage or open storage will be another big decision and will depend on the type of items you struggle to find a home for in your bathroom.

There are custom drawer inserts available for existing bathroom cabinets that can be a grate option for small cosmetics that you find yourself stacking on top of each other only to have them topple over every time the drawer opens or closes. Under sink space may also be underutilized if the cabinet is too deep. This provides an opportunity to use roll-out shelving or removable storage containers. There also may be under used space right above a toilet which can be great for shallow shelves or a cupboard for storing extra toilet paper, tissue or cleaning suppliers.

Tricks of the Trade

When it comes to bathroom storage design, one of the key facets is utilizing every square inch of a bathroom without making it look as if you have used every square inch. Creating shelving that is vertical is one of the tricks bathroom designers will utilize which actually provides a feeling that the room is taller and therefore larger than it really is. There are other options which can help to ‘steal’ space you didn’t know you had. An experienced contractor may be able to find space between wall studs that is not impacted by plumbing or electrical where you can add custom, built in shelving. You can use this space openly or attach a cupboard door to conceal the contents, similar to a medicine cabinet.

 Many small bathrooms will only have a pedestal sink which offers no storage. There are some simple storage options that people may not have considered, such as utilizing decorative baskets that can sit on the floor to hold towels. There is a wide assortment of decorative storage boxes and baskets available that may be perfect for your space and can hide the extra hair products and cosmetics. Just be sure when selecting your container that it can hold up to the humidity of a bathroom environment.

For larger bathrooms that simply do not have the right flow, there are a number of design tricks that can be used to maximize your space. If you are planning to replace your sink cabinet, you might select one that is actually 4-6 inches higher than the current cabinet. Many cabinets were built to standard specifications, but most custom and higher end bathrooms have elevated sink cabinets. This serves two purposes, one being that the sink is more ergonomically situated for its general purpose of hand and face washing and then secondly, the added height will provide for more storage.

The size of your Project

Before heading in to the home improvement store, take a look at your bathroom cabinet and see if you are fully utilizing all the storage beneath the sink, or if you mostly have extra soap and shampoo bottles that don’t stack well. Rather than replacing the whole cabinet, an added shelving layer might make a huge difference in your space usage. Another common storage issue is wet towels and where to hang them. If they aren’t slung over the top of the shower door then they are piled on the floor. If you have a glass door shower, check to see if you can add a towel bar across the door which is a great way to make up for a lack of wall space.

Some homeowners have waited so long to deal with their bathroom storage issue that they really just want to rip the whole thing out and start over. If you have the time and money to invest in this project, it almost always brings a return on your investment when it comes to re-sale. If you want to see how much you can do on a small budget to solve your need for a medicine cabinet, cosmetic counter and linen closet, a consultation with a professional would still be strongly advised due to the sheer complexities of space, plumbing and electricity that are involved with bathroom renovations or project installations. Some simple storage fixes may be all that you need rather than an entire overhaul.

Update Your Bathroom for Latest Trends

You don’t have the time, money or inclination to give your bathroom a complete makeover, but you do want to update it. How can you update your bathroom without spending a lot of money on a full bathroom renovation? A little DIY “elbow grease” and a few touches here and there may be all it takes to give your bathroom a facelift.

Don’t Replace – Refresh

The biggest difference between cleaning a bathroom and cleaning any other room in the house is that a bathroom is a wet room. As such, it has special cleaning needs that other rooms don’t require. Mold accumulates in the tile grouting and soap scum gradually builds up on tiles, your shower screen and even on fittings like your shower head. If your bathroom is looking a little dingy, mould and shop scum may be the culprits and a little “spring cleaning” may be in order.

There  are some tips that can help you make your bathroom sparkle again:

Maintaining Your Shower Screen shows how to make your shower screen shine again using a solution of white vinegar and water.

If you have ceramic tiles in your bathroom, check out How o Clean Ceramic Tiles and learn the best ways to clean and maintain ceramic floor and wall tiles.

How to Maintain Stone Tiles will tell you want you need to know about maintaining and cleaning stone tiles.

If you start your bathroom update with a thorough cleaning, you’ll be much better able to see what else needs to be done.

Don’t Replace – Resurface

Now that you shower screen and tiles are sparking, do your bathtub and sink look dingy? You can give them a good scrub, but if they’re scratched, chipped, stained and/or faded, more drastic action may be called for. Before you call in the wrecking crew, though, consider getting quotes from bath& basin resurfacing specialists. They can make your tub and sink look like new again and even change their colour, giving your bathroom a whole new look. Better yet, resurfacing costs a fraction of the price of replacing a bathtub and basin.

Perform Painting Magic

There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint or two for updating your living room or bathroom. The sane thing is true in the bathroom. You may have liked that soothing pale blue wall colour 5 years ago, but is it putting you to sleep today? Have a look at the bathroom design ideas on our photo pages and be inspired by all the bathroom colour schemes that are in vogue today. Choose your favorite, contact your local paint supplier and perform painting magic in your bathroom.

“That’s a great idea, but my tiles don’t match the paint colour I want,” you say? Well, there’s a solution for that, too. If you want more professional result, tile resurfacing specialists can perform the same magic on your tiles that bath & basin resurfaces can perform on your tub and sink.

Don’t forget the Details

By updating your bathroom on a budget, you probably have enough money left add a few details that can make all the difference to your bathroom. For example, consider replacing your shower head with a modern water saving shower head. Unlike old style water saving shower heads that basically saved water simply by restricting the flow of water, modern versions cleverly work by improving the way water flows out of the shower head. Imagine the refreshing fall of rain and you get the idea.

When you update your bathroom this way, by cleaning, refreshing, resurfacing and repainting instead of replacing, you can save thousands of dollars and have a bathroom that looks as good as new. Now, why not have a nice shower in your new bathroom and treat yourselves to a night out? You deserve it.

Modern day Kitchen Chimney care

A kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a house and a lady of the house is known by how beautiful the kitchen she keeps. Moreover the food in India is very aromatic. Just a simple cooking leads to the spread of fumes in all the rooms.

The electric chimney have answer to this problem by making kitchen and then home a smokeless one. So among other appliances chimney are very important ad make a home complete.

Most of the people think that kitchen chimney are only for the show but they are unaware of the fact that everything is this world has some advantages and some disadvantages as well. Likewise kitchen chimney also have some advantages in our kitchen work. Undoubtedly, they tend to keep your kitchen clean with the various latest functionality they have in them.

Electric chimneys are an efficient way of removing smoke and odor compared to exhaust fans from a kitchen. For one thing, an exhaust fan will remove the fumes from your kitchen but not before it goes to your eyes. An electric chimney, on the other hand, is your ticket to cooking wholesome tadka meals without suffering from watery eyes.

The order advantage is that it will save the ceiling (area right above the gas) from being marked with everything you’ve cooked in the week. There are two types of chimneys that you can choose from traditional and designer. The traditional is for the utilitarian users, who want a chimney purely for their smoke absorbing abilities, while the designer chimney are for those who along with the utilitarian aspect want a chimney that enhances the décor of their kitchen. In other words, Traditional chimney is for those users who basically focus on performance with looks that makes your kitchen look elegant.

Kinds of Chimneys

There are number of brands in the Indian market which offer a grate variety of Kitchen chimneys. Two kinds of chimneys which are usually found in the India are Baffle Filters are considered to be better than the metal grease filters in terms of Indian cooking style as baffle filters contain overlapped filters which suck the grease out with their sucking capacity. Metal grease filters have the tendency to suck the grease in proportions.

Feature to keep in mind while going for Electric Chimney

Air Suction Capacity: This refers to the motors capacity to suck the odor and oily vapor and is measured as m3 per hour. An electric chimney with a higher air suction capacity is ideal for an Indian home as the cooking involves a lot of frying. For heavy cooking such as non vegetarian food or deep frying go for HIGH SUCTION above 401 m3/hr. for normal cooking go for MEDIUM air suction capacity at 400 m3/hr and below.

Number of blowers: The blowers run simultaneously with the motors to provide effective exhaust of unwanted smells and oil vapours at different speeds, thus providing better operation at lower noise levels. Higher numbers of blowers ensure more effective removal of unwanted smells, oil and grease. If your cooking largely involves deep frying, than going in for more number of blowers is a better option.

Size: Consider the size of Electric Chimneys before buying, generally they are available in two sizes – 60 cms and 90 cms.

Modes/Fitting

Ducting

In the ducting mode, heavier particles of Oil/grease/spice are trapped in the baffle / mesh filter, and the smoke/fumes are ducted out of the house. Ducting requires PVC pipes. Since this is a permanent fixture, it also requires some carpentry work. But this is a good solution for those who don’t want to spend time and money on changing their charcoal filters every now and then. It is a one-time investment unlike the charcoal filters.

For ducting check details like pipe diameter, ducting length, maximum number of bends your ducting pipe can have from your manufacturer to ensure reliability.

Recycling

In recycling mode, heavier particles of Oil/grease/spice are trapped in the baffle / mesh filter, and the smoke/fumes are filtered through the activated charcoal filter. The clean, deodorized air is then recalculated into the room.

 A few tips to remember

While Cleaning: Cleaning is easier depending upon the filter design of the chimney – mesh filters should be washed in warm detergent water every 8-10 days. Baffle filters need to be cleaned in warm detergent water every 2-3 weeks., charcoal filters need to be changed every 3-4 months. These time period are for regular use.

Install the chimney at a lower heights so that you can easily reach to clean. And also be effective in getting the smoke out.

It is recommended that the chimney should be at least 4 feet above the appliance cooking surface.

Innovative Cabinet Accents for the Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of any home, and like all things pertaining to the heart it’s the little things that make the difference. Whether it’s intricately detailed glass inserts, decorative molding, creative lighting, designer hardware of innovative storage solutions, choosing the right finishing touches can truly make the room your own.

Whether your style is traditional or contemporary, glass cabinetry inserts will add an element of sophistication and style to your kitchen design. From classic to textured, etched or camed, glass inserts create a feeling of open space within the cabinetry while showcasing your serving ware.

Interior cabinet lighting helps you easily locate cooking essentials or elegantly showcase stemware. Make food prep easier by illuminating counter space with under cabinet task lighting. If  you want to create a soft light above or below your cabinets, you’ll want to consider linkable puck lighting and strip sets. Look for interior cabinet lighting, which automatically illuminates the space each time you open a door or cabinet drawer. For a more elegant statement, mount decorative task lighting over your cabinets and shelves.

Very few decorative accents can transform a room quite like moldings. Decorative moldings provide your cabinetry and furniture with style and structure to create an overall graceful balance throughout the room. Here are some molding ideas to consider when designing your new cabinets:

● Above cabinet molding evokes a certain style and creates height in your kitchen by carrying the beauty of the cabinetry to the ceiling.

● Elegant at-ceiling molding gives your cabinetry a traditional feel with a contemporary twist.

● Don’t forget to dress up the bottom of your cabinets with decorative molding.

● Ornaments, onlays and corbels add decorative detail to wall hoods, cabinet fronts, ceiling treatments and above cabinet moldings.

The kitchen’s wall hood creates a focal point in your kitchen, whether it’s over the island where the family gathers or above the range where the cook prepares a meal. Today’s style trends call for wall hoods in beautiful wood or streamlined stainless steel.

If you want your wine collections to be incorporated into your kitchen design, you should check the specialty storage options of your cabinet manufacturer. They are known for creating custom wine racks and cabinets so you can properly store and showcase your wine collections.

When it comes to storage options, the list is endless for food, tableware, preparation, cooking and clean up. You’ll find a wide range of cabinet and drawer sizes when it comes to roll-out trays, rotating shelves, drawer dividers and organizers.

Streamlined and refined or elegantly detailed, most cabinet manufacturers offer a wide selection of decorative knobs, pills and coordinating accents to add the finishing touch to your cabinetry selection. You can also choose from materials like stainless steel, brass, pewter, iron, ceramic or hardwood stained to match your cabinetry.