The Citizen, 2005-10-20, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2005.
Explore hot trends for baths
After kitchen renovations, several
sources point to bathroom
improvements as a surefire way to
add value and “sellability” to your
home. It’s one of the few projects
you can do that will provide about a
90 per cent return on your initial
investment, should you choose to
sell later. But where to start?
If you’re interested in setting your
home apart from others, consider
these hot bathroom trends.
• Jack and Jill baths: You’ve
probably heard of adjoining rooms
when vacationing. Weil a Jack and
Jill bathroom operates on a similar
premise. It is a bathroom centrally
located between two rooms, with
entry to the bathroom located in each
room. Often times, there is no
entryway to the bathroom from a
hallway or the rest of the living
space.
Typically, these types of baths are
used as a young kid’s bathroom and
will connect two kids’ rooms (think
of the shared bath from The Brady
change its ambiance. When a
window is not possible, consider
skylights or sun tunnels, also known
as tubular skylights.
Skylights come in many varieties
and can lie flush or be domed on the
roof. There are stationary models
that don’t open or those that open to
allow in fresh air. Sun tunnels are
tubes (like mini skylights) that run
from the roof through to the ceiling
of the bathroom.
They are practical when attic
space or architectural details of the
home don’t allow for the installation
of traditional skylights. These
tunnels resemble recessed lighting
fixtures, with the sun providing the
illumination.
• Water closets: A small room that
houses strictly a toilet within the
existing bathroom is cropping up in
many homes. This allows the toilet
io be separate from the rest of the
bath area, enabling two people to use
the bathroom at the same time.
Larger master bath suites often
have the space to house the water
closet. Water closets can also be
more expansive to include a sink.
They can be nestled under a
staircase, in a basement, or where
space is at a premium.
• Dressing areas and decorative
vanities: Bathrooms are becoming
an area of retreat and, as such,
dressing tables, separate dressing
closets and vanities are often part of
the design scheme. Traditional sink
and vanity fixtures are giving way to
renovated chests and other
“furniture” that house a faucet and
wash basin. The result is a cozy,
decorated feel instead of the sterile
environment that is often associated
with a bathroom.
• Separate showers: A shower
separate from the tub is also gaining
in popularity. These showers may
come equipped with a steam option
and a sitting area to mimic the steam
room of a spa. Others are fashioned
with multi-head faucets that allow
for an all-over cascade of water.
Bunch). Jack and Jill bathrooms are
fun for your children, enabling them
to pass into each other’s rooms “in
secret.’’ They offer a private retreat
that kids can call their own.
• Skylights and sun tunnels:
Bringing natural sunlight into an
interior bathroom can dramatically
Household tip
There are many items around the
house than can serve double-duty
and can actually be used to assist
with cleaning in addition to their
original purpose. Here are a few
interesting tips:
• To remove stickers or other
appliques from appliances (in the
event the kids decide to redecorate
without your knowledge), spray a
lubricant that is used to stop squeaks
or prevent doors from sticking (like
WD-40), and use a plastic spatula to
scrape off the stickers.
• You can give a moldy vinyl
bathroom shower curtain a new
lease on life by soaking it for a few
minutes in a bathtub of warm water
and a scoop of laundry detergent
that contains bleach.
• Burnt-on foods can be a pain to
get off of pots and pans. Use a few
denturecleaning tablets and soak
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