When it comes to relaxation especially after a long busy day, the bathroom becomes the first ideal spot. But for it to be the ideal spot, you must turn it into a wonderful space.

Installing modern-day bathrooms vanities will do trick since it will give your bathroom that majestic touch.

Given the numerous designs present in the market, it can be extremely hard to find the perfect one that’s ideal for your needs. But worry not, below are some things to reflect on when you set out to shop for bathroom vanities.

Bathroom Theme

What is the theme set for your bathroom? That is the question you ought to ask before purchasing bathroom vanities. They come in different designs and it is important to ensure that the design matches comfortably with your bathroom theme.

Vanities with dark shades are best suited for bathroom themes that have light or bright color shades. All white vanities are perfect for an all-white theme.

If you are unsure do in-depth online research or ask around from interior design experts for tips. The aim is to find the best vanity that will be in harmony with your bathroom theme style. Additionally, while doing your research also lookout for the best prices that suit your budget.

Bathroom Space

It’s quite vital to figure out the space of your bathroom beforehand. Try taking measurements of the walls, flooring, and doors from every angle. Doing that will give you an idea of what kind of vanity to incorporate and how to do it.

The size of your bathroom will determine the type and size of bathroom vanity to shop for. For instance, if you have a small-sized bathroom, the best vanity to go for is a single free-standing or floating vanity with ample storage space as they use up less space. With a big sized bathroom, you have the option of installing several such vanities at different places to maximize the large space.

Storage Capacity

Bathroom vanities come in different designs. Some have large storage capacity while others have a small storage capacity. The former is much ideal since it allows you to store your bathroom items without the need to clamp them up in small spaces. What’s more one with 3 or 4 sliding drawers or shelf is the best as you will be able to store more items on it. Extra storage capacity in the bathroom always comes in handy especially if you are sharing it with many people.

Countertop Materials

When it comes to choosing countertop materials for your bathroom vanity, consider durable and catchy styles. They bring balance and life to your bathroom space especially if they combine well with your overall bathroom theme.

Some common countertop materials include marble, timber, granite, acrylic resin, ceramic tiles, Corian and so forth. For the vintage theme, a timber countertop is the best option. When choosing the ideal one, you ought to consider, theme, compatibility, and durability.

That way you won’t end up being in a situation where you buy something that doesn’t meet your standards. Also, ensure that the countertop material you decide to go for is one that you can comfortably maintain.

Space planning is very important because it helps you ensure that whatever space you wish to use for a particular project is properly utilized. The bathroom space is a necessary part of every building, and sometimes people get confused about how to properly manage the bathroom space to end up with a functional bathroom. You also need to know how to use your large bathroom space without wasting space.

In this article, we will discuss the vital things that will help you start the process of effective bathroom space planning. Let’s get started:

1. The Size of The Bathroom Space: Size matters a lot in the aspect of bathroom space planning. The size of the bathroom determines what you can place in the bathroom. If you have a large bathroom space, you can decide to have a tub, a shower, multiple cabinets, and an elaborate vanity. If you have a small bathroom space, getting all of that is a bad idea. You may want to get a pedestal style washbasin, a simple shower or tub, and perhaps a small medicine cabinet.
2. The Number of Persons: The number of persons that will make use of the bathroom is a significant factor that influences the style in which you choose to plan your bathroom space. If you use the bathroom alone, you may decide to plan it to your taste, but if the bathroom is shared with someone else, you have to make sure you plan the space to be as convenient as possible for another person. You can decide to have an enclosed compartment for the toilet so that one person can be using the toilet while the other person is having a shower, and there is a level of privacy.
3. The Budget: It is essential to consider the amount of money available to you while planning your bathroom space. The quality and number of items you put in the bathroom depend on what you can afford. If your budget is quite low, it will be a good idea to keep the bathroom layout simple and stick to the necessities. If your budget is on the high side, then you can get expensive bathroom tiles, marble bathtubs, high-end bathroom vanities Sydney, and other extravagant bathroom equipment.
4. Storage: It is essential to consider where you are going to keep things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and other stuff while planning your bathroom layout. Extra storage is essential, whether it is an overhead cabinet or a medicine cabinet.
5. Lighting and Ventilation: This can be a very tricky situation. You need the bathroom to be a bright and airy space, but you also need your privacy. That’s why you can’t get a big window in the bathroom. It is essential to plan for proper artificial lighting and a fan, so you can get the ventilation and the lighting you need. This will allow you to get a standard size window so you can still maintain your privacy.

With all these factors in mind, you will know where to place the necessary bathroom elements like the bathtub, toilet, counter, bathroom vanity, etc. and create a suitable bathroom plan.

Bathroom vanity units are an attention-grabbing installment when it comes to bathroom design. This is why it is important that once you have your bathroom vanity, you must know how to install it properly. Here, we will provide you a step by step guide on how to install your bathroom vanity unit:

1. First, you have to shut off the water. Before you do so, turn off the faucet so that any water pressure in it is released completely when you shut it off.
2. The next thing you should do is disconnect the water lines. Prepare a bucket nearby your pipes to catch any residual water on the plumbing,
3. If you are replacing an old bathroom vanity unit, what you need to do is remove the top sink or countertop. You have to cut through the sealant and use a chisel and hammer so that you can release it. Then, loosen the screws to detach the bathroom vanity cabinet. Once the old bathroom vanity unit is removed, clean up and do some painting or patching up if necessary. Removing the old vanity unit may cause damage to the wall so check out if the paint is chipped or there are holes.
4. Measure the width and height of the new bathroom vanity unit and mark the dimensions on the wall.
5. Build the cabinet or shelving part of the unit first then secure it to the wall with screws.
6. Make sure that you install the faucet first before you attach the sink and countertop of the bathroom vanity unit.
7. Use caulk to secure the countertop on the cabinet. Press firmly so that the caulk will stick the two parts. Let it set and dry.
8. Once the caulk is dry, you can reattach the plumbing. Make sure that everything fits well.
9. Lastly, add caulking around the countertop.

Reasons to DIY your installment

When you do the installment on your own, you get to save money. Hiring professionals to do the job will just be an additional expense. You also get the satisfaction of knowing that the job was done with your best effort. Although it will take longer for you to set up the bathroom vanity unit yourself. Just make sure that you have everything you need near you before you start so you can finish as soon as possible.

When should you get professional help?

Of course, there are cases where it is a better idea to hire a professional to do the job for you such as complicated bathroom vanity unit styles like hanging ones. Another case is when you realize you will need to do plumbing work. When you decide to hire a contractor for the job, make sure you choose a good one. Ask for their professional experience, licensing, and insurance. This will help you ensure that they are qualified to do the job.

There are so many cool basement ideas that one can easily implement and make their basement a better place. The basement is usually, a largely underutilized space which is used to store junk and items of the house that have sentimental value but no practical use and cannot be thrown away. But if one can bring oneself to make a careful analysis of what is in the basement and evaluate and throw away what is absolutely not required, then you can think about transforming the basement into another room for the house – which not only adds value to the home but is also a good way to utilize extra space. The best part about a basement room is that you can always make it into your own space. A basement is often used as a “man-cave” for growing boys and adult men. Which means that they take their pool tables, their bars, their dart boards and their home theaters into a space that is solely for their private enjoyment and space. Home owners can also think about making the basement into a spare bedroom, a guestroom, an extra bathroom, a family room and so on and so forth. Look up cool basement ideas for your home online and ensure that you do not overspend on the décor and repair.

Interesting and cool basement ideas

Some of the best cool basement ideas can be found online where you will easily find tons of pictures and tutorials to show you exactly how to go about it. A great way to utilize basement space is to turn your basement into a family room, and this is especially useful if you have a family that is large and there are many kids. Make the basement into a warm and appealing place which is done up with beautiful colors, warm colored rugs or mats in yellow or orange or red, the walls can also be done up in such colors and made to look warm and inviting. Have a television set placed on the wall, and have shelves around for the rest of the home theater paraphernalia – speakers etc. You can also have Styrofoam tiles installed on the walls and on the ceiling to make the room soundproof and make the acoustics in the room better. You can also build your own bar into this basement, and cover the ceiling with appropriate lighting, interesting tiles to fortify it etc. There are plenty of great ideas for basements, you only have to look.

Cool basement ideas for kids

Cool basement ideas for kids involve turning the basement into their personal paradise. If you have little girls, you can easily turn the basement into a ballet room or a room for dance practice. All you will need is to install bars to hold on to and large mirrors. You can even make the basement into a room for band practice if you have young gentlemen at home who enjoy strumming on their guitars or practicing on their drums. For this reason you might also consider acoustic or Styrofoam sound proofing tiles for the wall or the ceiling. You can also turn the basement into a private indoor swimming pool though that would be a very difficult thing if you do not have the right kind of house plan for it. And before you pick out any cool ideas for the basement you will have to see how much repair work has to be done and factor in that cost into your remodeling scheme. Check out cool basement remodels online to get a good idea of how to exactly make your basement look appealing.

Basement wall systems are a fabulous way to start remodeling your basement because this will ensure that your basement can be transformed into a beautiful space – using materials that are suitable for the walls of the basement. You can completely transform your basement using wall panels that are made from certain materials, in a way that it makes the walls of the room even more reinforced and well maintained. Usually, even when a basement is used as an extra room, it is not furnished well, neither is it decorated suitably. Usually, what happens is, there is a pool table and a few chairs there, and the rest of the basement is all about exposed pipes and dusty and grimy corners. Since the basement is in the very foundation of the house, it is evident that there will be inevitable damage from the damp, thanks to the existence of the water table there. Mildew and damp are the worst enemies of any room and can cause major allergies to the people in it, so if you are thinking of transforming the bedroom into any room then it has to be that the walls are made damp and mold proof and this is only possible if you do a thorough renovation and change the whole basement wall systems.

Basement wall systems can be DIY projects

Think of setting up basement wall systems as a fun DIY project to take up. Of course this will ensure that for at least a major part of the month, your weekends will go for a toss, you will be covered in saw dust all the time and you will be exhausted at the end of every day. However, the sense of achievement that will come after you have changed the basement into a beautiful room will be unparalleled. Choose the material of the wall panels that will form part of your wall systems depending on what room you want to transform your basement into. For example, Styrofoam or acoustic panels for a room which would be a home theater for the family – the sound will be rendered sharper inside the room and the sounds outside will be filtered in to a very large extent. You have to obviously y have a sense of carpentry and basic idea of building if you want to take this up as a DIY project and the measurements of the wall paneling and the system as a whole needs to be very carefully done because you have to factor in the plumbing and the pipes etc.  Make an estimate of basement wall systems cost before you start on your project.

Basement wall systems for your home

Once you have decided to remodel you basement with basement wall systems it would be a good idea to make a very thorough recce of all the options available for the wall paneling. There are many companies who offer a complete basement remodeling job within the span of two weeks and if you want to get your basement ready in time for that big party you plan to throw then you should get in touch with them as soon as possible. Wahoo walls basement wall system is supposed to be very good and come highly recommended by people who have taken their services. It makes sense to opt for a brand name because you will not only be assured of quality products but you will also ensure that you get professional help to set it up along with a warranty and any after care services. Wall basement systems are a very good idea for the basement and a great way to utilize the space that is in it.

Picking the best flooring for basement will take a little bit of time and effort on your part because a thorough understanding of your basement and the existing flooring is required.  You must assess whether your basement already has flooring, if so what is wrong with it, and factor in the process of stripping the existing floor off before laying down a new one. You also have to see if the basement floor is a dry one or whether it is prone to water leaking and subsequent damp. The climate that your home is in, is another factor that you have to consider. While doing your research find out what would be the ideal kind of flooring for your basement, what material you have to choose for it and what material you should avoid. Before deciding on new flooring and laying it down be sure to ensure that the basement area is dry and ideally it should remain so all year around for the flooring to stay sound. The best part about basement floors is that there is a lot of variety to choose from where floor tiles are concerned and you can get the best flooring for basement at a very competitive price if you make the effort of doing a bit of research before buying.

What is the best flooring for basement?

One can get any type of flooring for the basement, given the climate of the home – the first thing that must be taken into account is whether the basement is waterproof or not. There are cement flooring options,  hardwood veneers, laminates, porcelain and ceramic tiles for the basement floor etc. – and what you choose will be determined by what kind of look you are aiming for. There are any options that enable a home owner to get creative – for example, if one suffers from excessive rain or other water related issues such as flooding and so on, then you can paint or merely stain a cement floor which will not be damaged by the water. You can use stencils to draw patterns on cement floors – and you can also exercise your own creativity by drawing on them. If the home is in a climate that is susceptible to high humidity then it is best to have flooring made out of vinyl or linoleum which is also available in a wide variety of designs. These are easy to install as well and can be bought off the roll. Of course, ceramic or porcelain tiling is a great option if you want the basement floor to look highly sophisticated. These are the best flooring for basement renovation if you want a high end look.

Things to keep in mind when installing best flooring for basement

Depending on how expensive you want your basement project to be, choose the best flooring for basement accordingly. While ceramic or porcelain tiling is very beautiful do not forget it is also pretty expensive. If you want a water resistant floor then you will need to invest in linoleum or vinyl which is less expensive. You will also ensure that the basement floor is not uneven or cracked before you install your flooring because then the tiling might crack.  Having spent so much on best flooring for basement remodel, you do not want that to happen. For example, if you choose laminate flooring for your basement and you live in a humid climate where floods are normal a normal occurrence then you might not get your money’s worth as the laminate might crack, warp or buckle. And if you want a foolproof method of basement flooring – go for carpeting – easy to install, without the hassle of cracks, etc.

The cost of finishing basement will depend on just how much repair you have to do where the basement is concerned and what exactly you want to do with the basement in the first place. The basement is a very under-utilized space largely because people generally tend to use it to store items of their home which are not practical or useful at all and are instead valuable only when you consider the sentimental aspect of it. These items are usually stored in disintegrating boxes, the basement has one meager light bulb since no one really goes there and there is usually just one window for ventilation. If the basement has to be converted into a room, it means that it must be dusted and cleaned thoroughly so that you do not have to suffer and allergies. Secondly, the items in the basement need to be sorted well – even if they are of sentimental value, if they are taking up space and have absolutely no use then it is ideal that they be donated or sold to charity. So do a proper recce of your basement and clear it out as much as possible. Next you will have to repair any cracks or leaks or damp spots and also install more lights and perhaps more windows for ventilation purposes. All this will cost money so figure out the cost of finishing basement after you have estimated cost of repair.

Estimate cost of finishing basement

The cost of finishing basement will depend on what room you want the basement to be transformed into. There are many options for a basement and they include an extra room, a play room, a guest bedroom, a home theater, a family room or even a separate bathroom with maybe sauna, Jacuzzi and steam shower features.  Once you have figured out what kind of room you want, you will be able to estimate the cost of the transformation and finishing. For example, turning the basement into a new bathroom will obviously be more expensive because you will have to consider new plumbing, new tiles, installing shower heads, taps, and bath tubs and so on. If you want to turn the basement into a home theater you might have to invest in speakers, in wall mounted television sets, extra wiring and so forth. You might even need to install new tiles on the ceiling etc. and if it is a basement then you probably have to install a drop ceiling or a suspended ceiling as well. The total basement finishing cost will depend on how well you plan your basement transformation.

Different cost of finishing basement

The cost of finishing basement will only be determined once you have made an estimate of the repair costs. Once that is done, you can think about how to reign in finishing costs. For example, you can avoid going in for expensive tiles etc, and instead use ceramic tiles which have been used for any other tiling work. Spread out a colorful carpet instead of making use of tiles on the floor, if your basement floor is damaged and you must refurbish it then use linoleum instead of expensive material – linoleum is inexpensive comparatively and extremely durable. If there is a pole in the middle of the basement that you cannot do without, instead of taking it off – which will cost more – attach a snack bar table to it for a quirky basement accessory. You can also think about having bean bags and mattresses on the floor instead of actual furniture, which will also cost less. Low cost basement finishing is not hard to come by.

Cheap basement ideas are all over the internet and they are extremely fun to work with. As anyone will tell you, a basement is a largely underutilized space. Most houses use their basements to store unwanted furniture and stuff which has sentimental value but no practical use. As a result, a basement is almost always a dingy space, full of cobwebs and damp spots, filled with furniture shrouded in sheets, or boxes that are falling apart. The basement is also seldom well ventilated, the walls are seldom finished and the only light fixture that it usually has is a naked light bulb swinging ominously in the middle of the basement. Once the decision has been taken to transform the basement into something different – into another room that can actually add value to the house, it would be a good idea to make all the necessary repairs first. At the very end of the remodeling process comes the process of finishing which is also very important – because this gives you a basement room that is well decorated and appealing to be in. Therefore it is not a good idea to figure out what room exactly you would want in the basement and plan the finishing accordingly. Cheap basement ideas are aplenty and will help you get the basement of your dreams, right out of a catalog!

Creative cheap basement ideas

Cheap basement ideas involve transforming the basement using the items and materials around that are easily available and cheap to buy. These involve using window frames as dividers for the basement, buying furniture for it at distress or clearance sales and then refurbishing it, choosing upholstery from the thrift store, making the most of your own skills by building your own furniture or making your own upholstery. You can get great cheap ideas for the basement off the internet and then implement them in your own home.  You can easily buy a pool table at a thrift store, or make one, if you are planning for the basement to be an entertainment room for the family or a game room. If you want it to be a spare bedroom you can fashion or buy a sofa cum bed, so that it serves a dual purpose. Choose beautiful old lamp shades at antique stores and make the basement look lovely in the evening when you switch them on – fashion pretty and interesting lights by using old bottles of whiskey etc. Cheap basement decorating really involves a bit of creativity and a resourceful mind.

Choosing appropriate cheap basement ideas

Cheap basement ideas should be carefully chosen so that the money that is spent on décor is well spent and you do not have to regret your decision later. For example, if you have decided to make the basement into another room for the house then you have to ensure that the basement has no problem with water leakage or dampness as is the case usually with most basements. This is because, since the basement is in the very foundation of the house, the water table might be the source of damp spots or leaking water in which case you will have to repair cracks in the walls etc. as well.  Then, be sure that the house plan allows for extra installment and building of windows, putting in of light fixtures, plumbing etc. because you will need all this if the basement is to be made into a livable area. Cheap basement decorating ideas include installing a suspended ceiling and putting in overhead light bulbs to give the room a warm glow. Painting one wall as a feature wall or laying beautiful ceramic floor tiles and so on.

Wondering what the cost of finishing a basement will be like? Well the first thing that has to be done is to make a careful analysis of the various pros and cons of remodeling your basement. You will have to make an estimate of how much damage it has suffered over the years and how much repair it will entail. The basement, being in the very foundation of the house, tends to suffer a lot of water damage, thanks to the water table. Therefore, damp spots, damp patches on the wall, peeling paint, fungus and cracks on the walls are common problems that all basement face. If the basement is to be transformed into another room for the house then it has to be repaired so that there are no damp spots or cracks or leaks. The electricity in the basement also has to be well secured to ensure there is no hazard and the  plumbing has to be very well taken care of so that pipes don’t spring a leak. The best part about a basement that is made into another room is that the space that is there – which is usually considerable, is used in a proper fashion. Do not let the cost of finishing a basement deter you from making the basement into an optimized space.

Factors in the cost of finishing a basement

The cost of finishing a basement will involve many factors, including repair work and what exactly you want to do with the basement. Decide first, what you want the basement to be and depending on that the cost will rise or fall. For example, if you want the basement to be transformed into a simple play area for kids, all you really need to do is install a few shelves and shift the contents of the boxes onto them, and clean up the area well. Then add a carpet, a bean bag and a television to the mix, install lights and carve out a window so that there is enough natural ventilation. This will not cost you as much as say, transforming the basement to make it your own personal home theater. For that you will have to add special effects like speakers and perhaps a power recliner, Styrofoam or acoustic wall panels to make it soundproof, plush chairs, lush carpeting and such like. It is a good idea to get a basement finishing cost estimate and then figure out how much you are willing to spend and on what.

How to estimate cost of finishing a basement

When you want to estimate the cost of finishing a basement it is a good idea to first get an idea of what the repairs will cost. That is usually a major chunk of the cost. Once that is out of the way you can ensure that your other costs can be contained because then it is up to you what you want to spend on. For example, say you have a basement floor that has been damaged by water – you will have made the necessary repairs and you will not be able to scrimp on anything. However, once the basic repair has been done and the damage has been contained you can choose whether you want to spend a bomb on the kind of flooring you want to lay out or whether you want a basic but simple style. This will determine your overall cost. Then if you wish to have fancy tiles or textured paint, the cost will go up. Depending on what your budget is, you can buy whatever decoration items you need. Consider typical basement finishing costs when you start remodeling.

The cost to finish basement will depend on two main elements essentially – one, how much money you will have to spend on the repair of the basement, and therefore the amount of damage your basement has suffered over the years will factor into your budget. Secondly, the cost will depend on what exactly you want to do with your basement – depending on what you want to transform the basement into, you will have to spend money accordingly on tiles, paint, fixtures etc. The basement is often left unadorned and sparsely decorated because it is not used as a room in the house. It is used to store items that are no longer of any use in the house but cannot be thrown away because they have a sentimental value attached to them. However, if you want to transform your basement into a working room that adds value to your home overall, then you will need to be a little harsh and let go of all the various items of the house that are absolutely useless and are just gathering dust and grime. Give them away, donate to charity, and hold a garage sale – whatever suits you. Once you have de-cluttered the basement, you can figure out what to do with it and accordingly fix the budget around the cost to finish basement.

Factors that go into cost to finish basement

When you are trying to figure out cost to finish basement, it might be a good idea to first make an assessment of how much repair work your basement entails. Being in the very foundation of the house, the basement is sure to have some amount of water damage from the water table – the damp spots and leaks are all hall marks of popular basement issues. Wiring, plumbing, pipes, cracks, shoddy paint etc. are all problems you will need to address. You cannot think about scrimping where repair work is concerned, especially if you are thinking about making a room out of the basement because you will want it to be absolutely perfect in terms of safety and livability. Once the repairs have been made, you will need to ensure that the basement is well ventilated as well. Basements generally have one window and this will not do if you want to make it into a room. Installing another window ( or two) putting in fixtures etc. making sure that the water pipes don’t leak and all that will take a fair bit of money. You cannot help that expenditure but you can certainly control what comes next and therefore manage the finished basement price.

How to manage cost to finish basement

The cost to finish basement can be curtailed once you have finished with the repair. The basement can double up as many things – as a nanny’s room, a guest bedroom, a play room for the kids in the house, a beautiful spa space for personal use, a steam and sauna room, a home room, a home theater, a room for band practice – and some people have even gone so far as to install a swimming pool in their basement. Depending on what you want to do with your basement, your costs will rise. For example, if it is a matter of turning the basement into a kids room, all you will need to do is to throw down a few comfy rugs, a few throw pillows, a large mattress and install a few shelves for the kids to keep their stuff on. However, if you want the basement to be transformed into a home theater or a room for music practice you might have to install Styrofoam or acoustic tiles on the walls or on the ceiling, and this would be a little hard on the pocket as compared to the former option. A cost to finish basement calculator might prove to be helpful.