Bathroom Archives - MastersKitchenBath.com

Built-In Shower Seating

The luxury of designing your own bathroom is that your opportunities are endless. Within reason, depending on budget and space. Most people don’t realize how nice and convenient a built-in shower seat is until they have one. And then they wonder how they’ve lived without it for so long. In this blog post we are talking about built-in shower seat options and what to consider when you are designing your bathroom.

We’ve discussed in previous posts how glass shower doors help make spaces look larger. When you walk into a bathroom the shower is the main focal point, and the eye is drawn towards the design of the shower. The tile layout, fixtures and functionality of the shower presents that your bathroom design was well thought out. A shower seat serves several purposes like a spot for shaving legs, a seat to relax in, and a place for toiletries. The universal benefits are convenient yet simple.

Benefits of a Shower Seat

Convenience – a shower seat allows you to easily prop your leg up for shaving, store toiletries or just sit and relax while the steam fills up the shower walls.

Relaxation – release the stress of the day by relaxing in the shower. A lot of people don’t like soaking in bathtubs, so shower seats are a perfect way to relax while enjoying the cascading flow of the water. A perfect way to unwind from a busy day.

Aging – as we age and become less flexible and mobility becomes challenging, a shower seat is very helpful. By adding a few additional features like handrails and anti-slip mats, the shower seat is a smart choice. Think long term when designing your shower and also think about aging parents and guests.

Spa-like Feel – give yourself a real spa-like feel with aromatic scents in your bathroom like eucalyptus. A functional shower seat helps achieve that goal. Positioning your shower seat close to the faucet allows you to adjust the temperature conveniently so you can sit comfortably and relax.

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Masters Kitchen & Bath has been providing top quality construction, cabinetry, and design on kitchen renovations and remodeling since 2004. We coordinate and manage development, ordering, and installation. Masters helps homeowners get more enjoyment from their homes with new kitchen designs that blend beautifully with their new or existing home decor. Visualize your complete kitchen remodel by visiting our showroom. We offer consultations where our seasoned project manager will inspect your job site and offer you design suggestions that best meet your needs.

We are proud to offer beautiful, and American made Decora and Kemper Cabinets.

Can I see examples of recent bathroom remodels completed by Masters Kitchen & Bath?

Certainly! Please CLICK HERE and browse through recent examples of bathroom remodels completed by Masters Kitchen & Bath.

Masters Kitchen & Bath serve the following areas: Addison, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Melrose Park, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Northbrook, Northfield, Oak Park, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights.

October 19, 2020/by Goran

Best Bathroom Bidets

All aspects of the bathroom are important. Especially when reviewing all the elements for a bathroom remodel and figuring out where to spend more on features and when to spend less. You want the best flooring, good ventilation, best vanities, great lighting, functional showers, and when you think about toilets, they are just as important as the rest. We recently touched on this in our Smart Technology for Bathrooms blog.

We’ve briefly discussed toilets in the past, but in this week’s blog post, we are talking about bidets. You can purchase bidets with a seat only option, or you can purchase a super fancy toilet with all the bells and whistles. Let’s talk about the difference between the two.

Traditional Bidets

If you’ve traveled outside the United States, you have probably wondered why each bathroom has two commodes. One is in fact a toilet, and the other is a bidet. What exactly is a bidet? Webster’s dictionary defines a bidet: a bathroom fixture used especially for bathing the external or underside. In short, a bidet is a component equipped with a stream of water meant for post-toilet personal hygiene. Bidets are customary in homes throughout Europe and Asia. It’s shocking to some that the United States finds this hygiene habit so odd considering the fact that we are taught at such a young age to be germ free with hand-sanitizer, Lysol spray, and Clorox wipes. If a bidet is something you are considering for your bathroom remodel, you must keep in mind that an additional fixture will take up some space, so you will have to plan accordingly. Or you can choose a toilet that has a built-in bidet. Smart toilets that have a built-in bidet offer all the functions of a traditional bidet and so much more. Some top-of-line built-in options offer heated seats, dryers, deodorizers, sensors that open and close the lid and automatic flushers.

A standalone bidet can cost $300-$700. Smart toilets range from $500-$10k!

Bidet Seats

Regular toilet seats can be replaced with a bidet seat. The spray jets are inside, or under the seat which gets the job done the way a traditional bidet would. Bidet seats cost less than a bidet which make it well worth the small investment. There are two seat types: electric and non-electric. Electric bidets allow you to connect to an outlet to power a water heater or an air dryer. Bidet seats are easy to install and uses your home’s water supply. With most bidet seats, you can adjust the water pressure and temperature with a simple lever and control dial to tune the water that hits your underside. It’s important to make sure you have the correct dimensions down before making a purchase. You can purchase bidet seats on Amazon with prices ranging from $50 – $300.

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Masters Kitchen & Bath has been providing top quality construction, cabinetry, and design on kitchen renovations and remodeling since 2004. We coordinate and manage development, ordering, and installation. Masters help homeowners get more enjoyment from their homes with new kitchen designs that blend beautifully with their new or existing home decor. Visualize your complete kitchen remodel by visiting our showroom. We offer consultations where our seasoned project manager will inspect your job site, and offer you design suggestions that best meet your needs.

We are proud to offer beautiful, and American made Decora and Kemper Cabinets.

Masters Kitchen & Bath serve the following areas: Addison, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Melrose Park, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Northbrook, Northfield, Oak Park, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights.

February 26, 2020/by Milica

Bathroom

Small Bathroom, Big Feel

There are several ways to get creative when designing a small bathroom to feel bigger. In this blog post we will share some ideas that will help you achieve the look and feel you are after.

Consider the following:

1. Less is more – to achieve the look of a larger space, you will need to keep it simple. The busier the bathroom looks, the smaller it will feel. Choose decor that doesn’t have a lot going on. Simple patterns with help accomplish the feel of a bigger space. Monochromatic tones are best for smaller spaces.

2. Wall accents – you don’t need to go crazy with placing mirrors everywhere to achieve a larger look. A single mirror is plenty. Put your focus on minimal wall decor and lighter wall colors. Stay away from hectic wallpapers or colorful wall textures. Painting the ceiling the same color as the wall helps achieve that larger feel.

3. Floating cabinetry – continuous flooring helps make spaces feel larger. When choosing cabinetry for smaller spaces, consider a floating cabinet or a pedestal sink.

4. Storage options – by using your wall space and without making it look too cluttered, you can get creative with floating shelves for towels or small decorations.

5. Glass showers – a room with a view that isn’t blocked by a shower curtain. The illusion helps the space feel bigger than it is.

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Masters Kitchen & Bath has been providing top quality construction, cabinetry, and design on kitchen renovations and remodeling since 2004. We coordinate and manage development, ordering, and installation. We help homeowners get more enjoyment from their homes with new kitchen designs that blend beautifully with their new or existing home decor. Visualize your complete kitchen remodel by visiting our showroom. We offer consultations with a project manager that will inspect your job site, and offer you design suggestions that best meet your needs.

We are proud to offer beautiful, and American made Decora and Kemper Cabinets.

Masters Kitchen & Bath serve the following areas: Addison, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Melrose Park, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Northbrook, Northfield, Oak Park, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights.

February 12, 2020/by Milica

Bathroom, Bathroom Remodel

Smart Technology For Your Bathrooms

You likely have a smart T.V. so why not incorporate smart technology into your bathroom. Young homebuyers are looking for tech upgrades when purchasing a home, and studies show that they are more inclined to make an offer on a home that has automated tech upgrades vs. none at all. Tech upgrades can be found in lights, blinds or window shades, kitchen appliances, and security. So why not upgrade in one of the rooms that get the most use throughout the day?

High Tech First-Class Toilets

The Dual Flush – you can now save water and money with a dual flush toilet. The eco-friendly products allow you the option to flush with buttons or levers. One is designed for solid waste, and the other for liquid waste. Dual flush toilets can help to save up to a full gallon of water per flush.

Motion Sensored Seats – a game changer for anyone in the house that is guilty for leaving the seat up. Infared sensors monitor movements so with a simple wave of the hand, the toilet seat lifts. When the sensors recognize that the toilet is unoccupied, it closes the lid after a period of time.

Heated Seats – think about the freezing temperatures the northeastern part of the country faces each winter, and how nice it would be to have a heated toilet seat. This luxury is affordable without blowing the budget. Some home improvement stores sell heated seats for as little as $200. It may not have all the bells and whistles that Kohler’s toilet offers but at least your tush can be warm.

The Self-Cleaner – a germaphobes dream! With household self-cleaning toilets you aren’t only getting a self cleaner but also some of the benefits listed above. Unlike the public self cleaning toilets you’ve seen in major cities, these toilets don’t focus on the outside. Household self-cleaning toilets focus on the inside of the bowl keeping it clean, and deodorized.

Digital Faucets

The touchless technology is super cool but let’s not forget about the money saving benefits. With digital faucets, you save money and water by using only what you need. Some of the latest technology allows you to program timed teeth brushing options. Temperature control is also a money saving option.

Soaking Tubs

When embarking on a master bathroom remodel, homeowners are seeking a spalike experience within their own homes. They want the full relaxing experience from stand alone tubs to hightech lighting. Japanese soaking tubs have gained popularity over the years with their sitting tubs. Some models help circulate the water so it stays warm for longer periods of time. Chromotherapy tubs are gaining interest as well. Kohler’s Chromotherapy technology is a lighting system that uses color to help set the mood. Warm colors offer stimulation while cooler colors are calming.

Smart Showers

Simply touching a screen, allows you to turn the water on, change the temperature, water pressure, listen to music and so much more. Some shower technology products can be activated through your smartphone. As mentioned above, the technology isn’t only convenient but helps saves money and water.

Other digital bathroom experiences:

Cooled cabinetry
Warming drawers
Heated floors
Waterproof televisions
Backlit sensored mirrors

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Masters Kitchen & Bath has been providing top quality construction, cabinetry, and design on kitchen renovations and remodeling since 2004. We coordinate and manage development, ordering, and installation. We help homeowners get more enjoyment from their homes with new kitchen designs that blend beautifully with their new or existing home decor. Visualize your complete kitchen remodel by visiting our showroom. We offer consultations with a project manager that will inspect your job site, and offer you design suggestions that best meet your needs.

We are proud to offer beautiful, and American made Decora and Kemper Cabinets.

Masters Kitchen & Bath serve the following areas: Addison, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Melrose Park, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Northbrook, Northfield, Oak Park, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights.

January 17, 2020/by Milica

Bathroom, Bathroom Remodel

Bathtub Options

Relaxation, space, and functionality are what most people look for in a bathtub. In some areas, the tub is the focal point of the entire space. When designing your new bathroom, choosing a bathtub is a decision that takes careful consideration as tubs are not easy to replace. Options range from freestanding tubs to whirlpools and soakers. Sitting tubs have become very popular over the years and take up less space. We’ll discuss the types of tub materials that are available along with price ranges, pros, and cons.

All this variety comes at a price, so it’s important to remember that the total cost of a tub will reflect the amount of technology involved as well as the type of finish and material.

Fiberglass:

Affordable and lightweight, a fiberglass tub is cost-effective; however, there are several things to consider before you go this route. Fiberglass tubs do not wear well as they are prone to scratches. Typically costs between $300 -$500.

Pros

Lightweight
Easy installation
Inexpensive
Maintenance and cleaning is easy

Cons

Due to the layers, it takes to produce the tub, it’s not as durable as other materials
Easily scratches
Color options are limited

Porcelain-Enameled Steel:

This tub option is a steel-based material covered in porcelain enamel. Porcelain-enameled steel is more durable than a fiberglass tub and remains a cost-effective option. Typically costs between $350- $2000.

Pros

Affordable
Durable
Easy to clean

Cons

Rusts quickly when chips are present
Color and shape options are limited
Does not withhold heat very well

Enamel-Coated Cast Iron:

This classic material stands the test of time. The tub is made of iron and coated with porcelain. It’s extremely durable and cumbersome. Because of its weight, the placement of this tub is best on the ground level. Installation requires professionals that have experience with this high-end material. Typically costs between $500 and $2000.

Pros

Durable
Timeless
Retains heat well

Cons

Extremely heavy

Acrylic:

A common and popular option with most bathroom designs. Due to its low cost, durability, and options, Acrylic tubs are the clear winner when compared to the other options discussed. The material is easily molded for unique shapes. Lightweight and easy to install than most tubs.

Pros

Lightweight
Affordable
Color, shape and size options available
Durable

Cons

Acrylic is more expensive than fiberglass

Tub Types

Standard – common tub sizes are typically 60 inches by 30 inches wide. Not a lot of exciting features in standard tub options; however, you can choose between alcove, freestanding, or drop-in. Standard tubs are relatively basic and do the job you need a bathtub to do.

Claw-Footed Tubs – a traditional option that makes quite a statement. Claw footed tubs date back to the 1800s and are made of cast iron, which makes this tub an expensive option.

Freestanding Tubs – designed not to have any sides installed along a wall. They are either have a base or a clawfoot tub design. These tubs can take up more space as they don’t align with a wall or corner space.

Soaking Tubs – are meant for you to have a full soaking experience. They are deeper and broader than most tubs and require up to 80 gallons of water. Keeping water hot can be an issue due to its size and water requirements.

Whirlpool Tubs – meant for a relaxing experience with jets for the ultimate spa-like feel. Shapes and size options available as well as single jets or multiple jets.

Walk-in Tub – great for anyone that has difficulty with mobility. These tubs are more about practicality than indulgence. Walk-in tubs can be expensive but well worth the money when considering the needs of seniors or someone with a disability.

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Masters Kitchen & Bath has been providing top quality construction, cabinetry, and design on kitchen renovations and remodeling since 2004. We coordinate and manage development, ordering, and installation. Masters help homeowners get more enjoyment from their homes with new kitchen designs that blend beautifully with their new or existing home decor. Visualize your complete kitchen remodel by visiting our showroom. We offer consultations where our seasoned project manager will inspect your job site, and offer you design suggestions that best meet your needs.

We are proud to offer beautiful, and American made Decora and Kemper Cabinets.

Masters Kitchen & Bath serve the following areas: Addison, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Melrose Park, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Northbrook, Northfield, Oak Park, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights.

December 19, 2019/by Milica

Built-In Shower Seating

Benefits of a Shower Seat

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Can I see examples of recent bathroom remodels completed by Masters Kitchen & Bath?

Best Bathroom Bidets

Traditional Bidets

Bidet Seats

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Small Bathroom, Big Feel

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Smart Technology For Your Bathrooms

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

Bathtub Options

Fiberglass:

Pros

Cons

Porcelain-Enameled Steel:

Pros

Cons

Enamel-Coated Cast Iron:

Pros

Cons

Acrylic:

Pros

Cons

Tub Types

About Masters Kitchen and Bath

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