Sex, And Your New Bathroom
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This week, I've invited a fellow remodeler Paul to share his ideas about sex and bathroom remodeling. Sex, and Why This is Important When Remodeling a Bath. By Paul Lesieur
SEX, and your new bathroom. Do I have your attention? If you're looking for a Kama Sutra guide to remodeling, this isn't going to be it, but sex is important when remodeling, and why is that? Well, who is going to get their wish list satisfied from this bath makeover? A man, a women a family of four? Any or all of these will dictate your approach to pleasing the occupants.
For some of us price is no object, I talked to a friend at a design seminar recently and he was just completing a bath that was coming in at $260,000. It was a combination "his and her" bath suite. When money is no object we all get what we want.
I assume most of us have a smaller budget. So let's leave dreamland and start with the Manbath.
MANBATH
A bath remodel for many men might use rich dark colors and features. Stone tile such as slate for the floor and maybe a travertine tile in the shower area with an accent stripe of smaller slate squares. A magazine rack and maybe a built in 133 LED TV set on a swing arm.
The Manbath is a place to get some solitude from his family, read a paper, watch the tube from the corner of his eye while shaving, a place that doesn't get cleaned as often as the main bath, so the darker muted colors means a little mess shows a little less.
A Manbath would also have enough storage for grooming products in an easy to reach cabinet that shows shaving and skin or hair care. A Bonsai tree on the counter and wood shutters would complete the look. In no particular order, a mans bathroom would have:
Accessories that would have the look of a mans lounge. Darker and richer woods and colors. A higher vanity 36" from the floor. A magnifying mirror for shaving. A closet or clothes valet for dressing. A steam shower for relaxation and deep cleaning.
WOMANBATH
It's no surprise that a woman sees the bathroom differently. When asked what a woman wants in her bath the consensus among women asked is to prefer softer shades and light colored or painted cabinets, also a popular request is a dry vanity with seating at a mirror and good lighting for applying makeup or getting ready for going out.
A closet with storage for clothing accessories and maybe silk covered hangers for delicate items. Women are more prone to choose a soaking tub with air jets for a relaxing bubble bath.
A bath for a women is more spa like. The window treatment would trend to fabrics. Easy cleaning is important. So for women, lighter colors, storage for body care products and accessories, ease of use and ease of cleaning. A place where she gets everything she feels she needs to prepare for or escape the demands of work and family.
SHARING A BATH
That's life for most of us. A shared bath means both parties want their needs met, this is what we call a bathroom suite.
The biggest complaint from women sharing a bath with a man is how messy the man leaves his area.
The biggest complaint from a man when sharing a bath with a women is that the women takes over his space.
Many remodeling professionals think men and women should not live in the same home, but just visit frequently. But we're social animals so to make the best of it, here's what some pros suggest when you remodel a bath for two.
Originally we thought the problems of sharing a bath were solved when we went to double sinks. Didn't work at my house, my area was too messy and my partner was slowly stealing my space.
What we think now is; single sink at 36 inches in height, installing more counter top makes it easier to share the work space, leave space for a lower height dry vanity with seating and have three or more lighting choices. Such as make up area, lighting for shaving and grooming, main lighting and mood lights for the tub area.
Install a soaking tub with the steam unit built in and you have a compromise of sorts. For those with a large enough budget, designers are now suggesting two baths with a pass way between them. So you see, sex has everything to do with a bathroom makeover.
About Paul Lesieur: SilvertreeConstruction.com I'm Paul Lesieur, a home improvement contractor of 35 years. Music including playing 3 instruments and being a published songwriter is part of what I do. I started out as a musician and worked carpentry jobs eventually become a professional contractor and owner of Silvertree Construction in Minneapolis, Minnesota.