Bathing Beauties: Bathrooms Become Spa-like Retreats

Are you planning on selling your home this fall?

Improve the bathroom and you improve the odds that a buyer will fall in love with the home.

Kitchens, media rooms, and outdoor terraces are the spots where families and friends flock to enjoy time together. But just as important for busy home owners is a peaceful escape where they can turn to unwind and refresh, if even for a few minutes.

That’s one reason why the bathroom continues to be one of the most important rooms buyers consider when choosing a home. And that’s also why home owners spend generously on upgrades to this essential space — adding more square footage, bigger showers, fancier tubs, lots of light, sitting areas, and upscale fixtures.

Because of their importance to buyers, bathroom improvements rank among the highest of all remodeling projects in terms of resale value, according to the 2008/9 Cost vs. Value report published by US based Remodeling magazine. The average midrange bathroom remodeling project costs $15,899 and recoups almost 75 percent of its value when the home sells, the report says.

A remodeled bathroom is also a strong selling point because today’s busy home buyers want work done before they move in.  Homes with outdated bathrooms are more likely to sit on the market longer — and dropping the price to cover the expense of a makeover doesn’t always work as it doesn’t factor in the time it takes to redo the bathroom.

Creating That Hotel Feeling

Bathroom design experts who are in tune with the latest remodeling trends say today’s home owners seek to recreate the spa-like feel of the bathrooms they see in upscale hotels.  After all, what’s better than having a vacation destination in your own home?

To accomplish the look, designers bring in textured materials, cool and calming colors, dimmable lighting, soothing sounds, and fragrant smells. In the largest bathrooms, you might even see a massage table or a pedicure spa tub.

Insightful entrepreneurs have picked up on consumers’ desire to bring home the plush hotel towels, comfy bathrobes, upscale décor — and yes, even the bathroom sink.

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