3 Things I Wish We’d Done Differently in Our Remodel
Do designers live with ‘remodel regrets’? In an ever changing landscape of options, I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks back and wishes we’d ‘splurged’ for a few extra benefits - and I’m here to share with you the three things I’d do differently if we were going to remodel all over again!
Since we don’t have heated bathroom floors, I added a 4’x6’ Ruggable washable rug to cover the floor area our bare feet touch the most.
1. Heated Bathroom Floors
Ahhhh… my biggest regret… I wish we’d spent the extra money to have electric radiant floor heating installed in our bathrooms - or at least our primary bathroom. Tile is so cold on bare feet, especially on chilly winter mornings! The electric radiant heat comes in modular mats that are installed between the subfloor and the tile in a relatively efficient amount of time, and depending on the size of your bathroom, it may add between $500 - $1,500, but the return on that investment can last decades. The floor heating is controlled by a wall mounted thermostat and can be programmed to turn on and off at certain times to ensure a warm floor whenever you’re using the space. Talk about efficient!
Toto toilet with integrated Washlet seat, which includes the bidet and heated seat.
2. Toto Washlet (a.k.a. Bidet & Heated Toilet Seat)
It’s possible that my internal body temperature is the main reason I love these ‘heated’ features, but aside from having a nice warm seat to sit on when you’re doing your business, the bidet features of the Toto Washlet seats are top notch! You can customize and program settings so that you and any other family members can have their preferred experience when using the toilet (like a warm water cleanse followed by a gentle warm air dry…), even if you’re a minimalist when it comes to the ‘bells and whistles’, a clean bum certainly tops my list for essential luxuries. Planning ahead is required for this feature as it requires electrical supply and can require an adjustment to the drain/waste line location because the specifications of the toilet and seat may require it be installed farther from the wall than a standard installation.
A microwave-convection oven (often called a speed oven) is two appliances in one!
3. A Speed Oven (Micro-Convection)
We have a small kitchen and there’s nothing I love more than maximizing storage, except items that have multiple functions and the Speed Oven is just that - it’s a microwave, convection oven combination. I wanted one the first time we selected our appliances, then when our first microwave quit on us (after multiple power outages!), I wanted one - but I lost that battle both times because of cost - yes, the microwave-convection oven combos are more than twice the price of a regular microwave (maybe even 3-4 times the price!), but you get another oven! They come in a couple different sizes, usually 27” and 30”, and can often fit in the same cabinet opening as a standard microwave. If we had splurged for the microwave-convection combo, it would’ve been our ‘smaller’ oven since our main oven is 30” - and we would’ve used it ALL THE TIME - for anything as simple as reheating coffee (microwave setting) to baking cookies (oven setting). We would save energy using the smaller oven for the majority of our baking needs. Now that we’re on our 2nd microwave and I’ve argued my case, I just have to wait for the current microwave to fail so I can upgrade to the speed oven…
These three items add comfort, convenience, and maybe even a little ‘luxury’ to your everyday spaces and in the bigger picture of the overall project budget, all three of these items could add between $4,000 - $6,000, depending on the size of your space (heated floors) and the models (washlet and speed oven) you select. The only one you can’t ‘go back and add in later’ are the heated floors, so my advice is to put them in the first time around. If you’re looking to bring your budget down, these are obviously not going to do that and the heated toilet seat and microwave-convection oven can be swapped out later, if you decide to do so.
I encourage you to think about how you use your space, what would make your life at home better, more enjoyable, and convenient, and then work with you to bring those dreams to life! If you need some suggestions for updates to your space, send me a note and let me know!
P.S. If you’re starting to think about your own remodel, I’ve got a design guide for you! From bathrooms to kitchens, to paint, and even the best questions to ask your contractor - these guides are your remodel sidekick. Check them out here.