If you’re thinking about renovating your bathroom it’s an exciting time to do so! Real estate agents know that a renovated bathroom will get you top dollar when it comes time to sell your home, but that aside, it’s also a lifestyle choice. The latest bathroom trend is not only to provide you with an eco-friendly, cost-effective, functioning necessity for your home, they’re custom built for that everyday ‘holiday-at-home’ experience. Welcome to the age of home spas – the new era of eco bathrooms.
Why are home spa bathroom renovations currently so popular?
The bathroom renovation industry in Sydney continually evolves, influenced by what’s happening economically and socially at the time. Post Covid lockdown, people have tended to spend more time working remotely. Additionally, with interest rate rises putting pressure on budgets, we’re tending to holiday from home too. Top those considerations off with the fact that the family home has become a highly sought-after commodity, and commonly our biggest investment, it’s little wonder so many people want to make it as comfortable, livable and saleable as possible. People want to enjoy their homes – year in, year out, and are keen to have make it their very own private resort.
Will renovating my bathroom and creating a home spa make me money?
You may think that renovating a bathroom will cost you money, and of course initially it does, but in the long run it will make you money. And then some. Investing in a new bathroom can benefit you in two life-changing ways:
- The value of your house increases with a bathroom renovation. Real estate experts estimate a 10% increase on average, so if your home is worth $1.5 mil, you can increase the value by $150,000, depending on what you do. A bespoke, custom-built bathroom incorporating all the aspects below could increase the value by considerably more. You could also add an extra bathroom altogether. Even before Covid, having an extra bathroom in an inner-Sydney home could add an average of $380,000 to the sale price. When you consider what a bathroom actually costs, it’s easy to see that this is an incredible return on the money you invested.
- You get to live that ‘holiday-from-home’ experience every day. How many investments actually increase in value as you use and enjoy them? And enjoy them people do, especially when that bathroom is custom built for your family and your home to provide you with a resort-like feel, offering you everyday indulgence and relaxation.
What is the best way to make my new bathroom feel like a resort?
It all begins with your surroundings. A home that bends harmoniously with the environment has been a key design feature of homes in Sydney ever since the word ‘bungalow’ arrived in the early 1900s. With such extensive and beautiful bushland and coastal surrounds, it’s little wonder we want the exterior of our home to compliment the garden and nature surrounding it. Yet what about the interior?
As a rule of thumb, a bathroom should match the architecture and decor of your home OR complement it. It can actually work well to have a modern bathroom in a federation-style home, for example, but if it’s the only modern thing in the house it will look out of place. Think of your house as telling a design ‘story’, although whatever that story ends up being is up to you.
If you’re after that spa-like retreat experience and result, consider harmony and indulgence and style as your guides, starting with the architecture, decor and natural environment surrounding your home.
Here’s a great example of a bathroom Dream Plumbing did recently, working in close conjunction with what the customer wanted in terms of space and feel. This custom-made bathroom is a good example of how a beautifully designed bathroom can add to the overall theme, or ‘story’ of your home:
Should I make my new home spa bathroom eco-friendly?
There’s two reasons why we answer ‘yes’ to this question.
- A sustainable bathroom will save you money. By installing a solar hot water heat pump, for example, you will see your running cost drop from an average of $1000 a year to about $200. We can also install a rainwater tank on your property to greatly reduce your water bill.
Rainwater tanks provide you with water for free!
2. Eco-bathrooms look amazing and are very on trend right now. Let’s put it this way: the last time you went on holidays to a nice resort, did the bathrooms have an ‘eco’ feel? We’re betting they did! As Ben explains:
“More than ever, I’m seeing a shift towards sustainable bathroom designs. It’s not just a trend, it’s a reflection of our values. We’re talking about efficient water usage and eco-friendly materials. But it’s more than that. These choices bring a sense of the outdoors inside, which really resonates with us Aussies. Combining natural textures with modern designs isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, it also creates a space that feels good to be in, both ethically and physically. It’s satisfying to see bathrooms that not only look good but do good for our planet.”
Eco-bathrooms can look amazing
Designing and styling your home spa retreat
So, when it comes to creating the atmosphere of a home, spa-like retreat, what matters most? What you spend? Architecture? Your home’s current exterior and interior? Being eco-friendly? Yes, yes, yes and yes, but it also coming down to design and styling.
So where do you begin with designing a home spa?
Well, everything begins with a plan, right? We love to sit down with a new client and ask ‘what do you REALLY want? What is your Dream bathroom?’ because sometimes the ‘what if’s?’ end up becoming our greatest showcase bathrooms! Have a look at our before and after case studies here, just to see a few.
Don’t just dream about it – live it!
So, where do you begin with styling a home spa?
This is the second fun part! Ben’s wife Laura is a bathroom renovation specialist stylist and has this to say:
“In our years of experience, we’ve seen how a bathroom can be more than just a functional space. Lately, many of our clients are asking for spa-like features in their bathrooms. Why? Because it transforms their daily routine into something more, a moment of relaxation and luxury. Installing rain head showers and handheld options in even the smallest spaces makes a big difference. It’s not just about the shower itself, it’s about creating an overall experience, a little escape. And that’s something we all can appreciate in our busy lives.”
Dream will walk you through the entire design and styling process, from choosing if you want his and hers basins to a free standing bath (both very on trend!) to what tiles and taps, and bath you want. We can also offer suggestions based on our extensive experience.
Style it how you want it
Um…so what actually is possible? What about technology?
Just because we’re being all chilled out and zen doesn’t mean we don’t also want all the modern gadgety things that make our life easier, right? We love innovation and can install it all, from automated lighting to voice activated controls, making sure your home spa is also a SMART spa.
For example, have you considered:
- advanced sensors
- water heaters that adapt to usage patterns
- touchless sinks and taps
- low flow shower heads
- rain shower heads
- smart leak detection sensors
- rimless toilets (no more yellow gunk!)
- backlighting
- tiled recesses
- backlit mirrors
- heated towel rails
- voice command systems
- ‘intelligent’ heating
- underfloor heating
Home spas should also be SMART spas
Dream Plumbing can do it all, as we’re dedicated to making your life easier and happier, helping you to make your dreams come true. Contact us if you’d like to have a chat and get a quote. Because you don’t have to just dream about having your very own home spa retreat…you can live in it.
