Jane Slagsmith shows how to make a bathroom look expensive without the price tag by spending smart on what matters most. Focus on large neutral tiles, good lighting, freestanding tubs, wall-hung vanities, and chrome fixtures to get that luxury feel.
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Hi, I'm Jane Slagsmith and in this short video I'm going to reveal some of the methods that I use to get that high end bathroom look without spending a fortune. Things like the type of tiles that I use, the baths and vanities, and expensive looking fittings that all add up to a bathroom that you'd expect to find in a five star hotel. Now I recently posted an article about low cost bathroom makeovers where I revealed my top 10 tips for adding value while keeping costs down. This involves working with what's already there, reusing and resurfacing where possible. After releasing that article, I received a lot of feedback asking for my top tips on higher end bathroom makeovers. So I've put together a video to show you some of the more advanced techniques that are used on higher end renovations and developments to achieve that luxury look. So these techniques are really for when you are starting with a blank canvas. And I need to point out that these methods will not be suitable for all properties or budgets. But even if you're not doing a higher end renovation, they can give you a real insight into the core principles of renovating for profit. How to Add Perceived Value. Now perceived value is about creating a perception of value that is over and above the actual cost of the individual items. Now to give you an example, I could purchase a square chrome tap like this one from a national bathroom supplier for about $250. Or I could choose to use a designer replica brand like this one, which is a perfect perfectly good tap and also conforms to the Australian standards, but costs only $70 or $180 less than the brand name item. Both have the same perceived value to a prospective buyer or valuer. By the way, you can find a replica designer tab like this one on some of the online bathroom websites, ebay stores, or also visit the online auction websites. So this bathroom that I'm going to show you now is aimed at a young, medium to high income family in a trendy inner suburb of Melbourn, Melbourne. It's all about slick lines, tiles to the ceiling, a beautiful contemporary bath and vanity, and an abundance of natural light. It all combines to create a contemporary feel that just screams luxury. Many people ask me about how I make bathrooms look so good while spending so little. Well, the secret is in spending the money where it counts. In other words, adding the greatest bang for your buck. So let's start from the beginning. Tiles. So firstly, when you're thinking tiles, think big. Big tiles equal big perceived value 600 by 300 or 600 by 600 size tiles with the sharp square edge look great on walls. This is known as a rectified edge. Again, think neutral color schemes. Now I like to tile to the ceiling to achieve that luxury look. Now another design technique that never seems to waver in the bathroom is concret contrast. High contrast looks striking, so think about using a dark tile on the floor and light on the walls. You can also use a 600 by 600 tile on the floor if you have enough space. Remember, bigger tiles equal bigger perceived value. Now, if you're in a capital city, you shouldn't be paying more than $30 a square meter for ceramic tiles like this. With a rectified edge. $10 a square meter below these prices is achievable if you shop around. Another great way to add wow factor to a bathroom is by flooding it with natural light. A bathroom window like this does the trick. Or go one better and install a window above the bath. This window is called a servery window and has a fixed panel of glass on top while the bottle panel slides up and open to bring the outdoors in while you're laying back in the bathroom. Total luxury. And then there's the bath itself. Now I prefer to use a freestanding bath as opposed to an inbuilt bath hob combination. The time taken in the installation process is less and there's the opportunity of having a bath. That in itself is a feature. Now this contemporary modern acrylic bath costs $600 at Masters. What about vanities? Well, I prefer to use wall hanging vanities in a neutral color such as dark timber. A wall hung vanity looks contemporary, but it also gives the perception of more space because it doesn't go all the way to the floor. If you have space in the bathroom, consider using a double vanity like this one. Shop around because you can find a wide range of pricing on wall hung vanities. When coupled with the other beautiful finishes in the bathroom, it doesn't necessarily have to be the world's most expensive vanity. This one was under $500. I then like to have the mirror above the vanity go all the way to the ceiling at the full width of the vanity. This is a really great effect to have your mirrors going all the way to the ceiling. Again, proportion is impressive. And a large mirror not only looks good, but reflects all that lovely natural light too. Consider using a double shower and oversized shower heads. Nothing says luxury like a double shower. Also, in the shower, consider using a strip grate. A strip grate allows water to fall in one direction alleviating the need for cutting tiles diagonally to form a trough in the middle for the shower recess, as in the case with a round or square shower grate. Now be warned, though, strip grates are considerably more expensive than the normal grate, some fancy ones go over $1,000. And lastly, finish it off with some shiny chrome accessories. Taps, towel ladders, soap holders and toilet roll holders all need to sparkle to add the finishing touches. So there you have it. My top secrets for achieving a high end luxury look for less if you've enjoyed this video, then please hit the like button to let me know. Everyone likes to be liked, right? And after hitting that button, scroll down and tell me the things that you liked about the video. What are some of the ideas that you plan to use in your next bathroom renovation? Leave me a comment and let me know or ask me a question. I really love to hear feedback and I'm going to do my best to answer any questions and reply to your comments personally. Thanks for watching and keep an eye out for my next video.
