Better Baths for Better Living, Resale By Matthew M. F. Miller

Smart design choices in remodeling your bathroom will get you the most satisfaction now – and the best returns later.
Before buyers commit to purchasing a house, they like to imagine themselves living there. A worn, dated bathroom can create the kind of mental block that leads to lower – and fewer – offers.
The popularity of bathroom remodels shows that plenty of people are willing to buy a home with dingy baths, but most will factor in the cost of the needed remodel when they make their offer. “Most people today want the new or updated house so they don’t have to fool with it,” says sales agent Mary H. Raymond of Greenville, Del.
Kathy McCleary, a regular contributor to HGTV, advises homeowners on the type of renovations they should choose: "So exactly what should you improve when you redo your kitchen or bathroom? Think traditional: all-wood cabinets, commercial-look appliances, natural wood or stone floors, and stone countertops."
According to Mortgage News Daily, Dallas, Texas, the average American home is 32 years old and regularly needs maintenance and upgrading. This consistent need means that the home improvement market has boomed in the last decade, with expenditures growing from $153 billion in 1995 to about $233 billion dollars in 2003.
The Federal Reserve Board reports that 30 percent of the $333 billion drawn from their home equity between 2001 and 2003 were spent on home renovations.
Here are design tips to update your bath in ways that enhance your living space now and also add to your home’s resale value later.
• Avoid down lights at the vanity. Instead, provide a pair of decorative light sconces flanking the mirror for even illumination.
• Use simple tile patterns and accents to liven up the character of the room.
• Always use a pressure-balanced shower faucet to avoid scalding.
• Consider a banjo countertop that extends over the toilet for more counter space and built-in shelves for towel storage.
• Use a shower curtain rather than a glass enclosure to make the room feel less closed-in. A large mirror also can make a small bath feel bigger.
• If the full bath is to be used only by adults, raise the height of the vanity to 36 inches to make its use more comfortable.