Contemporary vs Traditional Style – Which Is Right for Your Bathroom?
So, you’ve decided to remodel your bathroom – this is a project that you’ll benefit from for years. People spend more time in the bathroom than they often realize, and it’s important that it’s a space where you feel relaxed. It’s often the first room you go into when you wake up and the last one you’re in before you go to bed. If you hate your bathroom, it’s going to put you in a bad mood in the morning and agitate you at night, making it harder to fall asleep.
But before you can begin the remodel and create a space you love, you need to decide on a style. Many people go traditional, but a contemporary look is also very popular. Which style is right for you? That depends on several factors.
Your Overall Home Style
While you may be tempted to look at your bathroom as an isolated area, you do need to remember that it’s also a part of your home. If you remodel your bathroom with a contemporary look, but the rest of your home is more traditional, it may feel a little out of place. The overall style that flows through the rest of your home will stop at the bathroom door. Some people don’t mind this at all and will mix various styles throughout the home, but others may find this transition jarring.
If you’re slowly going to remodel your entire home, though, you may not want to focus too much on how your new bathroom works or doesn’t work with the other spaces in the house. Those other areas will eventually be remodeled to fit more with the bathroom instead of the other way around.
Also, keep in mind the overall design of your home. If you live in an older Victorian-style manor house, for example, a very contemporary bathroom is likely going to stand out because it’s unexpected. On the other hand, if you have a very modern looking home, you may not want a completely traditional bathroom.
The Size
The size of your bathroom matters. Traditional design often includes pieces that, while not huge, aren’t exactly going to maximize space. Traditional claw-foot tubs, for example, aren’t small. Even a fairly traditional pedestal sink or vanity can take up a good amount of space. Going contemporary, though, allows you to mix in more modern pieces that may have a very different look but also are designed to use as little space as possible. This includes angular sinks, tubs, and toilets that use more unconventional shapes and lines.
What Do You Like?
While keeping the rest of your home’s style and design in mind is a good idea, and you certainly want to consider the size of the space, you also want to be sure you’re creating a new bathroom that you like. If you hate contemporary design with its angles and odd lines, don’t create a contemporary bathroom. You want a space where you can get ready for the day or relax in the bath. It has to feel welcoming to you, and that means going with a style that you like, even if that means your bathroom remodel doesn’t match the rest of your home.
