Small Details, Big Difference
Planning for life's demands
Ottawa Citizen. September 17th, 2009.
By Hugh Trueman
It’s September already! The kids are back at school, the fall activities have started, and trying to fit everything into our busy schedules has once again become the priority of the day. If you are planning to renovate your bathroom or kitchen, now is a great time to pay attention to an important and often overlooked design consideration.
It’s September already! The kids are back at school, the fall activities have started, and trying to fit everything into our busy schedules has once again become the priority of the day. If you are planning to renovate your bathroom or kitchen, now is a great time to pay attention to an important and often overlooked design consideration... for any room -- How do you live in it? What changes would improve its usability?
Some of us are lucky enough to have more than one bathroom. But many still need to share time with their children or other family members. Personally, I have one bathroom and two teenage girls. Not a good combination between 6:30 and 8:00 a.m. Not only do we have to juggle shower times, but there is the issue of hot water supply as well, which I will touch on in a minute.
Take time to think about how your bathroom gets used. What features would make mornings easier to handle? In some homes there is often more than one person in the bathroom at the same time. The need to have separate sinks, showers or access to the toilet can be a consideration. Is one sink enough, or would two make mornings more amenable? Do you have room for a shower with double shower heads so that two can shower independently within the same enclosure? Should the shower be separate from the bath? Is there room for multiple towel bars to keep them off the floor or countertops? Could you use a towel warmer to remove any dampness and to add a bit of luxury to your morning rituals? Sometimes, adding just a sink or powder room into a bedroom can remove the time-consuming issues like hair and makeup, from the front line. Ultimately, freeing up the main bath area for the next person in line. If you don’t have room for that, perhaps there is room for a separate area to do make-up and hair.
You can include an electronic shower control. More than just a convenience, it can store several different temperature and volume control settings so that, at the push of a button, the shower reaches and maintains the exact temperature and volume of water for each setting. Think of the water you will save just adjusting the temperature for each member of your family. Think of the time savings too! The water will be at precisely the correct temperature by the time you reach the shower.
By now I imagine you are starting to get the picture. The same applies to the kitchen. Do you need a separate prep area? Perhaps a beverage centre for juice and coffee, or a side area to prep toast and pour cereal. Even a separate cupboard just for lunch stuff. Another great addition is an instant hot water dispenser. From it you can dispense near-boiling water for oatmeal or tea on demand. No need to use the microwave or boil a kettle. I use one every day, several times a day, and I wonder now how I ever managed without it.
Nothing throws everyone off schedule faster than running out of hot water. Make sure that you get your contractor to calculate the flow requirements for your new bathroom. All of those body jets and shower heads can drain most hot water tanks in a few minutes. A twenty minute shower by the first person in could leave everyone else taking cold showers. You may need to look at a larger or more efficient hot water tank, or perhaps an on-demand water heater to keep up with your family needs.
Come and talk to us at any of the three Mondeau showrooms. We would be happy to tell you about all of the neat and wonderful ways that we can help to make your home run smoother, and your life just a little less hectic.
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