American Houses

(NewsUSA) - Pioneering new product solutions can transform any bathroom from a water-and-money-waster to a water-and-cash-saver without sacrificing style or performance. Think that your bathroom doesn't offer a significant potential for cash savings? Think again.


Let's do a little math with the help of the Water Savings Calculator (www.americanstandard-us.com/water-efficiency/) created by American Standard. Using an average residential cost of $6.06 per 1,000 gallons of water per year, consider this:

* Install new 1.28-gallon-per-flush (gpf) high-efficiency toilets to replace older (pre-1990) 3.5 gpf toilets currently in your home. With the average toilet being flushed 12 times per day, replacing two older toilets saves $118 and 19,447 gallons of water per year.

* Replace three 2.2-gallon-per-minute (gpm) faucets with 0.5 gpm WaterSense-labeled faucets and use them the same 40 minutes per day. The result: Save $451 and 74,460 gallons per year.

* Swap out two 3.0 gpm showerheads for new 1.5 gpm models and save $265 and 43,800 gallons per year.

Grab the calculator -- in one year, the average household can save $834 and more than four swimming pools' worth of water!

Bulking up your wallet and saving water become all the more appealing when combined with a new generation of plumbing products that offer peak performance. Remember these product selection tips as you outfit a new, greener bathroom for your home:

* Look for the WaterSense label. Created by the Environmental Protection Agency, this label certifies that products reduce water usage by 20 percent or more without sacrificing performance. The WaterSense label is currently available for high-efficiency toilets (HETs) and faucets. American Standard has the most high-efficiency toilets independently rated to flush more than two pounds of solids. All American Standard bathroom faucets are WaterSense-certified, and they comply with stringent new no-lead requirements.

* Keep performance front and center when going green. The goal is conservation without sacrifice. Using as little as 1.0 gallon of water on the light setting, the H2Option Dual Flush HET scours the sides of the bowl with a strong push-and-pull siphonic action created by a forceful, but quiet, jetted action under the rim. The FloWise three-function showerhead has the option of a full 2.5 gallon flow rate, but an internal turbine also delivers invigorating sprays at lower water-use settings.

(NewsUSA) - Decorating a bathroom on a budget is a lot like updating a wardrobe on a budget. Work with what you have, and use accessories to update and add the "wow" factor.

In the bathroom, accessorizing can even include bathroom sink faucets. "With a pre-assembled drain assembly such as Speed Connect, a new faucet is easier to add than a new coat of paint," says Gray Uhl, design director for American Standard. "Even better, top performing lifetime finishes and drip-free, solid brass faucets start as low as $100."


Trend No. 1: Warmer Finishes. Special finishes in warmer tones such as satin nickel, oil-rubbed bronze and blackened bronze are currently popular in hardware and faucets, coordinating well with creams and browns in linens and wall décor. "Matte black finish is the proverbial height of fashion for faucets and accessories right now," says Leslie Clagett on her blog, kbculture.blogspot.com.

Trend No. 2: American Minimalism. "Styles such as the Moments, Copeland and Princeton faucet collections echo the same geometric lines and styling familiar in European contemporary design, but warmer and softer," says Uhl. "American minimalist faucets and accessories look best when paired with warmer tones and rich wood surfaces in cabinets and bathroom furniture." Uhl notes that an easy way to get the look is with a design-matched collection such as Tropic, which includes furniture, faucets and fixtures.

Trend No. 3: Escape. Turn even a small bathroom into a spa experience with a serene, monochromatic look and plant oils that create a soothing aroma. Asian-inspired design such as the Green Tea bathroom sink faucet completes the look, with the added benefit of a discrete pull-out spout, which makes it easy to rinse the sink or wash delicate clothing items or one's hair.

Trend No. 4: The Responsible Bathroom. Look for the WaterSense label on new bathroom faucets. The WaterSense label is an assurance that water use will be reduced by 30 percent or more, without sacrificing performance. Replacing three older faucets with three WaterSense-labeled faucets can save almost $500 and 74,000 gallons of water per year.

Style Trend No. 5: You. Most importantly, don't be afraid to be yourself. Bathrooms are personal spaces, so personal statements work well, including tasteful humor. After all, if you can't be yourself in the bathroom, where can you be yourself?

Bathroom Remodeling - 00:53 min.


Are you a home owner? If you are you know that there seems to be something to do always to keep things looking nice. We have found that as soon as you start replacing some things in the house you have to keep going because the new things make other pieces look worn and old. It seems to be an unending cycle. But for us it beat the alternative of renting. We love the equity that we are building up in our home.

We have done an extensive amount of what I call face lifting in the rooms of our home. Our home is over a hundred years old and has had several stages of remodeling through the years. When we moved in the cabinets in the kitchen area as well as the woodwork were stained a dark walnut color. The kitchen and dining room walls had wall paper on them. Our upstairs loft room had dark wallpaper on a portion of the loft and the same dark walnut stain on the paneling in the other part. Over the first year of being in the house we stripped the wallpaper, painted the cabinets in the kitchen as well as the woodwork and wainscoting in the dining area.

We re-painted the living room walls and the guest rooms and we then did the entire loft, stripping the paper, preparing and painting the paneling and replacing the dark carpets. The house looked great and we were tired of the entire process. We did not have enough energy to complete the small bathroom remodeling. This bathroom is located off the kitchen and is the bath that is used by guests. It is the only room in the house that still has wallpaper and the old light fixtures. It needs updating but the thought of the small bathroom remodeling is too overwhelming for us to begin.

We know that when we do begin with the small bathroom remodeling we will need to remove the existing vanity as well as the lighting. Taking the wall paper off is going to be a challenge because in a small test area I tried peeling it back to see what type of walls are in the bath. The previous owner put the wallpaper directly on the sheetrock. This means that we are going to have to have a sheet rock person come in and repair the pieces that are going to come off with the wallpaper. We know this is going to happen because that was our experience in the dining area. We know that we need to get to this smallest room in the house, we are just trying to get up the energy to do it.

Bathroom Tile Ideas - 03:04 min.


It is always a good idea to think about what goes on in your bathroom before you remodel it. One of the most important things to remember is that you use a lot of water, and it might go everywhere, especially if you have kids. This is why tiles are very popular for the bathroom. They are water resistant, and they are easy to clean and install. Bathroom tiles do not have to be boring, but they are an exceptionally good idea to protect your walls and floors from water damage.

You can go with the basic white bathroom tiles if you wish, and these can be a great look. Some like to have an all white bathroom, and that can look fresh and clean. Many more, however, love to have some color. You can get your bathroom tiles in many colors, or you can save the color for your shower curtains, window curtains, towels, and wash clothes. There are endless ways to add color, so it’s quite alright to get white tiles if that is what you want to have.

Installing your bathroom tiles can be something you do yourself, though some prefer to have someone else do it for them. If you don’t think you are very handy, or you simply don’t have the time to do it on your own, there are many qualified people who can do the job for you, and they can usually do it very quickly. When it comes to laying tile, you may have to cut some to get the room to look right, and many fear doing this wrong. However, if you want to do it on your own, find somewhere to learn. It won’t be that hard if you have instruction.

When choosing bathroom tiles, remember that you are making an investment that will last a long time. Tiles are generally durable, and you won’t have to worry about replacing them. That makes them a bargain. They are also easier to clean, even for those who might have hard water. Concentrate on finding the right colors and patterns, and choose something you know you can live with for years to come. Some like to remodel quite often, but most can’t afford to do so. That is why choosing something you love is important, but following trends might not be. Trends will come and go, but your bathroom will remain the same.

I love the idea of remodeling rooms in my home, but when it comes to choosing things, I either can’t afford what I like, or I can’t decide what I like in the first place. I guess I was not blessed with the home design gene, and I often have to get my bathroom remodeling ideas from other places, and then I have to make them my own. Perhaps that is what most people do, I’m not really sure. I do know that I have a friend who can’t seem to match his pants and shirt, yet he comes up with the most beautiful bathrooms in the homes that he builds. I just don’t get it.

Perhaps the best place to find bathroom remodeling ideas is to have a look around. Look at other bathrooms in magazines, watch home improvement shows on television, and even look at bathrooms of friends and families that you love. You probably don’t want to copy someone, but you can find things you like in many different places and pull them together into your own bathroom remodeling ideas. It doesn’t even have to be about replacing major parts of the bathroom. It can be about paint, wallpaper, and color schemes as well.

You can also find bathroom remodeling ideas by looking at displays in different stores. I am always amazed by what I see, but most of what I like I can not afford. I guess my tastes run much higher than what is in my checking account, but that’s okay. Perhaps someday I can get what I love. Until then, I am partially content to dream about it. I can afford to change colors and paper, which I tend to do a lot. My husband often jokes that he never knows what the house will look like when he comes home on any given day.

If you are like me, and you know you can’t afford a remodel at the moment, but you still want to think about it, you can easily find ways to save your bathroom remodeling ideas for the future. If you find something that you like, tear it out of the magazine or even take a pictures of it. Save it in a scrapbook for later.

When the time comes for you to use your bathroom remodeling ideas, you can then look back to see what you liked, decide what to use, and then you will have all you need to have the bathroom you have always dreamed of having.

Bathroom Remodeling - 02:53 min.

Wet areas of the home use water resistant green-board instead of wallboard. Green-board is resistant to water and helps assure the homeowner that there will be no leaking of water in those areas.

Kitchens typically do not use green-board because they aren't considered a problem area, but bathroom showers and tubs have the greatest potential for splashing water on walls and water eventually penetrating into the wallboard and saturating it.

Tile is put onto cement board rather than green-board because it is firm and doesn't bend. If you don't know about these things, it is best to leave it to the professionals. If you use faux marble,it is installed custom fit at the time of installation, again because of potential water leakage due to a shower and the potential water penetration.

The shower base for faux marble doesn't use cement board, but the base is lined with cement which is mixed and cast in place. The outside edge of the shower base is higher than the drain and it has to be shaped so there is proper drainage.

This marble look is wonderful to clean. With a window squeegee you can wipe down the walls after each shower, and it's a whiz to keep the shower clean.

Some people prefer tile in their showers and cement board is used in this case for the walls because it doesn't bend. In a combination tub-shower the tile extends up the wall as does the cement board.

In a soaking tub only, it only needs a foot or so above the tub with tile that is placed on cement board both above the tub and below it, not all the way up the wall.

The pre-molded shower-tub combination is installed over green-board since you don't have to worry about bending, nor does it need a cement base.

Having used all these types of showers, I give a hearty vote for faux marble because of the easy cleaning with each shower and a squeegee.

Knowing that the chance of the shower leaking is nill, it gives the homeowner confidence and less worry about possible repairs in the future.

In any case, green-board or cement board is always used in the bathroom,whether in the basement, main floor or upstairs. You can always rest assured that in the modern built home, there is less problem with water leakage due to the use of green-board or cement board around tubs and showers.

About the Author: Linda Baxter is a piano teacher, and stay at home mom of nine children, (22 grandchildren) who acted as General Contractor for building their retirement home. She hired and paid subcontractors, was overseer of all construction work (with the help of her husband, RL), and did most of this from her armchair and telephone. She freely shares her experiences on her website > www.home-built4u.com

Bathroom furnishings are not something that you expect to replace every six months. As a result, you need to make sure that you make the most informed decisions when you need to make a purchase. You do not want to make a rash choice and end up with a poor quality bathroom vanity or shower for which you paid a large amount of money. Several sales representatives out there are more than happy to give you information. You need to be careful however, because their first priority is their own paycheck, which comes from your money. To make sure that you are receiving the best information, you need to do your research! Check with several stores and try to find experts. The more information you have, the better!

One of the most common bathroom furnishings for which people have been looking recently are quality walk in tubs. These bathtubs, also known as safety tubs, are incredibly helpful for handicapped or elderly individuals. They are usually deeper and not as wide as standard bathtubs, have a door that opens up, and provide a convenient seat inside for comfort. In order to create a safer environment in the bathroom, these tubs eliminate a few of the larger obstacles bathing presents for those with limited mobility. These individuals no longer have to risk injury when getting in and out of the tub and the seat inside allows them safe transfer from a wheelchair and back. Many of these freestanding or corner bathtubs even have hydrotherapy options such as whirlpool jets. These therapeutic options relax tense muscles and even help in the recovery process!

The advantage of quality safety tubs is that they can fit in compact spaces and still give you an incredibly relaxing bathing experience. However, you want to make sure that you find a bathtub brand that is well known for its durable products. When you purchase your new bathtub, you need confirmation that it will last for several years!

Several websites have information about different types of bathtubs and the advantages/disadvantages of each. As long as you explore different options, compare prices, and check out various bathtubs materials, you should be able to find something that works best for your home and your price range!

About the Author: Jane Worthington is a creative writer with a passion for home and garden life. If you would like more information about bathtubs or bathroom fixtures, please visit the SimplyBathtubs.com website.

Luxuriously Beyond Comfortable

Just like in any big city, life in New York can sometimes get really stressful at times, especially for the working class. The monotony of the hustle and bustle hangs in the air from the moment that you step out of your living unit, all throughout the working hours, and even up to the time that one heads home. Once in your apartment, condo or townhouse, you are then greeted by the unwelcoming sight of everyday clutter. Sounds familiar? Would it not be a luxury to be able to pamper yourself before you hit the sack and before starting your long day? Sure. And that is why you need to have a bathroom remodeling project done to turn your very personal and intimate space into an area that is luxuriously beyond comfortable.

In the city that never sleeps, having a bathroom that is both stylish and luxuriously functional is a well-deserved indulgence that anybody should have. The benefits do not only involve you as the value of your home will be heightened to considerable extent. To achieve the best possible result in your bathroom remodeling project, you should hire the right NYC contractor to do the job effectively for you. Doing so will save you the time, money and effort considering both the short and long term results.

Enumerated are some bathroom remodeling ideas focusing on how to achieve luxury that is beyond comfort:

Invigorating Steam

The healing and calming properties of steam have long since been known to be beneficial not only in terms of health but also in beauty by invigorating the skin. Today, you need not go travel to Scandinavian countries or head to the nearest expensive fitness and health clubs to experience rejuvenation as you can have a modern sauna in the comforts of your own home through bathroom remodeling. Size is not an issue as these contemporary bath features can easily fit into even a moderately sized bathroom.

Another spa-like option but with a more modern twist that you can choose is to have a steam shower. Occupying a space similar to that of a typical shower, you can already enjoy a nice steam shower or even a whirlpool bath. Each compact unit has very attractive additional features like full-dimensional back massages, radio and telephone, CD player and remote control.

Warm and Fluffy

Ideally, after a satisfying bath, you would want to reach out to warm and fluffy towels and for a small investment you can enjoy these by having towel warmers.

Another great idea to add into your bathroom remodeling plan to maximize warmth and comfort is having a warming system installed under bathroom tiles. This should take off the apprehension of stepping into a cold floor after getting warmed up in the shower.

Chromatherapy

This term which may be new to some people is a branch of holistic healing that has evolved into a trend in bathroom remodeling and design which is increasingly gaining popularity. This lighting scheme makes use of the known coordination of colors that change to create a relaxing and stimulating ambiance. Chromatherapy options can be enjoyed with several bathroom features like shower systems, bathtubs, and even sinks.

About the Author: Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened NYC Bathroom remodeling contractors. To know more, visit www.craftsmennetwork.com

Bathroom Remodeling - 00:31 min.

A better bathroom starts with a center piece. The center or hub of the bathroom is usually the bathroom vanity. A person that walks in the bathroom usually gravitates to the bathroom sink. It is a natural reaction. A whirlpool tub will take away the center piece attention but if this is the case, the vanity then becomes a nice complement to the whirlpool. Either way it is important to have a vanity that exemplifies the quality of your bathroom. Finding the right bathroom vanity is now easier then ever.


A bathroom is both a place of comfort and a place for usage. It is a retreat that becomes private, but it is also a place where you can show expression. Visitors to your house will undoubtedly use this facility and this will also provide for an impression. Leaving your visitors awed can be an easy and relatively inexpensive proposition. Or you can also decide to expand your budget and go extravagant. Whatever you decide, it will start with the bathroom vanity.

When looking for a bathroom vanity it is important to look online. Prices online are thirty to fifty percent less than buying retail and it's usually better quality. (If you find the better websites). First, finding the better websites; this can be done by doing an internet search for key words like RTA (ready to assemble), bathroom vanity, or high end vanities. These types of words are more specific and will get you to what you are looking for faster. After you have found some reliable websites, take some time and scroll through the site. Make sure it's legit and then compare the site prices with a few other sites. You should see some big price differences and also quality differences. Shop for the best and make sure you are comparing the same thing on each site. Note: some sites sell vanities that look the same, but carry inferior material.

Keep in mind that avoiding retail not only saves you time and gas money, but it also provides delivery to your door and gives you a much wider variety. Vanities known as higher end or better quality usually do not show up in regular retail stores. Also, these types of vanities are usually found in major metropolitan areas (that have specialty shops), but because of the internet, shopping for unusual or high quality vanities is now possible.


So start your bathroom right. Build it around a great vanity and go from there. It can be a less expensive RTA (ready to assemble) style bathroom vanity or you can shoot higher and go for something that stands out as a piece of furniture. You will be making a statement and starting a new look. It will be a statement that shows off a different part of your house. Visitors might not expect to be impressed with the bathroom, but with the right vanity, a bathroom can have that feel. And from this you will have another room that is a show piece in your house.

About the Author: Gary Nealon. I have been remodeling houses for over 10 years... want to find out my secret to getting deals on bathroom vanities and bathroom furniture vanities? I have been able to save hundreds on each of my bathroom renovations.

The Potential Cost by Eugene

For many people house renovation comes before bathroom remodeling and this part of the house is always overlooked during most renovation projects. People get busy decorating their rooms and try to make them look as lovely as possible. Even the kitchen is usually considered over bathroom and the remodeling of the same mostly remains the last option. It may also happen that people spend so much on room renovations that they are unable to afford to go for bathroom remodeling.

Bathroom renovation - 01:49 min.


But whether you believe it or not, a nicely remodeled bathroom can become the show piece of the whole house or apartment. In most major cities such as New York bathroom remodeling will depend greatly on the number of bathrooms in a residence and what needs to be done to get the outcome the homeowner requires. A residence having a single bathroom has different needs and accommodation than a residence with more than one bathroom. Hence, a proper look into the nitty-gritty of the same is indeed very much important.

For many New York contractors the average bathroom remodeling project normally requires no more than a week. Remodeling generally calls for designing based on the actual bathroom space, managing the project, specifying the different types of fixtures and the materials to be used. The usual bathroom fixtures mainly include shower faucets, bathroom faucets, and bath faucets. With today´s new remodeling fashions you can select various types of these products. Every kind of product is now available on the market.

New York contractors provide can source lovely fittings including Jacuzzi, power shower and huge bath tubs if the budget permits. In some cities such as New York bathroom remodeling is pretty costly but of course it can be solved no matter what your budget with proper planning. Some of the things that can be done to reduce the cost include using flowery or bird shaped pictures or stickers on the tiles of your bathroom and can paint the wooden surfaces such as doors, bath panels and windows of the bathroom. A mirror in a NY bathroom creates an illusion of a bigger bathroom and so it is a must to put up mirror with different colors at the borders or you can simply put frames at the mirrorâ´s borders. Bathroom curtains are cheap and using curtains of the same color as the bath will look quite stylish and urban. Many contractors try to understand the customerâ´s requirements first and then will work according to their taste making the place as classy and stylish looking as it can be.

However, you do not need to change everything during your bathroom remodeling, as it would become a very costly affair then. Just by replacing the bathroom taps, towel rail, soap dish and some other accessories will give the bathroom an all over different look. Besides, you should also allot some shelves and cabinets of interesting designs in the bathroom for storage of items like soap, shampoo and other necessary items of daily use. Towel racks should also be given some space and the towels kept on them should be of bright colors.

You can also put up wallpapers of different styles like the rain forest style or bamboo style in your bathroom as it would provide a total different look to your bathroom. Also, if your bathroom has a lot of space, then do think of getting a bathtub or a spa bathtub like those of Victorian designs.

The key in doing bathroom remodeling is to have a definite idea of what you would like it to look like when it is finished and getting a number of estimates as to the cost of having it done. By using simple, less expensive yet effective fixtures you can also save yourself tons of money. You contractor will give you assistance every step of the way.

About the Author: If you live in New York and are considering home remodeling it is advised that you hire an experienced remodeling contractor. You can find many of these contractors at the Craftsmen Network.