We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
Looking for the perfect credit card?
Narrow your search with CardMatch™
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
Get insider access to our best financial tools and content
We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. But this compensation does not influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you.
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here’s an explanation for how we make money.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions.
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So, whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that you’re getting credible and dependable information.
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
When it comes to home value, everyone’s always talking about the importance of the bathrooms being modern — and certainly, few selling points are stronger than a “totally new, state-of-the-art bathroom!” as the listings love to exclaim.
Okay, but exactly how do you take a drab, dated bathroom and give it a second life? How much do you have to spend? What registers as refreshed, and what doesn’t?
Here are some modernizing bathroom remodeling ideas. Some involve tech, others are cosmetic; some require you to spend some green, others help the green movement. But all will help update your bathroom to increase its functionality and its buyer appeal.
If you want a sleek, streamlined fixture, we have two words for you: tankless toilets. They receive their flushing water directly from a supply line built into the wall they’re affixed to. “Compared to the bulky design of a floor-mounted toilet, you can save more bathroom space with a tankless toilet,” states Joshua Blackburn, Founder and Director of Design and Construction for Evolving Home. “It also makes the space look less cluttered with its minimalist design” that makes it appear to float in space.
With prices starting from $1,000 , tankless toilets are not a small investment. Yet, they can save you money in the long run, as they reduce water consumption relative to the traditional tanked type.
Plants possess a calming effect — so much so that nearly one-third of bathroom-renovating homeowners implement some foliage as part of their project, according to Houzz’s “2021 U.S. Bathroom Trends Study.” They can also improve air quality, acting as natural air fresheners. Overall, “You will be amazed by observing the remarkable change after adding some green to your bathroom,” states real estate broker Ron Wysocarski, CEO of Wyse Home Team Realty.
What sort of plant? Think of ones that thrive in humid environments, like bird’s nest fern. And aloe vera can pull double duty: You can squeeze its leaves to harvest its gel, which soothes and heals dry or damaged skin.
More than three-quarters of homeowners surveyed by Houzz indicated their bathroom remodel involved adding premium fixtures. The highest on the list included soaking tubs ($600-$3,500 ) and rainfall shower heads ($35-$210) . Shower body sprays are also trending, as they are smaller and side-mounted, increasing your shower’s functionality.
In fact, walk-in showers in general are au courant. Nothing says “granny’s bathroom” like a tub with a shower curtain around it. So, space permitting, try to install a separate one, or enlarge the one you have.
Also, “consider replacing dated, bulky vanities with sleek pedestal sinks,” adds Dave Mason, an interior designer and owner of The Knobs Company. Pedestal sinks, free-standing units that stretch up from your floor and ending in a basin, retail from $325 to $730 . Another option: a wall-affixed sink with cabinets underneath it that, like the tankless toilet, seems to float in space.
Even altering accents can make a modernizing change. “An easy way to update your bathroom is by installing new hardware such as a towel rod, towel bar, robe hook, and toilet paper holder,” states Jordan Fuller, a house flipper. “Changing from outdated hardware to [more innovative] brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze finishes will modernize your bathroom quickly and easily.
A bathroom can never seem spacious enough, and one way to accomplish this — home layout permitting — is by adding a window or skylight, preferably to the aforementioned standalone shower area. It achieves multiple benefits:
Average prices for installing a bathroom-sized sliding window (around 26 to 84 inches wide and 24 to 60 inches tall) runs between $300 to $700, according to HomeLight, the real estate agent search site.
Where is it written that bathrooms have to be white-toned? “Painting your bathroom is one of the best ways to make it look modern and increase its value,” states Aaron Lebowski, a certified interior designer with Julieli Salone.
Of course, “you don’t want to do anything crazy but instead stick with cool, calming natural colors.”
“If you don’t feel like changing the color of your walls, you can always paint your cabinetry” as a compromise, he adds. A two-toned effect can be quite smart. The point is, don’t be afraid to add some color into your bath life.
High-quality flooring — beyond your basic tile — brings a bathroom up-to-date with both aesthetic and safety concerns. “Waterproofing the floor has become one of the most demanded features of a modern bathroom,” remarks Wysocarski. “It improves the property value and reduces the risk of injuries due to the slippery” surface.
Whether tiled or in tumbled stone form, natural materials ($100 to $300 per square foot ), such as granite, porcelain, or travertine (a type of limestone), transform the space from mundane to modern. Create continuity by extending the flooring around the tub or in the shower.
Bathroom tech innovations can enhance comfort, improve functionality, and increase your home’s energy efficiency. “Consider installing a smart shower system or a programmable thermostat to help you save money on your energy bills,” suggests Mason. Smart shower systems allow you to set water temperature, flow rate, even shower duration. Admittedly, it’s an expensive endeavor, with systems ranging from $1,160 to $2,200 — though you can recoup on heating and water expenses.
Digital faucets (retailing between $150 and $600 ) turn themselves on and off with hand motions. Heated flooring (costing $8-$15 per square foo t to install) is another luxury that can save money in the long run, as its high efficiency means you can actually turn the thermostat down.
Vertical shelving instead of vanity drawers or cabinets adds a contemporary touch. With vertical shelves, you can snag towels, the hair dryer and toiletries quickly. Most importantly, it keeps your counters clutter-free.
Similarly, adding recessed lighting ($100 to $480 per fixture) instead of old-time sconces offers a cleaner, more streamlined look; if properly placed, it gives you ample illumination as you shave or put on makeup.
Consider adding a dimmer ($10 to $25 ) to the bathroom’s lights too. People always love this theatrical feature, and while the tech’s nothing new, being able to adjust the ambiance of the room never gets old.
Depending on what you do, costs for a bathroom remodel typically range from $6,000 to $16,000. But such renovations offer some of the highest returns on investment in the home-improvement universe, too — recouping at least two-thirds of their cost. The National Association of Realtors/NARI “2022 Remodeling Impact Report” places it even higher, saying you can expect to receive back around 71% of the value of a bathroom reno project.
Of course, if you’re renovating with an eye to your home’s resale value, you don’t want to go too trendy with the updates, lest the bathroom resembles a time warp when you’re ready to sell. There are economic reasons not to go too wild, as well: Often the more extensive a redo, the less it recoups. According to Remodeling’s “2021 Cost vs Value Report,” a midrange bathroom remodel (costing around $24,000) earns you a 60.1% return on investment, while an upscale project (around $75,000) only achieves a 54.8% ROI.
In other words, relatively small things can refresh the space and modernize the bathroom in a way you can enjoy now and buyers can appreciate later.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Bankrate.com does not include all companies or all available products.
Bankrate, LLC NMLS ID# 1427381 | NMLS Consumer Access BR Tech Services, Inc. NMLS ID #1743443 | NMLS Consumer Access
© 2022 Bankrate, LLC. A Red Ventures company. All Rights Reserved.