Every part of your new home is sure to be exciting, but few areas define your personal retreat more than your kitchen and bathrooms. The primary bath in particular sets a tone, serving as not just a place to get ready in the mornings but also to settle in and settle down for the night. Keep these five things in mind as you make your selections to build a primary bath you’re sure to love for the many years ahead.
Color palette
The number of color options available to you will vary significantly by builder. Changing a wall color after move-in day is fairly simple, but your overall palette is harder to change given how walls, cabinetry, tile, and other surfaces play together. As you make your selections, make sure to look at all your options together. If there’s a color not offered by your builder that you’d like to integrate later, bring swatches to your selections appointment to get a comprehensive view in advance.
Layout
On a floorplan, in a model, or even a 3-D walkthrough, most spaces look amazing. Everything is shiny and perfectly clean and new. Don’t get lost in the new-build luster; think practically about how the layout of that space will fit your routines and needs. For example, is your spouse an early riser? It may make sense to ensure louder elements (like showers and drawers) are set away from the primary bedroom. Where does the water closet sit in relation to other rooms in the house? Consider the space in relation to your routines, preferences, and the remainder of the house.
Lighting
In secondary baths, it isn’t necessarily uncommon to lack generous natural lighting. However, in your primary bath, lighting can be a game changer. Consider how windows align with prep areas and how that may affect your use of the space. Also, where do you prefer lights and to what degree of brightness? Will you have a separate vanity area, or do you need well-lit mirrors and vanities? Do you want a touch of ambiance with a chandelier near the tub? Most builders will have only standard lighting in bathrooms, but customizing lighting locations and possibly adding a fixture or two can take your new-build bathroom up a notch.
Definitions of space
How are you with sharing a bathroom, really? Would you prefer one long vanity top that’s shared, but open, or is it important to you to have separate vanities and sinks? Would a countertop tower do the trick? Many floorplans keep bathrooms open with the intention of presenting buyers with the largest possible space, but as you make your selections, you have the opportunity (depending on builder) to define spaces in a natural way.
Tile and materials
Think carefully about how your lifestyle will work with your materials selections. In general, it’s best to keep wood out of bathrooms due to humidity and the likeliness of standing water. But even within tile there are many things to consider. Is porosity an issue for you? How often do you clean—and how meticulous are you? That white grout may look beautiful in the model but may not age well. Consider not only the color and overall aesthetic of the selections you’re drawn to but also the maintenance.
