“I think the real game changer of my life – at least as a homeowner, at least as the person who is planning and overseeing the remodeling work we’re having done – was realizing that the experiences I loved having when we stayed at a B&B or a nicer hotel could happen in my house all of the time.” Shawna and her husband Jeff are in the midst of a major remodel of their Needham home. “You can literally create any kind of space you want in your home once you have the right builders.”
Creating the Spa Like Bathroom
“For example, our master bathroom. We haven’t touched it yet. It’s been the same since we bought the house eight years ago. But honestly, I’m pretty tired of it. And we stayed in the cutest little inn in New Hampshire that had a bathroom with a big soaking tub that faced windows overlooking the sea.” Shawna’s backyard is a gardener’s paradise, with multiple beautiful flowerbeds. “So I asked the builder if we could create something similar. The answer was of course, and they suggested three other features I just love.
The first is the open shower. I was a little skeptical when I first heard the idea of a shower that has no walls or curtains, but it turns out to be very convenient and comfortable. I absolutely don’t miss scrubbing the shower doors! All the water goes out through the drain in the floor and it’s just a beautiful soothing space.
Next – I am in love with our custom storage. One of the best things I ever did was tell my Needham building contractor what I needed to put away – namely my very large collection of fluffy towels and Lush bath bombs – and they created the storage spaces I needed without us having to enlarge the footprint of the room itself.
Finally, the seating. I never really thought about having seating in the bathroom before, but in the inn, there was a chair where my husband sat and had a glass of wine with me while I was soaking in the tub, and that was a very neat experience. So our builders came up with a plan that includes plenty of floor space and also a built in bench near the window seat.
If you’re planning to upgrade your bathroom, I very much suggest paying attention to what you love about the bathrooms in any inns or hotels you enjoy staying at. You can have that luxury feel at home, without spending a lot of extra money.”
