When renovating, you might want to make your home more beautiful, valuable and enjoyable, and an ensuite is an excellent way to achieve that.
Previously, the ensuite was simply made as an extra room, usually small in size, conjoined with the main bedroom, but with time this has changed, and the ensuite is now more than just a washroom.
Daniela Santilli, a leader in Bathroom Marketing, has said that ensuites are essentially a place where the owner can relax, groom themselves and stay in solitude away from the rest of the household.
There are six great reasons we have to convince you about getting an ensuite in your home.
1. It can improve your bathing experience
According to Reece Santilli, the experience of water pouring over your body is very important as it can shift or tilt your mood towards a more calm and balanced level. The shower is the ultimate provider for this.
The “twin” or “marriage shower” caters for both the men who simply like to be drenched by the pouring water and women who, in a bid to avoid water touching their hair, use the hand shower. This type of shower fits best.
It depends on space, but if you have enough, then you can create your very own personal retreat. Choosing a layout with support for the back and head will be advantageous during a long relaxing bath.
2. Creating luxury
The tiles you use to design your surfaces will give your space a luxurious look and feel. Accessories and other high-end materials will add to the aesthetic, making your area feel more like a high-end holiday resort.
Terrazzo and large format tiles are a favourite, as Courtney and Hans, both winners of The Block main Bathroom week competition, confirmed when they picked them again for their ensuite.
Vanessa Thompson, a Designer at Beaumont Tiles, also confirmed that the tiles are two of the biggest trends now, suggesting that the large tiles be used for walls and floors while the more detailed tiles like the mosaics are used on splashbacks and feature walls. The look of properly matched tiles in the ensuite speaks of luxury.
3. Get more privacy
One of the best reasons for an ensuite is the privacy it offers. While being an extension of your shared space (bedroom), the ensuite offers a place to relax, unlike traditional areas for just washing.
Pedro Garcia, an architect of Tamospaya, highlights that it is essential for you to feel relaxed, at home and comfortable. To achieve this, you need a space to be alone and private.
Santilli agrees with this and says it is a place for you, contrasting with the main bathroom, which can often be for outsiders and visitors. An ensuite is just for you and your lifestyle.
4. Home feels bigger
Although the ensuite is usually a small space, making it roomy can make your home feel more significant than it is.
A good measure of this is to make sure the space can adequately fit two people simultaneously. An in-wall toilet, a frameless shower and a double wall-hung vanity are great ways to minimise space taken up by installations and leave more room.
Tiles also help make the space look bigger. Using dark shades for the floor and lighter colours on the walls usually makes the room look more expansive to the eyes.
5. Push up storage in the bathroom
Storage is high up on the must-have list of The Block. The teams who prioritised storage and installed eye level storage under vanity drawers and behind mirrors scored more points from the judges.
It is a common mistake to try to eke out more space when setting up an ensuite, but while more room is excellent, making sure to get storage is more than helpful. Garcia suggests that taking space from the bedroom is a great tip for saving space. You can do this by installing a double-wall while making it thick enough to hide shelves and lighting.
6. Bump up your home value
Meghan Smith, a Residential Sales expert, remarks that an ensuite is an excellent step to installing another bathroom and that some buyers exclusively look to buy properties with ensuites.
She mentions that many entry-level properties do not have second bathrooms, and some buyers who look to install additional bathrooms later look at ensuites as a viable option.
She also adds that to sell some properties, she has had to employ a builder to provide the financial implications or quote for installing an ensuite to advise her buyers better.
Meghan says her best tip is to install a shower separately from the bath if space is available.