Finally! Everyone talks about esthetic but nobody talks about maintenance/cleaning. I hate spending endless hours cleaning washroom/kitchen... All the joining cracks/nooks of the typical toilet bowl parts are the grossest thing for me!
AMEN! We are updating two bathrooms, and these tips are so helpful. I'm so sick and tired of crawling behind the toilets, scrubbing crappy designed faucets, and all the grout issues!!!!
My life was changed by the book “Make Your House Do The Hosusework” which has these and other incredible suggestions for low maintenance building practices.
Fabulous video! May I add, rethink getting a shower with a track door system - they are impossible to keep clean! The tracks fill up with the most disgusting black gunk because the water never fully drains out of them. After a few years trying with Qtips and wasting water, we finally ripped out the entire door system and put up a shower rod.
As someone who moved into an apartment with these already installed, I AGREE. They're so miserable and I hate them. We actually pull out the doors every few months to properly scrub them and the track, and it's just disgusting what ends up in there. We're hoping to finally get them removed soon as well.
I think that how much of a problem this is varies depending on your track system and your climate. I have one and it dries out pretty fast, so I haven't had this issue. That said the bottom of my system's track doesn't have a lot to it, the part that does the retention of the doors is further up, so the parts that would collect water are not in a position to collect water in the first place. It's definitely much better at drying out than the plastic shower curtains that we had at my old place, and easier to clean too. The curtains have worse air circulation between the folds and the tub so they'd stay wet for longer.
@@seabream You make an outstanding point about climate - having an adult child living on one of Colorado’s front ranges where even snow can dissipate before it falls and every day is a great “hair day,” climate matters. But here in our cooler-but-still-humid Boston area climate, shower door track gunk is relentless and awful. FWIW, since we removed the tracks and switched to shower curtain liners, our practice has been to change them out every few months, and send the old ones to our garage for paint and other outdoor project use.
I'm a believer in function over form. To that end, I want bathrooms like those in hospitals - super easy to clean because they have to be for hygiene reasons. They might not look pretty, but no-lip floors that are laminate (which continues up the walls to a certain extent) don't have grout or shower tracks to collect gunk or trip people up.
Thank you for mentioning this. I used to clean houses and it was really hard to clean certain spaces. Many people design their houses to look good, but it doesn't mean that is practical. I think the people who design those things are people who never clean their houses, haha. You forgot to mention pebble floors or tempered glass. Those are hard to clean too
Reynard, the quality of your videos and content has improved so much in such a short time. You also give the best practical advice when it comes to home design, maintenance, and lifestyle! Keep it coming!
In a lot of European countries they have a drain in the main part of the bathroom and an extra hose so you can just spray down your toilet and floors and squeegee mop
I'm about to put in a new bathroom (UK), and am choosing to replace the bathtub with a full wetroom with walk-in shower. Concealed cistern wall-hung toilet. I live in a very hard water area and need to de-limescale regularly. Like the idea of a main drain. I am also installing a water softening device for the house. I had really liked the idea of marble mosaic, but thanks to this video, am going for large format porcelain tile instead.
This is not about a bathroom but I clean shared spaces for a living (staircases + hallways + elevators + entry/exit doors) and you know if someone designed the space with maintenance in mind or not. For example, some hallways have such horribly impractical windows, let’s say, instead of a nice 2-panel window that you can easily open, it’s been split into 6 separate cubes and you have to open them and literally unhinge them one by one in order to clean them. Makes me want to scream every time I have to clean them. So I really appreciate practical design that also keeps future maintenance in mind 🥲
Thank you for labelling your chapters and not forcing your viewers to watch the video to get the content. I just want the gist of it and could skip thru 90% of the video but still watch 100% of your content. Thank you.
This is the video I needed this week! We're doing a complete renovation of a small condo & my goal for the bathroom was Low Maintenance. The GC was initially surprised by my design choices because they didn't track with what most people are requesting. Once I clearly conveyed my goal of Low Maintenance, he and his team were super helpful in making material choices. We implemented 9 of the decisions recommended here. (Shower only, so no tub at all, toilet was already new so didn't replace immediately ). Thanks so much for sharing these. I feel so validated.
I would add, glass shower walls, especially if you have hard water. Water spots can actually etch the glass if not cleaned very regularly, and that damage is permanent. It may not be such a problem if you have one of those huge showers where the shower water doesn't actually reach the glass. For the rest of us, tile walls and a shower curtain may be better than glass.
We have glass shower walls, but fortunately, the water isn't too hard in our area. I was watching another RUclips channel about home cleaning, and they brought up a great point about preventing hard water stains with good ventilation. So Reynard's advice on getting a good exhaust fan can really help prevent or reduce the hard water stains on the glass wall showers.
textured glass is much better than plain glass on this account. I cannot wait to be able to remodel my bathroom so that I can rip out the horrendous curtain "system" and put a decent glass system in its place.
We put glass in both of our new bathrooms and love them both. We do have hard water but we keep a squeegee in each room and wipe down each time we use the shower. Our new shower is so big, the water on the glass is mostly condensation. After a year and a half I’m still really happy with the decision to use glass enclosures. We did add a bigger fan in the bigger master bath with a heater option. We used a paint with an ‘eggshell’ finish. It is between flat and semigloss. It hold up well in bathrooms and kitchens.
@@grizfan93An exhaust does not affect stain formation. When the water reaches the walls, the only thing that can remove the minerals is wiping it off the wall. Letting the water air dry leaves the minerals to crystalise.
@@florisr9 I think the theory is that by removing as much damp air as possible, that is less water to condense on the shower wall. You use a squeegee to scrap off the water, but without good ventilation, more will form due to all the steamy air.
@@crafter89 I've lived in Europe. Three countries. 5 or so years. I rented. I didn't even change my own lightbulbs. I had issues with plumbing, lighting, etc, that I could have and would have readily fixed on my own in the United States. What I found was, people there are just used to having the pros do every little thing that American's tend to think of as homeowner-level tasks. It's a different mentality. Very different.
Completely depends what part of Europe you live in. Some of us have no choice to get good at DIY. Tradespeople in the UK are almost impossible to get to turn up nowadays
Hey Reynard! Thanks for all the helpful tips. Who likes cleaning right? I would also suggest a vanity cabinet to avoid clutter on the counter top. The only item on the sink shud be the hand wash.
As a daughtsperson who regularly designs bathrooms I agree with everything in this video. It was really well done. I wish more people knew all this. I might even send the link to some clients.
The vessel sink and freestanding tubs are kitschy as fuck anyway. Everyone and their dog uses them which is going to be dating their bathroom to this period and look trendy-sheep in 5 years time. Timeless designs never die. Freestanding bathroom fixtures are just a fashion statement today, but they are pointless, lame, and classless.
I grew up in a California Central Valley farmhouse that was built in the 1950s. It had wall-mounted faucets in the bathrooms and laundry room. When I bought my first house (and my current house), I added wall-mount sinks to the bathrooms and laundry room (not at kitchen sink 'cause it's under a window). It's easy to find wall-mount faucets now, but wasn't the case twenty years ago. The point is, they're so easy to clean and easy to use. They're a must for me.
You know those suburban cave showers? I use bar keepers friend foam spray, works wonders. Just like gold or black hardware, I’d never upgrade to a free standing tub. Following trends just so you can show off to your friends is very expensive. When the trend changes, your home looks dated and you are motivated to upgrade again.
Love this. My primary concern is maintenance, including repairs, so I don't mind living with open systems. You can still make it work in a rough, industrial style. As a solo home owner, access is the most important thing for me.
Great tips, thank you! Here are a couple more: If you find yourself keeping too many items on the counter, a narrow utility cart for all your skincare products and things can be very helpful to keep things more organized; and a wall mounted shower caddy to keep your shampoos, conditioners, razers and scrubs in (rather than keeping them on ledges or corner mounted caddies) can make your tub/shower area feel a lot more spatious and organized as well. You can get both things for about $25 and they're a great quality of life improvement.
I love my vessel sinks. I have 3. Two are in the kids bathroom. They keep the water and gunk inside the sink and they are the easiest to clean. I am also a professional house cleaner with my own business. I have cleaned every style of sink.
Best decision I made was going for a shower curtain rather than glass screen. Instead of scrubbing and rinsing I can take it off in a few seconds and throw it in the washing machine or a bucket with some bleach if it's getting mouldy. When it wears out I can replace it easily and cheaply. The cost of even the cheapest glass screen is more than 20 years of regular shower curtain purchases. So that's my tip, go for a shower curtain but don't cheap out on the rail, get a good one that is strong, slides easily and has easy to remove hooks/clips for the curtain.
Love your cadence and presentation. So easy to follow and very helpful.. bathrooms and kitchens are the worst to keep clean and organized for me.. Thanks for the tips
Most of the things you mentioned here I have planned for when I have house. Finally someone understands the intricacies of bathroom material choices cuz I don’t want to spend time to constantly clean it!!
As a 2 time homeowner that has demoed to the studs both times, I couldn't agree more. I would add that in areas of hard water, put the faucet in the wall rather than counter. Easily clean it with a squeegee. Plan your kitchen to the T. And by god epoxy grout the whole house if you can. Bathrooms and kitchens especially. The regular grout cracks as well and its terrible. I'd add to chose comfort height toilets. The tall ones are NOT a good idea. Pretty but not good for bowel movements. Great video. Helps people avoid expensive mistakes.
7:45 Had the same problem with my kitchen. My kitchen has really tiny tiles which caused grease and dirt to build up whenever I cooked/cleaned. I live in a rental so I covered them up with big square sticky tiles. Problem solved! :) Great videos Reynard
We love our vessel sinks! We are tall and they are more comfortable for us. I don’t find them more difficult to clean then the drop in or under mount. 🤷🏼♀️. Agree with everything else 😊
I’m a cleaner by trade, these are all spot on! Having a hand held shower head is my favourite tip and saves SO much time and effort in cleaning - for my own shower and my clients!
When I bought my house 25 years ago, one of its best features was, and remains, the single-piece molded tub/shower. WIith all the corners and edges being smoothly rounded, and no grout or silicon to worry with, it is an absolute breeze to keep clean ! Even after all these years, it still looks good as new ! Given a choice, I wouldn't choose anything else. I'm considering remodeling the bathroom of an old house I inherited, and hope to find a company that still manufactures this type of tub/shower.
I have a pet peeve about medicine cabinets. There are 2 types - recessed and surface mount. Both are about 4" deep. My bathroom is small and I really need as much storage as I can get. Why don't they make mirrored medicine cabinets that are recessed into the wall and also protrude about 3-4+/- inches into the bathroom area. That means these cabinets could be 6-7+/- inches deep inside for additional storage. You could store extra bottles of shampoo and body wash in there, and even a roll or two of extra toilet paper. This will leave the drawers in your under-sink cabinet available for towels and hair dryers. If your wall thickness is 6", you could recessed such a cabinet even deeper into the wall. It just seems to me that the traditional 4" depth if medicine cabinets needs to be updated.
I have just completed a new ensuite, renovated bathroom, laundry and powder room. There’s so many other areas to add to this. There’s hours of lessons I’ve learned. I choose chrome fixtures. The golds, brass etc. were tarnishing before my eyes in the showroom. Toilets - 4 of them. All two piece. Apart from half the cost, my plumber and contractor avoid wall hung for any future repairs behind the wall. Last but definitely not least, please be careful with selecting white tiles, white vanities. Etc. None of them match if purchasing off the shelf. Something I didn’t notice till it was too late. Large gloss white tiles, bright white grout and silicon, bathroom ceiling paint, vanity, ceramic sink and top, freestanding bath. All the whites are different. The vanity and bath together are the most noticeable. Gloss white bath with matt white vanity which looks like off white. So disappointed.
Great points! Too, may I add, for certain materials, their colors can shift as they age. What used to match at first can be noticeably different 20 years later!
again practical, thoughtful suggestions. i have built and remodeled for wealthy tech and old money going on 35 yrs. the bathroom elements that demand the most cost to place will often be the fixtures and surfaces that carry the highest lifetime costs to maintain. in the majority of my experiences the most experienced customers choose simple, elegant, high quality fixtures, finishes and designs as the trends date themselves quickly and require frequent visits from the cleaning service. so hey for those of us that can't pay a cleaning crew why add to the 700 things you have to do after work? our company's suggestion to many clients ( the ones that are receptive) is 'reduce scope, increase quality' and your project will quietly serve and please you more.
Epixy grout is great stuff. Yes it is more expensive but I think it’s worth it. I did not even know it existed but the people I hired to do the tile in my kitchen and my bathroom suggested it. They said that’s what they preferred to use and I’m glad that I spent the money.
I think freestanding tubs, on feet, are much smarter for maintenance: for daily maintenance and for avoiding water entering areas behind tile and below tub which just end up rotting. Same reason I like one-piece bathroom sink and adequate back splash. I really like the idea of a rimless toilet; I didn't know they existed!
About flat bottomed sinks, I recently spend two days in a hotel with that, and just from brushing my teeth that sink was _nasty_. Tyring to pour water from the glass did not help, as it transported the material in all directions, not just towards the drain.
I have watched 2 of your "things to avoid" videos so far and have gained 2 tips CRUCIAL to my renovation plan (as well as many others that have been very helpful). That plus your soothing voice made me click the subscribe button 😊
The advantage of small tile is they tend to be more slip resistant. It may sound cheap, but our white plastic shower pan is slip resistant and has lasted for years. I put spray foam under before installation and it is not cold at all either. While I often spray the ceramic tile walls with hot water to warm them up in a cold house. By the way, in some states a shower control operating a rain and hose shower is not supposed to power both at the same time as a water saving measure.
It’s funny how being the person responsible for cleaning, makes you see things like this. I’ve always thought I would never get vessel sinks and stand alone tubs for the exact reasons you mentioned, PLUS, they’re kind of uncomfortable to use because you have to lift your shoulders to use them, no difficult, but not as convenient. ALSO, kind of on the same vibe as tiny tiles… shower floors tiled with stones… looks beautiful but oh my goodness what a pain in the butt to clean… and I personally found them uncomfortable to stand on.
:50 I love that you showed that image and the style that’s super easy to clean. Mine is completely opposite when I moved in I can’t get my finger or barely a scrubber in between the handles and it is the stainless that everyone put in about 6-8 years ago and it’s already starting to corrode on the inside.
Thanks, that was reassuring. I'm in a middle of a massive bathroom redesign project and miraculously managed to make all the right decisions according to your video.
This video actually made me feel a little proud of myself. Nearly all of the points checks out with my choices when I planned my bathroom renovation a couple of years ago. Very much not an architect, but very concious of my own dislike for spending more time cleaning than absolutely necessary. It guess it helped that I rolled my eyes at the "your very own spa" theme in all the brochures... My only regret is the "rain forest shower". Never use it, but occasionally it drips a few drops of cold water on me. :)
AS one who once had a cleaning service and now does interior design, one of the first things i think about when making recommendations to a client is to consider maintenance and cleaning.
I've been told by a contractor that undermount sinks develop mould under the recessed part that is impossible to clean. I guess what you don't know... eeek. Vessel sinks often far too small to use without splashing water over the counter top. May work for people who avoid washing their hands!
Top three things to help. Wipes and toilet paper holder. Basically a box with her need lid and bar under for the roll. A plastic bin with 3/4" silicone feet in the shower/tub cut out to hold all the bottles in the tub/shower combo. A second tension shower bar with s hooks to hold wet items.
I hate to say this, but...I'm not getting any younger and oddly enough I have never dreamed of spending my golden years cleaning the bathroom. This is the best video I've seen about practical considerations when designing bathrooms! I would love a part 2 to this video on designing bathrooms for multiple generations--both old age and small children, as well as going over safety concerns a home owner may have not considered!
you are exactly right about vessel sinks. I did not want to have an undermounted sink in my kitchen, but I really like being able to push the water into the sink without going over a hump. It is interesting that toilet function doesn't not always make sense. In other words just looking at a toilet will not always reveal the best fuction. I would never use a colored fixture. For example we bought a house with lavender toilet, sinks, and shower/tub. Things immediately starte to fall apsrt when it came time to replace the toilet seat. How often do you see a lavender toilet seat?
(Just a tip between us: you don't need extra lights on the background. Your studio is bright and nice without that. And the additional lights, instead of creating depth, look weird turned on in broad daylight). Nice tips! I save them to use later. 😊
Thank you. These are all great points to keep in mind as I design a bathroom for my nephew. The separated toilet points helped me find the culprit of the lingering urine smell I used to find after a good cleaning.
06:14 another thing with maintaining stainless steel fixtures when you have hard water is to always keep a clean rag at hand and wipe the fixtures after they get splashed. If there’s no a lot of water on them, it’s harder for limescale to build up, therefore you don’t have to do deep cleaning as often :) useful if you want to keep your space clean but don’t have the energy ❤
Agreed with all this. As the one who usually does the cleaning in the house, I cringe when I see these aesthetically pleasing bathroom designs that are completely impractical. At one of my previous apartments, the shower had those small hexagon shape tiles on the floor, it was a nightmare to keep clean.
Thank you so much for this video!! I have been wanting a stand alone tub but haven’t pulled the trigger due to possibly cleaning issues. I love that tub!! The look without the hassle. I also need a new toilet and I loved the options that you presented!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾
Seconding the dark finishes. Within a year of hard water our dark bronze sinks looked awful. But a white quartz shower doesn't show ANYTHING and looks great even five years later.
When we built our new house, my primary consideration in making all decisions, cabinetry styling bathroom arrangements, etc. was how am I going to clean this? -what is gonna make this easier to clean?
All sinks have there pros and cons with cleaning. I had an intergrated sink for 25 years and it was easy to clean the surface but if I didnt do it constantly the daily crime around the base of the tap was very noticable against the intetgrated surface. My undermount sink the worst part is that fine line where the join is sealed gets really bad if i dont scrub with a toothbrush daily. My vessel sink is sealed at the the bottom so there is no crevice for anything to get trapped so it has been easy to keep looking clean. Its harder to reach around the back than an intergrated sink but doesnt seem to need it as often. It probably depends on what type of vessel sink though,theres so many different ones. Mine doesnt have crevices, but unsealed where buildup could get trapped i imagine would be terrible to clean. Shower doors are my least favouite thing to clean in the bathroom, after years I now have a single piece glass
Excellent. I was surprised, however, that when showing the bathroom sinks, he didn't point out the wall-mounted faucets in all of his pictures. Cleaning around any type of counter-mounted faucet is always a pain to some degree. It's bound to be an expensive upgrade, but probably less so during original construction.
Thank you! I am thinking to buy a freestanding corner bathtub. There is a gap of 30 cm between the bathtub and the wall on its left. Thanks to you I know that it is enough space. Greetings from Romania
We have a glass vessel sink. We live in a hard water area. It doesn't even go a full day after a cleaning without getting water spots. It is pretty when clean though. We also have dark bronze finish fixtures. It was originally designed with a black and red aesthetic complete with a black toilet and tub. Did I mention we have hard water? I'm slowly switching it to a light natural looking Scandinavian aesthetic with light blue accents. The black toilet and tub will only be replaced if they break irreparably though.
If you have a closed cabinet vanity, put a layer of plastic on the floor of the cabinet. Pipes under the sink always leak, and that plastic will protect the particle board and save you a stinky headache in the future. The plastic can be an old shower curtain or floor runner or really anything.
Great video. You missed shower doors versus curtains. When we renovated we wanted the doors but they collect mildew. So we went with a curved bar and curtains.
Too late on the vessel sink. My Kohler vessel sinks have arrived. I'm not too worried about it. Will make sure they are properly sealed and don't mind wiping them down as we do that with existing sinks anyway.
Been seeing these rants & warnings from those chinese social media for ages but i cant get those info across (the market demands is so different and people just dont want to listen to logical argument from the other side) ! Thank you for making this video 😂
You have made some good points. I have been to so many hotels where they put form over function and follow trends that are not sensible. For example, rain showers are not as effective at cleaning (a person or the shower itself) as a flexible shower head. I always wonder how much time cleaners could save if they didn't have to deal with items that just look good. 4:04 Potential splashing can be avoided by always closing the lid before flushing. This also prevents bacteria from being sprayed all over the bathroom, including towels and toothbrushes. Further, preferably, the toilet should be in a water closet and not in the same room as the bath and shower. No-one wants to try to relax in a bath when there is a lingering odour from the toilet.
In an ideal world yes, the toilet would be separate. But I the UK where I live a lot of properties are small and we don't have that option. I am just about to renovate my bathroom for the first time since we moved in 25 years ago. I am budgeting £15 - £18 k and its not a big room😮 But I am determined to have the highest quality that budget will stretch to. I am employing a small but well known and reliable bathroom company with a designer to ensure we get things right , but there's definitely things on here that are immensely helpful. One thing I don't need I underfloor heating, but there is now the option to put heating behind the tiles that will help to keep the mould away. 😊
I wish I saw this video yesterday as I just dropped over my budget on a freestanding bath that just, just fits in my bathroom. Oh pooh! We wanted to have a built in cement bath but struggled to find someone. Thanks for these great tips
We just renovated. Rimless toilets are quite expensive. It is easier to find a toilet brush that has both a regular and a small brush attached, for inside the rim.
For cleaning a shower, I wound up buying a super soaker water gun, which allows me to rinse down the walls of the bathroom, after I've cleaned it. This includes the ceiling which someone tiled.
Best video and best advice I've ever seen on maintenance tips for bathroom design. Thank you! I would especially like a bathroom I could just throw a bunch of soap on and pressure wash it lol
I rarely ever comment, and I'm a new listener but I wanted to thank you for a great video! I've made some of these mistakes on a recent renovation and would do things a bit differently next time.
If you have hard water, instead of "solving2 the issue by using finishes that make the issue less apparent, why not solving the issue by installing a softener?
I appreciate the advice and suggestions in this video. I was so attracted by the beautiful designs available in vessel sinks. Now I learned that they are difficult to clean.
When vessel sinks first arrived, my immediate thought was that crevice between the sink and the counter was going to be a champion dust collector. My mantra on picking designs these days is “follow the dust”.
To be fair… they are really not that much more difficult to clean, it’s a small price to pay if you ask me 😊 plus, water doesn’t pool at the top/back, which was annoying with my former integrated sink, mold and gunk are more difficult to remove
Just a side note about marble: some artificial materials resemble stone marble. They contain silica, which is more harmful than asbestos in manufacturing, but do you want to cause someone illness to get that piece? There are alternatives
![Coheed and Cambria - Searching for Tomorrow [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDsYGLbmadg/mqdefault.jpg)
Finally! Everyone talks about esthetic but nobody talks about maintenance/cleaning. I hate spending endless hours cleaning washroom/kitchen... All the joining cracks/nooks of the typical toilet bowl parts are the grossest thing for me!
AMEN! We are updating two bathrooms, and these tips are so helpful. I'm so sick and tired of crawling behind the toilets, scrubbing crappy designed faucets, and all the grout issues!!!!
My life was changed by the book “Make Your House Do The Hosusework” which has these and other incredible suggestions for low maintenance building practices.
Author? & where can I purchase a copy?
I'm guessing it's the first suggestion on amazon by Don Aslett?
🤯
Fabulous video! May I add, rethink getting a shower with a track door system - they are impossible to keep clean! The tracks fill up with the most disgusting black gunk because the water never fully drains out of them. After a few years trying with Qtips and wasting water, we finally ripped out the entire door system and put up a shower rod.
Spray with a mild bleach solution, then blast it all off with the power wash shower head setting. Gets most of it loose with no scrubbing.
Agreed, I've spent more time cleaning tracks in the shower door than anything else.
As someone who moved into an apartment with these already installed, I AGREE. They're so miserable and I hate them. We actually pull out the doors every few months to properly scrub them and the track, and it's just disgusting what ends up in there. We're hoping to finally get them removed soon as well.
I think that how much of a problem this is varies depending on your track system and your climate. I have one and it dries out pretty fast, so I haven't had this issue. That said the bottom of my system's track doesn't have a lot to it, the part that does the retention of the doors is further up, so the parts that would collect water are not in a position to collect water in the first place. It's definitely much better at drying out than the plastic shower curtains that we had at my old place, and easier to clean too. The curtains have worse air circulation between the folds and the tub so they'd stay wet for longer.
@@seabream You make an outstanding point about climate - having an adult child living on one of Colorado’s front ranges where even snow can dissipate before it falls and every day is a great “hair day,” climate matters. But here in our cooler-but-still-humid Boston area climate, shower door track gunk is relentless and awful. FWIW, since we removed the tracks and switched to shower curtain liners, our practice has been to change them out every few months, and send the old ones to our garage for paint and other outdoor project use.
I'm a believer in function over form. To that end, I want bathrooms like those in hospitals - super easy to clean because they have to be for hygiene reasons. They might not look pretty, but no-lip floors that are laminate (which continues up the walls to a certain extent) don't have grout or shower tracks to collect gunk or trip people up.
Thank you for mentioning this. I used to clean houses and it was really hard to clean certain spaces. Many people design their houses to look good, but it doesn't mean that is practical. I think the people who design those things are people who never clean their houses, haha.
You forgot to mention pebble floors or tempered glass. Those are hard to clean too
Reynard, the quality of your videos and content has improved so much in such a short time. You also give the best practical advice when it comes to home design, maintenance, and lifestyle! Keep it coming!
Thanks Kevin, appreciate it!
Reynard, great tips. I like the enthusiasm you’re showing in this video. It’s fun to see you smiling.
Agree.. thoroughly enjoyed watching this
Very soothing to listen to
In a lot of European countries they have a drain in the main part of the bathroom and an extra hose so you can just spray down your toilet and floors and squeegee mop
That would be a wonderful feature to have in a bathroom.
@@danielled1720should be standard. Imagine having a sink without a drain. So, why a wet room without a drain? 😮
@@sarahrosen4985probably it is a drain outside of the shower area which may be enclosed.
I'm about to put in a new bathroom (UK), and am choosing to replace the bathtub with a full wetroom with walk-in shower. Concealed cistern wall-hung toilet. I live in a very hard water area and need to de-limescale regularly. Like the idea of a main drain. I am also installing a water softening device for the house. I had really liked the idea of marble mosaic, but thanks to this video, am going for large format porcelain tile instead.
Ermmm… isn’t that the butt hose?
This is not about a bathroom but I clean shared spaces for a living (staircases + hallways + elevators + entry/exit doors) and you know if someone designed the space with maintenance in mind or not.
For example, some hallways have such horribly impractical windows, let’s say, instead of a nice 2-panel window that you can easily open, it’s been split into 6 separate cubes and you have to open them and literally unhinge them one by one in order to clean them. Makes me want to scream every time I have to clean them. So I really appreciate practical design that also keeps future maintenance in mind 🥲
I didn’t actually know about rim-free toilets! 😲 wow, that’s practical
Thank you for labelling your chapters and not forcing your viewers to watch the video to get the content. I just want the gist of it and could skip thru 90% of the video but still watch 100% of your content. Thank you.
your soothing voice shatters my bathroom design dreams so peacefully.
😂 perfectly put
This is the video I needed this week! We're doing a complete renovation of a small condo & my goal for the bathroom was Low Maintenance. The GC was initially surprised by my design choices because they didn't track with what most people are requesting. Once I clearly conveyed my goal of Low Maintenance, he and his team were super helpful in making material choices. We implemented 9 of the decisions recommended here. (Shower only, so no tub at all, toilet was already new so didn't replace immediately ). Thanks so much for sharing these. I feel so validated.
I would add, glass shower walls, especially if you have hard water. Water spots can actually etch the glass if not cleaned very regularly, and that damage is permanent. It may not be such a problem if you have one of those huge showers where the shower water doesn't actually reach the glass. For the rest of us, tile walls and a shower curtain may be better than glass.
We have glass shower walls, but fortunately, the water isn't too hard in our area. I was watching another RUclips channel about home cleaning, and they brought up a great point about preventing hard water stains with good ventilation. So Reynard's advice on getting a good exhaust fan can really help prevent or reduce the hard water stains on the glass wall showers.
textured glass is much better than plain glass on this account.
I cannot wait to be able to remodel my bathroom so that I can rip out the horrendous curtain "system" and put a decent glass system in its place.
We put glass in both of our new bathrooms and love them both. We do have hard water but we keep a squeegee in each room and wipe down each time we use the shower. Our new shower is so big, the water on the glass is mostly condensation. After a year and a half I’m still really happy with the decision to use glass enclosures. We did add a bigger fan in the bigger master bath with a heater option.
We used a paint with an ‘eggshell’ finish. It is between flat and semigloss. It hold up well in bathrooms and kitchens.
@@grizfan93An exhaust does not affect stain formation. When the water reaches the walls, the only thing that can remove the minerals is wiping it off the wall. Letting the water air dry leaves the minerals to crystalise.
@@florisr9 I think the theory is that by removing as much damp air as possible, that is less water to condense on the shower wall. You use a squeegee to scrap off the water, but without good ventilation, more will form due to all the steamy air.
There is more to maintenance than cleaning, and the repair issues with the toilets recommended in this video cannot be overstated.
Can't be that big of an issue because those toilets are standard here in Europe. I've never had an issue with my wall mounted toilet.
@@crafter89 I've lived in Europe. Three countries. 5 or so years. I rented. I didn't even change my own lightbulbs. I had issues with plumbing, lighting, etc, that I could have and would have readily fixed on my own in the United States. What I found was, people there are just used to having the pros do every little thing that American's tend to think of as homeowner-level tasks. It's a different mentality. Very different.
He did mention they're more difficult to repair
Completely depends what part of Europe you live in. Some of us have no choice to get good at DIY. Tradespeople in the UK are almost impossible to get to turn up nowadays
@@ahwhite2022That sounds great, which countries were these? I’ve heard in you have to provision everything including your own kitchen in Germany.
Hey Reynard! Thanks for all the helpful tips. Who likes cleaning right? I would also suggest a vanity cabinet to avoid clutter on the counter top. The only item on the sink shud be the hand wash.
As a daughtsperson who regularly designs bathrooms I agree with everything in this video. It was really well done. I wish more people knew all this. I might even send the link to some clients.
Me crying 😭 as I watch Reynard destroy my bathroom aesthetic dreams, one by one 😂 Great video, thanks 👍
Oh no! I mean not all choices have to be low maintenance 😅. I wouldn't mind a bit more work to get the aesthetics I wanted 😁
😂😂😂
Better to find out before than after 😅
The vessel sink and freestanding tubs are kitschy as fuck anyway. Everyone and their dog uses them which is going to be dating their bathroom to this period and look trendy-sheep in 5 years time.
Timeless designs never die. Freestanding bathroom fixtures are just a fashion statement today, but they are pointless, lame, and classless.
@@tgb-vf4es they are giving hotel to me tbh, and while staying in a fancy hotel is nice, I wouldn't want to live in one
I grew up in a California Central Valley farmhouse that was built in the 1950s. It had wall-mounted faucets in the bathrooms and laundry room. When I bought my first house (and my current house), I added wall-mount sinks to the bathrooms and laundry room (not at kitchen sink 'cause it's under a window). It's easy to find wall-mount faucets now, but wasn't the case twenty years ago. The point is, they're so easy to clean and easy to use. They're a must for me.
You know those suburban cave showers? I use bar keepers friend foam spray, works wonders.
Just like gold or black hardware, I’d never upgrade to a free standing tub.
Following trends just so you can show off to your friends is very expensive. When the trend changes, your home looks dated and you are motivated to upgrade again.
Love this. My primary concern is maintenance, including repairs, so I don't mind living with open systems. You can still make it work in a rough, industrial style. As a solo home owner, access is the most important thing for me.
Great tips, thank you! Here are a couple more: If you find yourself keeping too many items on the counter, a narrow utility cart for all your skincare products and things can be very helpful to keep things more organized; and a wall mounted shower caddy to keep your shampoos, conditioners, razers and scrubs in (rather than keeping them on ledges or corner mounted caddies) can make your tub/shower area feel a lot more spatious and organized as well. You can get both things for about $25 and they're a great quality of life improvement.
I liked this idea but I didn’t want those items out in the open. So i opted to conceal in a small cabinet. Looks so much neater now 😊
I love my vessel sinks. I have 3. Two are in the kids bathroom. They keep the water and gunk inside the sink and they are the easiest to clean. I am also a professional house cleaner with my own business. I have cleaned every style of sink.
Best decision I made was going for a shower curtain rather than glass screen. Instead of scrubbing and rinsing I can take it off in a few seconds and throw it in the washing machine or a bucket with some bleach if it's getting mouldy. When it wears out I can replace it easily and cheaply. The cost of even the cheapest glass screen is more than 20 years of regular shower curtain purchases. So that's my tip, go for a shower curtain but don't cheap out on the rail, get a good one that is strong, slides easily and has easy to remove hooks/clips for the curtain.
And, shower curtains are a great way to decorate. I have different shower curtains for different seasons.
Do you have a low maintenance video for kitchens as well? Would love to watch that one!!
Love your cadence and presentation. So easy to follow and very helpful.. bathrooms and kitchens are the worst to keep clean and organized for me.. Thanks for the tips
Most of the things you mentioned here I have planned for when I have house. Finally someone understands the intricacies of bathroom material choices cuz I don’t want to spend time to constantly clean it!!
I love the way you say 'Alternatively' 😊.
Great video as usual!
As a 2 time homeowner that has demoed to the studs both times, I couldn't agree more. I would add that in areas of hard water, put the faucet in the wall rather than counter. Easily clean it with a squeegee. Plan your kitchen to the T. And by god epoxy grout the whole house if you can. Bathrooms and kitchens especially. The regular grout cracks as well and its terrible. I'd add to chose comfort height toilets. The tall ones are NOT a good idea. Pretty but not good for bowel movements. Great video. Helps people avoid expensive mistakes.
7:45 Had the same problem with my kitchen. My kitchen has really tiny tiles which caused grease and dirt to build up whenever I cooked/cleaned. I live in a rental so I covered them up with big square sticky tiles. Problem solved! :) Great videos Reynard
We love our vessel sinks! We are tall and they are more comfortable for us. I don’t find them more difficult to clean then the drop in or under mount. 🤷🏼♀️. Agree with everything else 😊
I’m a cleaner by trade, these are all spot on! Having a hand held shower head is my favourite tip and saves SO much time and effort in cleaning - for my own shower and my clients!
When I bought my house 25 years ago, one of its best features was, and remains, the single-piece molded tub/shower. WIith all the corners and edges being smoothly rounded, and no grout or silicon to worry with, it is an absolute breeze to keep clean ! Even after all these years, it still looks good as new ! Given a choice, I wouldn't choose anything else.
I'm considering remodeling the bathroom of an old house I inherited, and hope to find a company that still manufactures this type of tub/shower.
I have a pet peeve about medicine cabinets. There are 2 types - recessed and surface mount. Both are about 4" deep. My bathroom is small and I really need as much storage as I can get. Why don't they make mirrored medicine cabinets that are recessed into the wall and also protrude about 3-4+/- inches into the bathroom area. That means these cabinets could be 6-7+/- inches deep inside for additional storage. You could store extra bottles of shampoo and body wash in there, and even a roll or two of extra toilet paper. This will leave the drawers in your under-sink cabinet available for towels and hair dryers.
If your wall thickness is 6", you could recessed such a cabinet even deeper into the wall.
It just seems to me that the traditional 4" depth if medicine cabinets needs to be updated.
To clean hard water marks, spray 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar solution. Let seat for a couple of minutes, then rinse.
Except vinegar will supposedly etch granite and metal fixtures. Or so I’ve read.
I have just completed a new ensuite, renovated bathroom, laundry and powder room. There’s so many other areas to add to this. There’s hours of lessons I’ve learned. I choose chrome fixtures. The golds, brass etc. were tarnishing before my eyes in the showroom. Toilets - 4 of them. All two piece. Apart from half the cost, my plumber and contractor avoid wall hung for any future repairs behind the wall. Last but definitely not least, please be careful with selecting white tiles, white vanities. Etc. None of them match if purchasing off the shelf. Something I didn’t notice till it was too late. Large gloss white tiles, bright white grout and silicon, bathroom ceiling paint, vanity, ceramic sink and top, freestanding bath. All the whites are different. The vanity and bath together are the most noticeable. Gloss white bath with matt white vanity which looks like off white. So disappointed.
Great points! Too, may I add, for certain materials, their colors can shift as they age. What used to match at first can be noticeably different 20 years later!
The wall and the gap Between the freestanding tub can be clean with a vacuum attachment it is annoying but it can be done I am a cleaner by trade
Yes it can be cleaned, but we're talking about maintenance here. As you said, it is annoying and is more hassle to clean than integrated tubs
again practical, thoughtful suggestions. i have built and remodeled for wealthy tech and old money going on 35 yrs. the bathroom elements that demand the most cost to place will often be the fixtures and surfaces that carry the highest lifetime costs to maintain. in the majority of my experiences the most experienced customers choose simple, elegant, high quality fixtures, finishes and designs as the trends date themselves quickly and require frequent visits from the cleaning service. so hey for those of us that can't pay a cleaning crew why add to the 700 things you have to do after work? our company's suggestion to many clients ( the ones that are receptive) is 'reduce scope, increase quality' and your project will quietly serve and please you more.
100% perfect video. Thank you for this useful information. Rimless toilets was something I learned from this video.
Epixy grout is great stuff. Yes it is more expensive but I think it’s worth it. I did not even know it existed but the people I hired to do the tile in my kitchen and my bathroom suggested it. They said that’s what they preferred to use and I’m glad that I spent the money.
I think freestanding tubs, on feet, are much smarter for maintenance: for daily maintenance and for avoiding water entering areas behind tile and below tub which just end up rotting. Same reason I like one-piece bathroom sink and adequate back splash. I really like the idea of a rimless toilet; I didn't know they existed!
Just commenting yo say you have a soothing voice, its super pleasant to listen to. 😂
About flat bottomed sinks, I recently spend two days in a hotel with that, and just from brushing my teeth that sink was _nasty_. Tyring to pour water from the glass did not help, as it transported the material in all directions, not just towards the drain.
leaving a comment so that i can find this in the event i ever am able to afford a home enough to need this advice. but honestly, love the content.
You can save it into your watchlist or watch later so it won't get lost (there's a save button somewhere under the video among all the other buttons)
Also avoid faucets with a flat surface (like the black one shown in the video at 6:04). Water can't run down and will leave ugly stains very quickly.
I have watched 2 of your "things to avoid" videos so far and have gained 2 tips CRUCIAL to my renovation plan (as well as many others that have been very helpful). That plus your soothing voice made me click the subscribe button 😊
The advantage of small tile is they tend to be more slip resistant. It may sound cheap, but our white plastic shower pan is slip resistant and has lasted for years. I put spray foam under before installation and it is not cold at all either. While I often spray the ceramic tile walls with hot water to warm them up in a cold house. By the way, in some states a shower control operating a rain and hose shower is not supposed to power both at the same time as a water saving measure.
It’s funny how being the person responsible for cleaning, makes you see things like this. I’ve always thought I would never get vessel sinks and stand alone tubs for the exact reasons you mentioned, PLUS, they’re kind of uncomfortable to use because you have to lift your shoulders to use them, no difficult, but not as convenient.
ALSO, kind of on the same vibe as tiny tiles… shower floors tiled with stones… looks beautiful but oh my goodness what a pain in the butt to clean… and I personally found them uncomfortable to stand on.
:50 I love that you showed that image and the style that’s super easy to clean. Mine is completely opposite when I moved in I can’t get my finger or barely a scrubber in between the handles and it is the stainless that everyone put in about 6-8 years ago and it’s already starting to corrode on the inside.
Thanks, that was reassuring. I'm in a middle of a massive bathroom redesign project and miraculously managed to make all the right decisions according to your video.
I love a man with common sense!
This video actually made me feel a little proud of myself. Nearly all of the points checks out with my choices when I planned my bathroom renovation a couple of years ago. Very much not an architect, but very concious of my own dislike for spending more time cleaning than absolutely necessary. It guess it helped that I rolled my eyes at the "your very own spa" theme in all the brochures... My only regret is the "rain forest shower". Never use it, but occasionally it drips a few drops of cold water on me. :)
Tbh when i shower, i have a brush with me, to scrubs shower sometimes while i shower, to keep it clean, 2 steps in 1.
I have had the same thought about the free standing tub. I hate cleaning behind the toilet and the free standing tubs seems they would be worse.
AS one who once had a cleaning service and now does interior design, one of the first things i think about when making recommendations to a client is to consider maintenance and cleaning.
I've been told by a contractor that undermount sinks develop mould under the recessed part that is impossible to clean. I guess what you don't know... eeek. Vessel sinks often far too small to use without splashing water over the counter top. May work for people who avoid washing their hands!
Top three things to help. Wipes and toilet paper holder. Basically a box with her need lid and bar under for the roll. A plastic bin with 3/4" silicone feet in the shower/tub cut out to hold all the bottles in the tub/shower combo. A second tension shower bar with s hooks to hold wet items.
I hate to say this, but...I'm not getting any younger and oddly enough I have never dreamed of spending my golden years cleaning the bathroom. This is the best video I've seen about practical considerations when designing bathrooms! I would love a part 2 to this video on designing bathrooms for multiple generations--both old age and small children, as well as going over safety concerns a home owner may have not considered!
I love this guy's clarity--and his calming voice! Subscribing.
Any videos from you welcome
Sometimes I find it short😅
All worth following 😊
you are exactly right about vessel sinks. I did not want to have an undermounted sink in my kitchen, but I really like being able to push the water into the sink without going over a hump. It is interesting that toilet function doesn't not always make sense. In other words just looking at a toilet will not always reveal the best fuction. I would never use a colored fixture. For example we bought a house with lavender toilet, sinks, and shower/tub. Things immediately starte to fall apsrt when it came time to replace the toilet seat. How often do you see a lavender toilet seat?
As someone who's done many a bathroom DIY a can say you'd is some solid advice 👍🏽
(Just a tip between us: you don't need extra lights on the background. Your studio is bright and nice without that. And the additional lights, instead of creating depth, look weird turned on in broad daylight). Nice tips! I save them to use later. 😊
I did not know epoxy grout existed. Thank you for the tip!
Not as great as it sounds. Look into drawbacks.
@@bluebird9193 thanks, I will
Thank you. These are all great points to keep in mind as I design a bathroom for my nephew. The separated toilet points helped me find the culprit of the lingering urine smell I used to find after a good cleaning.
06:14 another thing with maintaining stainless steel fixtures when you have hard water is to always keep a clean rag at hand and wipe the fixtures after they get splashed.
If there’s no a lot of water on them, it’s harder for limescale to build up, therefore you don’t have to do deep cleaning as often :) useful if you want to keep your space clean but don’t have the energy ❤
Thanks for your helpful videos. Would love to see a video on how to organize or interior design small spaces, such as in condo or apartment spaces.
Agreed with all this. As the one who usually does the cleaning in the house, I cringe when I see these aesthetically pleasing bathroom designs that are completely impractical. At one of my previous apartments, the shower had those small hexagon shape tiles on the floor, it was a nightmare to keep clean.
The designers who come up with a lot of that stuff just so they can sell you something new, should be named and shamed.
Thank you so much for this video!! I have been wanting a stand alone tub but haven’t pulled the trigger due to possibly cleaning issues. I love that tub!! The look without the hassle. I also need a new toilet and I loved the options that you presented!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾
Seconding the dark finishes. Within a year of hard water our dark bronze sinks looked awful. But a white quartz shower doesn't show ANYTHING and looks great even five years later.
I’m going to have to remember to check for hard water at any future homes because I do have a weakness for the dark finishes.
When we built our new house, my primary consideration in making all decisions, cabinetry styling bathroom arrangements, etc. was how am I going to clean this? -what is gonna make this easier to clean?
All sinks have there pros and cons with cleaning.
I had an intergrated sink for 25 years and it was easy to clean the surface but if I didnt do it constantly the daily crime around the base of the tap was very noticable against the intetgrated surface.
My undermount sink the worst part is that fine line where the join is sealed gets really bad if i dont scrub with a toothbrush daily. My vessel sink is sealed at the the bottom so there is no crevice for anything to get trapped so it has been easy to keep looking clean. Its harder to reach around the back than an intergrated sink but doesnt seem to need it as often. It probably depends on what type of vessel sink though,theres so many different ones. Mine doesnt have crevices, but unsealed where buildup could get trapped i imagine would be terrible to clean.
Shower doors are my least favouite thing to clean in the bathroom, after years I now have a single piece glass
Excellent. I was surprised, however, that when showing the bathroom sinks, he didn't point out the wall-mounted faucets in all of his pictures. Cleaning around any type of counter-mounted faucet is always a pain to some degree. It's bound to be an expensive upgrade, but probably less so during original construction.
Thank you! I am thinking to buy a freestanding corner bathtub. There is a gap of 30 cm between the bathtub and the wall on its left. Thanks to you I know that it is enough space. Greetings from Romania
We have a glass vessel sink. We live in a hard water area. It doesn't even go a full day after a cleaning without getting water spots. It is pretty when clean though. We also have dark bronze finish fixtures. It was originally designed with a black and red aesthetic complete with a black toilet and tub. Did I mention we have hard water? I'm slowly switching it to a light natural looking Scandinavian aesthetic with light blue accents. The black toilet and tub will only be replaced if they break irreparably though.
If you have a closed cabinet vanity, put a layer of plastic on the floor of the cabinet. Pipes under the sink always leak, and that plastic will protect the particle board and save you a stinky headache in the future. The plastic can be an old shower curtain or floor runner or really anything.
Great video.
You missed shower doors versus curtains.
When we renovated we wanted the doors but they collect mildew. So we went with a curved bar and curtains.
Afaik he lives in Australia where shower curtains are not common. I don't think I've seen one in any house or flat built in the last 30 or 40 years
Too late on the vessel sink. My Kohler vessel sinks have arrived. I'm not too worried about it. Will make sure they are properly sealed and don't mind wiping them down as we do that with existing sinks anyway.
It’s fine if properly sealed. Many cheap out on the installation so a vessel + poor install is not a good outcome.
Wonderful suggestions, functionality is so important. We always do our best to make these type of suggestions to our clients!
Been seeing these rants & warnings from those chinese social media for ages but i cant get those info across (the market demands is so different and people just dont want to listen to logical argument from the other side) ! Thank you for making this video 😂
You have made some good points. I have been to so many hotels where they put form over function and follow trends that are not sensible. For example, rain showers are not as effective at cleaning (a person or the shower itself) as a flexible shower head. I always wonder how much time cleaners could save if they didn't have to deal with items that just look good. 4:04 Potential splashing can be avoided by always closing the lid before flushing. This also prevents bacteria from being sprayed all over the bathroom, including towels and toothbrushes. Further, preferably, the toilet should be in a water closet and not in the same room as the bath and shower. No-one wants to try to relax in a bath when there is a lingering odour from the toilet.
In an ideal world yes, the toilet would be separate. But I the UK where I live a lot of properties are small and we don't have that option. I am just about to renovate my bathroom for the first time since we moved in 25 years ago. I am budgeting £15 - £18 k and its not a big room😮 But I am determined to have the highest quality that budget will stretch to. I am employing a small but well known and reliable bathroom company with a designer to ensure we get things right , but there's definitely things on here that are immensely helpful. One thing I don't need I underfloor heating, but there is now the option to put heating behind the tiles that will help to keep the mould away. 😊
I wish I saw this video yesterday as I just dropped over my budget on a freestanding bath that just, just fits in my bathroom. Oh pooh! We wanted to have a built in cement bath but struggled to find someone.
Thanks for these great tips
Put a shower nozzle combo on it and it will be a breeze to clean. It’s going to be great.
Thank you for this video. As I am about to replace tub to a walk in shower. I find your tips most informative.
We just renovated. Rimless toilets are quite expensive. It is easier to find a toilet brush that has both a regular and a small brush attached, for inside the rim.
aw man! I wish this video existed when I renovated my bathroom last summer. So much useful information!
One thing that will make almost any cleaning easier, steam cleaner. It's also pretty easy to use it to clean hard to reach places.
For cleaning a shower, I wound up buying a super soaker water gun, which allows me to rinse down the walls of the bathroom, after I've cleaned it. This includes the ceiling which someone tiled.
Another great video! Thank you. Can you possibly do one on low maintenance kitchens? Love your videos- usable info as always.
He has done it, check previous videos
No small tiles!! I'm not spending retirement cleaning. Grout is my number 1 enemy. Thanks for reinforcing all my bathroom design plans!
I love vessel sinks because i am 6'5" ...finally a sink that is higher!
Best video and best advice I've ever seen on maintenance tips for bathroom design. Thank you! I would especially like a bathroom I could just throw a bunch of soap on and pressure wash it lol
I rarely ever comment, and I'm a new listener but I wanted to thank you for a great video! I've made some of these mistakes on a recent renovation and would do things a bit differently next time.
If you have hard water, instead of "solving2 the issue by using finishes that make the issue less apparent, why not solving the issue by installing a softener?
Thank you much lots of important informations I learnt from you
Omg, this is the best video I have ever watched on bathrooms!
I appreciate the advice and suggestions in this video. I was so attracted by the beautiful designs available in vessel sinks. Now I learned that they are difficult to clean.
When vessel sinks first arrived, my immediate thought was that crevice between the sink and the counter was going to be a champion dust collector. My mantra on picking designs these days is “follow the dust”.
To be fair… they are really not that much more difficult to clean, it’s a small price to pay if you ask me 😊 plus, water doesn’t pool at the top/back, which was annoying with my former integrated sink, mold and gunk are more difficult to remove
FINALLY, a sensible statement about those vessel sinks (or basins as we call them). I thought they were impractical, now I know!
Just a side note about marble: some artificial materials resemble stone marble. They contain silica, which is more harmful than asbestos in manufacturing, but do you want to cause someone illness to get that piece? There are alternatives
The "maintenance" only emphasis on cleaning but not break/fix and replacement. Those concealed basin, nightmare when come to replacement.
How often do you replace your bathtub though?
Natural materials like wood and clay plaster work very well in bathrooms outside the splashing areas.
These tips are excellent. Bookmarking for when I redo my bathroom!