Your Building Blog for the Rochester Area

People looking for a home in the greater Rochester area often assume that they either have to choose an existing home that's on the market or build from the ground up. While both of those may be good options for some people, there is another option: Purchasing a model home. Could that be a good option for you? Let’s take a look at some of the essentials for evaluating the suitability of a model home for your family’s needs.

The Location

We all know about the importance of location when choosing a home. Where you choose to live is every bit as important as the kind of home you choose to live in. Choosing the location of your home can be a little tricky. Sure, you can get a feel for how far it is from important locations such as schools, shopping, and other family activities. But that’s only part of the picture.

If you’re purchasing an existing home, you can get a bit of a sense for the existing community. But what if you want a newer home? If you’re building a brand new home, it’s a little harder to do that because if the homes are being built it can be hard to visualize what the community will look like. With a model home, you’ll often have the ability to see the community that is developing around it. We build homes in a variety of different communities in the greater Rochester area and we have model homes in numerous communities.

More Bang for Your Buck

I’ll let you in on a little secret. When builders build a model home they like to show off just a little bit. OK, that’s really not a big secret, but it’s true. We builders use model homes as showcases. That means we tend to put our best foot forward. A model home will often have upgraded floor plans. It’s likely to have upgraded finishes for flooring, cabinets, and countertops. What that means is that you can get top-of-the-line materials and design for a great price. Builders also tend to use interior designers to decorate the interiors of model homes. And while you won’t get to keep the furniture and pictures they use to stage the model, you’ll still get the benefit of having had a professional’s touch in color-coordinating things. You can also tap into a professional’s design flair by taking pictures of the staged home and then adapting that interior look to your personal tastes.

Availability

What can you do when you have your heart set on a new home—but simply don’t have the time to wait? That’s where a model home can really shine. You may need to make a move quickly for a number of reasons:

• You could be relocating to take a new job.
• You could have an addition to your family on the way.
• Maybe you have mature parents moving in with you that you weren’t planning on.

Building a brand-new home takes time, and involves a lot of decisions up front and during the building process. With a model home, you don’t have to make a lot of those choices. Plus, the home is already built. That means a faster move-in time frame. We regularly post listings of available model homes that you can either visit in person or visit online with a virtual tour.

Eliminate Guesswork

For some people, one of the toughest things about building a new home is visualizing how things are going to look. Some potential homeowners can look at floor plans and see the end results in their minds. For others, the floor plans are just lines and numbers on a piece of paper. It’s hard for them to envision the end result. With a model home, you can actually walk through every room in the house. Not only do you then get to experience what each individual room looks and feels like—you also get a sense of the flow of the entire house. You can experience what it's like to move from the kitchen to the family room. You'll have a first-hand look at how each bedroom is set up. You'll know what it feels like to take linens from the bedrooms to the laundry.

Even if you decide that you still want to build, taking the time to tour a model home is a valuable experience. Model homes can help you take the guesswork out of choosing a home that’s right for you and your family.

Take Advantage of Trends

I mentioned above that builders often use model homes to showcase their craftsmanship. Another thing that model homes are good for is to introduce potential homebuyers to new homebuilding trends. While we try to keep prospective clients abreast of new trends that will make their homes more comfortable and convenient, there’s nothing quite like seeing it for yourself. So if you buy a model home, you’re probably buying something that’s in step with the latest home design trends. That makes it more enjoyable for you—and it also means more value later on if you should decide to sell your home.

What If You’re Not Sure That New Is Right For You?

Building a brand new home isn't the right answer for everyone. If you're trying to figure out if it's right for you, visiting a model can help answer some of those questions because you'll see things first-hand (without having to look past other peoples' "stuff" in an occupied home. If you'd like some additional insights, here’s a helpful post that delves into the topic in a bit more detail.

At the beginning of every year, you'll start hearing about the latest trends in home building design and décor. If you're thinking about building a custom home this year, it's a good time to pick up ideas and consider options before you get too far into the planning of your new home. With that in mind, let's take a look at some custom home trends for 2020.

Two Out of Three Designers Disagree

One fun part of considering upcoming design trends is observing how design experts disagree about what’s in and what’s out for the coming year. As we’ve checked out the opinions for this article, we’ve run into some conflicting views, but we’ll pass along what seems to be the consensus opinions.

There seem to be two main areas that surface regularly when considering home trends. One focuses more on design and functionality. Those are what we might consider long-range lifestyle trends because they are reflections of what people consider important when it comes to how they live. The other area has more to do with décor and is more concerned with fabrics, patterns, and colors. It’s a reflection of peoples’ sense of style.

Lifestyle Home Trends

• Open Space Plans aren't anything new, but they continue to be a trend for new homes. One advantage of this type of design/floor plan is that it creates a bigger visual feel. Even a somewhat smaller footprint can still feel spacious. Another benefit to open plans is that they allow much more natural light into the home (in and of itself a trend). People also use their kitchen, family room, and dining area at the same time for entertaining. It’s a bit of a change in lifestyle from years ago. With that being said, not everyone likes the open concept. Some people prefer a separate dining room for more quiet and formal entertaining.

• Smart Homes have been around for several years as well. A few years ago, however, people were more caught up in the newness of the technology. As smart home technology has matured (and improved) homeowners are looking less at the "gee-whiz" factor and more at how certain technologies actually improve comfort and convenience. Whole-home technology that encompasses the ability to control thermostats, lighting, window coverings, and even home security are becoming built-in features rather than add-ons.

• The Sounds of Silence are becoming more desirable in new homes. Homeowners are learning to cherish the quietness that their new homes can offer. That’s true for both protecting the family from intrusive noise from outside the home—and for controlling noise within the house.

• Hiding the Microwave is a trend that is catching on. Positioning the microwave over the cooktop of your stove is a throw-back to the old combination stove/oven/microwave appliances from years ago. Today the trend is to locate the microwave at a lower level (preferably hidden) where it's still easily accessible but doesn't draw the eye.

Décor & Interior Design Trends

• Mix & Match Cabinets continue to grow in popularity. Increasing numbers of homeowners are embracing the concept of having kitchen cabinets that match. Some designers have been forecasting the demise of the “white kitchen” for some time, but that seems to be a trend that’s hanging on. However, that doesn’t mean your cabinets have to be all white. The photo you see her from a remodel we recently did shows how mixing a bold-colored kitchen island with white cabinets can provide a stunning look.

• Granite Countertops may be losing their grip as the “go-to” material for kitchen counters (at least that’s the opinion of Lonni Paul of Lonni Paul Design). The new trend is toward Quartz as an alternative. However, new reports have been surfacing about the health hazards Quartz dust has on workers who cut it for kitchen installation, so keep that in mind before making your decision.

• What’s the Color of the Year? Every year there is much ado made about what the “color of the year” is going to be. Pantone recently announced that their Color of the Year for 2020 is Classic Blue (You can see a swatch of this featured here). While Pantone doesn’t create paints for home use, you can expect to see this pop up as an accent color in a lot of different areas. You may find it more helpful to check out what the major paint companies are touting as their colors for interior house paints. There is always some difference between the manufacturers—and some of them tend to show a broader palette of colors rather than focus on one color. Here’s a Better Homes & Gardens summary of what the major paint companies (Benjamin Moore, Valspar, Sherwin-Williams, HGTV Home, Behr, and PPG) are putting forward as their choices for 2020.

Remember: It’s Your Home

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind as you follow the custom home trends for this year is that it’s your custom home and you should focus on the things that make you comfortable—whether it’s the layout or the décor. That, after all, is what “custom” is all about!

There’s no way to overstate the importance of the kitchen in your Rochester area home. It doesn’t matter if you’re building a brand new custom home or remodeling your existing kitchen. It’s one room you simply want to get right.

But just what does it look like when you get the kitchen right? What should be your biggest considerations when building or remodeling your Rochester-area home?

It’s easy to focus on the visual impact of your kitchen. It’s important, too. But having a great kitchen is about more than having one that just looks great. Yes, you’ll want to pay attention to the cabinets you choose and the flooring and countertops you select. If you really want to have a kitchen you love spending time in, you’ve got to start with some things that are more basic.

Your Kitchen’s Layout

You’ll want to make sure that your kitchen is laid out to fit the way you want to use it. Will you do a lot of entertaining in your kitchen? If it’s going to be a place where people congregate you’ll want to make sure there’s adequate space for moving and mingling. Do you plan to do a fair amount of cooking? If so, you’lI want to ensure that the layout is structured to make the various parts of your kitchen ideal for different cooking functions (cleaning, chopping, mixing, etc.). If you plan to eat casual meals in the kitchen with your family, you’ll want to make sure you have adequate space to sit and still have plenty of room to cook.

Your Kitchen’s Lighting

Don’t underestimate the importance of good lighting for your kitchen. It’s not just a matter of making things bright enough. It’s important that you locate your lighting strategically. Make sure you have proper task lighting where you need it for preparing meals—but that you also have separate ambient lighting when you use your kitchen for entertaining.

Your Kitchen’s Relationship to Other Rooms

Open concept floor plans continue to be very popular, but what that means is that your kitchen will also be on display to other rooms in your home. People across the US are opting for this type of floor plan as it makes entertaining a breeze! You don't have to worry about being separated from your guests as you prepare meals or drinks. You'll also be able to keep an eye on your children while you're working in the kitchen. 

If you’d like additional ideas about creating a great kitchen for your Rochester home, please click here to download our Creating the Ideal Kitchen eBook. In addition to providing great ideas, it will help you plan ahead to ensure you end up with the kitchen that’s ideal for you.

When you’re thinking about building a new custom home in Ontario, Perinton, Webster or anywhere else in the Greater Rochester area, it’s easy to focus on the cost of the home. It’s important to have a realistic budget for your home. If you try to take on too much house, you probably won’t qualify for the loan. And even if your do, you may find yourself stretched beyond your comfort level. It’s no fun living in a home if you can’t afford to furnish it or if you’re constantly stressed by the monthly payments.

The real issue, however, isn’t just how much you pay for your home—it’s how much value your home delivers for the money you spend. You may want to check out this post, which talks about getting a fair price for a new Rochester-area home.

One of the big factors to consider when you’re thinking about the cost of a home is the quality of the home. Most new homes look pretty good in the first year or two. But if you’re planning to stay for a few years, you’ll want a home that’s solidly built and will stand up to the use you give it.

That’s one good reason to check out homes your prospective builder built several years ago; you can see how well they are maturing. Do they still look great, or are they starting to show signs of wear and tear? For three generations, our family has been building homes in the eastern Rochester area. You can choose from more than 3,000 existing homes if you want to check out the quality of our products!

As proud as we are of our quality craftsmanship, true value in a home involves more. In addition to quality of construction, you’ll want to think about how the home meets your specific needs. What are some of the things that add value to your home? Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

Location

Where you live is just as important as the physical structure you live in. The quality of the community you call home is so important. So are schools and proximity to work and activities. We build in a wide range of locations around the Rochester area, including Webster, Canandaigua, Perinton, Ontario, Victor, Sodus, Penfield and numerous other communities in the region.

Design

A comfortable home doesn’t just happen. The design of your home needs to fit your specific lifestyle—with a configuration that matches the way you live and entertain. Take a look at the wide variety of floor plans we offer in a range of sizes and styles (including Colonial homes, first-floor masters, patio homes, ranch homes and Cape homes.

Size

Some people will say that size doesn’t matter, but when it comes to your home, you’ll want to think twice about that. You may not need a large, two-story home, but when you’re considering building, you’ll want to keep the future in mind. Spending a bit more for extra space now can actually save you a lot of money later if your needs outgrow the home you’re in.

Money does matter when it comes to building your custom home. But the value you get from your home (in terms of overall comfort and quality) is more important than price. And if a lower-priced home doesn’t deliver long-term quality and value, it’s no bargain!

When you’re considering building a new custom home, where you choose to build is just as important as the design and construction of the home. For homeowners looking to build in the Finger Lakes region of New York, the town of Victor has lots to offer. Here’s a brief look at some of the features that make living in Victor, NY so appealing.

Great Schools

Niche.com gives Victor high marks for the quality of its schools, including ratings of “A” or “A+” for the top public schools serving the residents of Victor. Those include Pittsford-Mendon High School, Barker Road, Middle School, Victor Senior High School, Park Road School, and Honeoye Falls-Lima Senior High School. the Victor Central School District is ranked #1 Best School District in Ontario County. Victor's commitment to great public schools is evidenced by the fact that the town spends $15,582 per student for education—compared to the national average of $12,383.

Just the Right Size

With a population of just under 15,000, Victor is just the right size to have all the amenities you want without feeling crowded. And it’s conveniently located for work. The average commute time is just over 21 minutes.

Safety and Security

Feeling safe and secure at home is important, and Victor shines in that regard. Bestplaces.net rated Victor #6 in the rankings for Most Secure Places to Live in the U.S. (Mid-Size Metro Areas).

There Are Plenty of Things to Do in the Area

Whether you want to enjoy an evening out, do some serious shopping, get out and enjoy nature, play some golf, or indulge your senses with the Arts, you can do that in and around Victor. Here are just a few of the opportunities that you can easily access just minutes from your home.

• Dryer Road Park
• The Apple Farm
• Valentown Museum
• Powder Mills Park
• Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan
• Fort Hill Trail
• Eastview Mall
• Ravenwood Golf Club

What Do the Current Residents Say About Victor?

If you want to get the inside scoop about what it’s like to live somewhere, there’s no better source than the people who actually live there! Here are comments from Victor residents in their own words (from Niche.com):

"I've grown up in Victor my whole life and have enjoyed every year. Victor has [a] great school district and many options for athletic activities. Living [in] Victor allows for easy access to Eastview Mall, the thruway, and I490. Victor also has many food options both sit down and quick-serve. Victor has so much to offer and overall is a great place to grow up and live."

"I love living in Victor, NY. I was born and raised here and hope to one day raise a family of my own here. With the recent growth that Victor is experiencing, I believe that it will become an even better place to be in the future!"

"Victor is a wonderful place to raise a family. There is enough here to entertain and live life to the fullest, but it is small enough that it is a fairly quiet place."

"Victor is a great community for all. It has many family-friendly places like parks and activities. Also, it has a huge mall and an array of stores and restaurants for those who enjoy those things. It also has many facilities for working out and sports for all ages. Finally, it is close to the city of Rochester making even more places of interest available."

Building in Victor is a Good Investment

It’s important to know that your new home will hold its value. Home appreciation for Victor is up 4.3% in the last 12 months.

A Special Place Your Victor Dream Home

We’d like to introduce you to a very special part of Victor that is a great place to build your dream home. Scout Reserve off Aldridge Road in Victor offers 0.6 to 7.9 acre partially wooded sites in a quiet, rural setting. Scout Reserve isn’t your typical development community. The lots have a much more relaxed and rural feel to them. It’s an ideal setting for a custom home that doesn’t look like every other home on the block.

And yet, the homes built here will be served by Town Water, Sewer, and Natural Gas. Despite the quiet, rustic feel of the land, it’s just minutes to downtown Victor, Area golf courses, the Eastview Mall, Route 490 and the NYS Thruway. Here's a look at the lots that are still available. One lot is currently ready for building and we expect the remaining lots to be ready for construction by the spring of 2020.

Click here for additional information about Scout Reserve in Victor, NY.

Without question, the kitchen is one of the most used rooms in your home. It’s a workspace for creating meals. It’s often a place where you grab a quick meal or a snack. It’s where you entertain family and guests. If you have kids, it’s often where homework and school projects get done. It’s that kind of diverse utility that has shaped the design of kitchens over the years. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the major kitchen design trends for 2020.

Distinguishing Between Trends and Fads

Before we get into design specifics, let's distinguish between a trend and a fad. Fads come and go faster than you can say "Avocado-green appliances." Fads can be fun, but they tend to be less. A trend, however, is generally something that develops over time to reflect changing needs. Trends focus more on how you live, and what's important to you to make your home more comfortable and convenient. Trends also tend to stick around longer.

That being said, there are visual trends that are important to note because ignoring them can make the kitchen in your custom home look dated. That’s why some of the trends we’ll highlight will focus a bit more on décor, while others will focus more on utility and functionality.

Marvelous Marble

Beautiful Carrara marble is finding its way into the kitchen. It’s a bold and elegant look. However, if you’re concerned about staining (from red wine, for instance) you might consider quartz instead.  Engineered quartz is more affordable, less prone to stains, and still looks like natural stone. Here’s an article that talks in more depth about choosing the right countertop material for your custom kitchen.

Reclaimed Wood

There is something warm and welcoming about reclaimed wood. Maybe it’s because the material always seems as if it has a tale to tell that connects us to a simpler time. While this trend has been around for a while, it continues to enjoy growing popularity.

Pantries & Larders

Keeping kitchens organized and uncluttered is a challenge. That's one reason kitchen pantries and larders are so popular today. You can keep large packages of food and seldom-used kitchen devices (mixers, blenders, bread makers) conveniently stored out of sight. Pantries are great if you want walk-in storage space. A larder is a perfect plan if you don't need quite as much space—or if your floor plan won't accommodate it.

Combining Colors

Once upon a time, homeowners (and designers) wouldn’t dream of using varying colors in the kitchen. Everything had to follow a simple color palette. No longer. We’re seeing more instances of white cabinets being offset by bold colored bases (or go with a bright pastel!). The start contrast is very striking! A variation on this trend is the mixing of metals in the kitchen. Look for an increase in metal fixtures this year.  Don’t be surprised to see nickel used for knobs along with cool brass for the faucet. You may see yet another metal used for light fixtures.

Disappearing Appliances

While this trend isn't new, it has picked up steam. Instead of wondering whether stainless steel, black, or transparent black appliances have staying power, more homeowners are simply hiding their appliances—such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and microwaves—behind cabinetry. That leaves you with a kitchen that looks bigger. On top of that, you can choose the appliances that best suit your needs, even if their casings aren't a perfect match!

Open Plans

Open concept floor plans aren’t going away anytime soon. In addition to allowing lots of natural light, open floor plans often create even more visual space. You can have a bigger-feeling space without adding square footage. Another benefit is that open plans allow you and your guests to wander easily between spaces—and as the host or hostess, you’ll never be left out of the action when you’re in the kitchen. Open plans, however, do require a bit of planning, because both rooms (your kitchen and your family room) are visible to each other.

Dark Floors

Despite the rumors of their demise, white kitchens remain extremely popular. They are bright and cheerful and feel more open. But what we’re seeing is increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing dark flooring to offset (and show off) those white cabinets.

Think Timeless Beauty and Functionality

These are just a few of the trends we’re hearing about in the homebuilding industry. Keep in mind that fads will come and go. Even trends will evolve and change over time. But as you plan your new custom home, keep timeless beauty, comfort, convenience, and functionality in mind rather than chasing the latest “hot color” scheme. Make your kitchen a place you and your friends and family love to spend time.

One thing that makes a custom home so special is that you can customize (or personalize) features in your home in a way that makes it comfortable and convenient for you. Customizing your home also lets you emphasize design elements that reflect your personal sense of style. Your great room is a place that lends itself well to customization. Let’s look at some ideas for creating an incredible great room in your Rochester custom home.

Looking and Feeling Warm

Your great room is a room where you relax and feel comfortable. For many of us, this room is all about feeling cozy and relaxed. A fireplace is a great feature for achieving that look and feel. There is something welcoming about a glowing fireplace on a cold and snowy Rochester day. You can choose an elegant fireplace such as the one you see here or opt for a stone fireplace for a more casual or rustic look and feel. You can also choose between a conventional wood-burning fireplace or a natural gas unit that lets you turn the flames on (and off) whenever you want—without the hassle of cleaning out the ashes.

Built-in bookcases are another feature that contributes a warm and welcoming look to your living room. There’s something inviting about shelves of books and special mementos that makes you and your guests feel at home. An advantage to building the cabinets directly into the walls is that you gain extra storage and display space without having to sacrifice floor space. That makes your great room feel more spacious and uncluttered.

Fantastic Flooring

The flooring you choose for your great room makes a big impression as well. There’s no denying the warm and comfortable feeling that this wood flooring brings to the rustic family room you see here. Of course, you can also choose a more formal or elegant wood floor, depending on your specific taste. One nice thing about wood flooring is that it’s a great way to tie spaces together (in this case you see how the dining area transitions seamlessly into the family room) while still allowing each space to have its own identity. Should you go with natural wood or an engineered wood floor? Here’s an article that provides a helpful comparison of the two different options.

Custom Doors and Windows

When considering the design and layout of your great room, you’ll want to give some consideration to your doors and windows. There’s been a significant trend over the past few years to deliberately blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living. The photo you see here provides a great example of how folding glass doors (whether open or closed) create this stunning look. The example you see here is a traditional style, but folding doors are available from a variety of manufacturers that will perfectly match your home's style.

Custom Elements

Building a custom home also enables you to use custom elements within rooms to tie your design together. Here’s just one example from a custom home we built recently that shows how you can do that. The ceiling trusses pick up the same wood pattern used in the barn door—tying the whole room together. And you’ll notice that the tresses also work as a unifying element to tie the family room to the kitchen. This is a great example of how an open concept floor plan works to create separate spaces that still share common elements to tie them together.

More Customization Help

Of course, creating a custom great room is only part of your overall house plan. If you’re looking for additional ideas and information for creating the custom home of your dreams, we invite you to download our free Custom Home Guide eBook. It’s packed with helpful tips for budgeting, selecting a team, finding a home site, choosing a floor plan, and designing your custom home. 

If your current home no longer meets your family’s needs, you might be considering the best housing options. One question you might be asking yourself is, “Should I buy a spec home or build a custom home in 2020?” Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons you’ll want to consider—and whether the coming year is a good time to make a move such as this.

Building a Custom Home

Pros: The advantages of building a custom home are fairly obvious. You get to design a floor plan that best suits your specific needs. In many cases, you have the option of choosing the lot you want. You determine what finishes you want for your flooring, your cabinets, and your countertops. Additionally, you can also create a bathroom or a kitchen that is designed to enhance your lifestyle—and your sense of design. For many custom homeowners, there is a great sense of satisfaction in knowing that the home has been designed and built specifically for their comfort and convenience. And they enjoy the knowledge that no one else has ever lived in the home before them.

Cons: Building a custom home generally costs a bit more than purchasing an existing spec home. The exact amount will vary depending on the features and material required. Over the long haul, however, the value of the home is likely to remain higher. And given the fact that higher quality building means that fewer items will need to be replaced, it may make more fiscal sense. Some people choose not to build a custom home because they don’t want to wait to move in. Others simply don't want to deal with the decisions involved in the custom home building process.

Buying a Spec Home

Photo by Gerber Homes 

Pros: One benefit of buying a spec home is that it has already been built. This means that you not have to wait for construction to be completed before you can move in. In addition, most spec homes are located in newer communities, so the infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, sewers) is new as well. You also have the advantage of knowing that everything in the house is brand new from floor to ceiling. And if there are ever any issues, they’ll most likely be covered by your warranty. From a financial perspective, you will probably pay somewhat less for a spec home than for a custom home.

Cons: Purchasing a spec home, however, still means accepting an existing floor plan. You may have to adapt your lifestyle to the layout of the home. Additionally, you won't have the same opportunity to add your own personal touches to your home as the selections have already been made. One last disadvantage is that you may have less choice when it comes to location or lot. The home you like best may not be on the lot you prefer, however building a custom home will give you the freedom to build anywhere that you'd like. 

Ultimately, the choice of buying a spec home or building a custom home depends on what best suits your needs. If you’d like to explore the idea further, we build in several great communities in the Greater Rochester area and have dozens of beautiful floor plans that can help you start your planning for a custom home that will meet your family’s needs.

Of all the rooms in your home, your master bathroom may be the most personal. It’s also a room that you use multiple times every day—and it’s one that you can creatively customize to provide comfort, convenience, and a touch or two of luxury. Let’s explore some ideas for creating a luxurious master bathroom in your Rochester custom home.

Custom Convenience

 

First and foremost, your master bathroom needs to be fully functional and offer outstanding convenience. It's important to remember that it's probably going to be a shared space, so your bathroom design should consider that.

Vanities Are About More than Vanity

Togetherness is a great thing—except in the bathroom. Nobody wants to struggle for space when getting ready for work in the morning, or when they are trying to wind down for the night. That's why dual vanities are an absolute must for any custom master bathroom. Not only is it much more convenient to have your own sink, but it's also nice to have places for all of your toiletries where they are easy for you to access. Of course, having vanities that look great is a huge plus. The great thing about a custom master bath is that you can take the design in any direction you want. You can go for a sleek, modern look that sets the tone for the whole room. Or you can opt for stand-alone vanities that are custom-made (even from antique furniture) to create a warm, inviting space. Here’s an article that takes a more in-depth look at various vanity options.

Super Showers

Today's showers have come a long way from the simple showerheads that sprayed into a conventional bathtub. Spacious showers with multiple showerheads (such as rain showerheads and body sprayers) are increasingly popular. Many homeowners are opting for barrier-free walk-in showers that have great lines and are a real benefit for maturing homeowners who are thinking ahead about aging in place. Many homeowners are adding elegant grab bars and seating options that not only look great but also add functionality and safety.

Customized Comfort

 

Your master bathroom can also offer lots of comfort. Adding features such as towel warmers may seem like a small thing, but you’ll love grabbing a warm towel when stepping out of the shower on a cold Rochester morning. You can also take that warming comfort to another level by adding radiant floor heating. Nobody enjoys stepping on a cold bathroom floor in the middle of winter. Your master bathroom isn’t just a place to get clean. It can be a great place for a solitary soak in a freestanding soaking tub at the end of the day.

Light, Bright, and Private

It's easy for homeowners to overlook the importance of great lighting in the bathroom. Of course, you'll want task lighting for applying makeup or for shaving. But you'll also want to let in as much natural light as possible to keep things bright. Adding skylights or high windows to your bathroom lets you do that without having to sacrifice privacy.

Extending the Luxury

Your bathroom itself isn’t the only area where you’ll want luxury and convenience. As you design your room, you may also want to consider an attached dressing room or a large walk-in closet that provides plenty of storage, space to get dressed, and lighting that makes it easy to pick out just the right outfit for your day.

What About Cost?