Bathroom
Wall-mounted toilets are easier to reach all the way around. They also make cleaning the floor easier. Notice that in this bathroom they even wall-mounted the toilet brush. Nice idea! Mounting your vanity on the wall will also make the floor easier to clean. But of course, if you have one with pretty legs like this, sometimes a decorative element is worth cleaning around.
Serret Construction and Design SaveEmail Go frameless. The aluminum frames around glass shower doors are a magnet for gunk. Going frameless on your glass gives you a simple sheet to squeegee clean. There are a number of options for coatings on glass that also help it to repel water and soap scum. Check with your glass shower door manufacturer for factory coating options. Many people recommend manually applied water repellants like Rain-X.
If you can't eliminate grout lines entirely, then at least reduce the number and thickness. Large-format porcelain tiles come in sizes all the way up to 24 inches by 48 inches. I had a little fun with the math. If you use a single 24-inch-by-48-inch tile instead of 4-inch-by-4-inch tiles covering the same area, you eliminate 42 feet of grout lines!
Select a linear drain. See that narrow channel at the base of the wall? That's a linear drain. Installing one means that your shower floor will have a flat slope in one direction, so you can run your large-format floor tile right on into the shower instead of using little mosaic tiles to accommodate multiple directions of slope. It will set you back around $1,000, but ask yourself how much you hate cleaning grout.
Martinkovic Milford Architects SaveEmail Just say no to glass. I hate cleaning glass almost as much as I hate scrubbing grout. This shower is strategically placed around a corner in a wet zone, entirely eliminating the need for a glass partition. With large-format tiles and a slab countertop as well, this bathroom is very low maintenance.
In areas where your walls don't absolutely have to be tiled, paint is a great option. Use one specially formulated for bathrooms for its resistance to mildew. Many brands offer these. My favorite is Benjamin Moore's Aura Bath and Spa Matte Finish. I would love it in this sunny orange. What a great color for revving up your day in the morning.
If you prefer stronger cleaning agents or you're concerned about the effect of your local water on your shower floor, a ready-made shower base may be a better choice, since it won't stain as easily as tile. Tip: Not all shower bases are created equal. Many are slightly flexible and can benefit from the use of a concrete bed underneath. Double-check with the manufacturer that this is OK before purchasing, and make sure that this is done during installation. Often, this flexibility will lead to a leak at the drain connection, so extra care is needed to carefully support the drain at the drain connection area.
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