As the most used bathroom fixture, your sink may deserve the most planning on a bathroom remodel.  It needs to serve your needs, fit your bathroom style and have a color to please the eye and bathroom color scheme for years to come.  When it comes to price and design, you need to determine this before you go shopping.  Know what you want to spend and know what style you so you are not overwhelmed with all of the choices out there for sink and faucet combinations.

Here are 5 popular sink types you can have in your bathroom:

Above-Counter Sink
This type of sink has recently gained popularity in homes and restaurants in the US.  The sink is mounted in the vanity so part pr all of the sink sits on top of the counter.  This brings the sink up to a  more comfortable level and offers a more presentable feature.  Water often falls into the bowl from a faucet to create a water fall type feature.

Drop-In Sink
This type of sink has also been referred to as a self-rimming sink.  They are typically made of cast iron or porcelain so their heavy weight keeps them in place.  A thin layer of sealant forms a water tight seal under the outside edge of the rim.  There is often a fancy backing that goes behind the faucet with some type of curved boarder.

Integral Sink
This sink type is the best solution for children's bathrooms as the sink and the counter is all one piece so water leaks won't happen and clean up is easy. You can have a large counter with an under-counter sink all the same color and type of material.  These sinks are typically made from an acrylic material.

Pedestal
One of the best aspects of a pedestal sink is making a small bathroom look bigger.  They include a narrow column with a sink bowl (available in different shapes) that looks like it balances on top.  These sinks are made to look as if they are freestanding but they are really mounted to the wall.  The pedestal is basically used to hide water pipes.

Under-Counter Sink
This type of sink has also been referred to as a undermount sink and is found in both bathrooms and kitchens.  This style of sink presses up under the counter and is held in place with clips that screw into the embedded inserts. A water-tight seal is created with silicone or grout before the counter is tightened.

A great way to make more room in your shower is to add a niche or 'built in shelf'.  Instead of the hanging shower caddy or setting your bottles on the ground or ledge, you can tuck all of your soaps, shampoos, conditioners, razors, etc in a built in shelf.  If you organize your shower or bath space it will feel larger than it really is.  These small recessed spaces have becoming in new tile showers or shower remodels in both old and new homes.

Niche Size and Location
The first thing you need to figure out is the size of the niche you need in your shower before you consider location.  Once you determine the necessary size, you can plan where it will go to accommodate your dimensions.  Think about the size of your shampoo bottles and make sure you have enough room to fit everything. 

Once you decide on the size and your location on the wall, fine-tune its position with a story pole to be sure that the niche opening will line up with the grout joints.  You should transfer the layout marks from the story pole to the studs to orient the framing of the niche and then again on the backer-board once its installed to guide the layout. 

Frame your Niche Larger than Necessary
When framing your niche opening, use horizontal 2X blocking between the existing studs . No matter the framing, always frame the niche at least 3/4 inch to 1 inch larger than you want the final opening to be to accommodate your tile.  It will give you more options for tile type and placement.  If you're using quarter-round edge tiles, give yourself even more room for your mortar, backer-board and tile. 

Lay Tile Like A Typical Wall
Tiling a wall with a well-appointed niche is done like any other wall-tiling project.  When working in the shower niche, you can install a row of tiles on the bottom of the niche first, then a row in the back that are flush with the bottom tiles.  In some bathrooms you can replace the bottom tiles with a piece of solid stone for a dramatic yet elegant look.  The installation sequence is the same but the visual interest is certainly not.

If you are looking to buy bathroom tiles for your niche, check out a local home improvement store (Home Depot or Lowes) or a tile specific store.  For granite tiles, check out the Lazy Granite website.  They offer granite tiles for bathroom and kitchen remodeling projects.

Before I became a member of to the Kitchen & Bath industry Never imagined in regards to the among a 4" spread faucet plus an 8" spread faucet. I had been elevated inside a small, rural town and honestly cannot recall the type of bathroom faucets Denver homes have, including my own, personal. My parents built a completely new house inside the late 70's so I am certain all the taps were 4" spread or also known as small taps. I really never looked or understood the primary difference.

During my 20's, I possessed the house and did a small budget restoration. I desired to relieve myself of the 50's blue from Kohler. Oddly, I don't actually know the condition title in the color. I visited Lowe's and bought a completely new pedestal sink. It stood a 4" spread faucet hole drilling. I believed I used to be really 'upgrading'. It was improving however when I'd known in advance after a little extra money it could create a bigger difference.

Here is a good video of a couple who remodeled their bathroom.  As you can see they completely guttered their bathroom, installed new tile, new shower.  They used a really cool faux wood tile on the floor with a black grout.  This is becoming more and more popular in residential remodels. 

For more another helpful resources about bathroom tile, check out our other blog post: Types of Bathroom Tile

The second most remodeled room in the house is usually the bathroom.  They vary in size and what appliances are in them.  Turning 40 sq ft into a room that feels more spa than latrine is a challenge, because you cannot very well remove or add a wall to share space with an adjacent room. All this being said, remodeling the bathroom of any house a great investment and can be the most profitable of any do-it-yourself project at home.

Tubs and Showers
A popular low-cost remodeling solution for a bathroom includes an acrylic tub and three-piece surround. You can buy a high-quality tub with insulation to keep the water warm and durable finish that cleans easily. And replacement tub surrounds are generally of a higher grade than those used in new construction.  Because surrounds come in pieces, you can carry them through doors and install them in tight spaces.  Some even snap together and don't require caulking.  

A three or four part shower stall consists of a base and wall panels. It can be installed easily against an existing or newly framed wall. The better acrylic products keep their shape over time without deforming, while less expensive fiberglass units require backing.  Many manufacturers make walls or surrounds that you can place over existing tub or shower pan.

If you do not have a lot of space, a small base or pan with glass shower enclosures could be a better solution for your bathroom.  They are half the size as a tub and are affordable to install.

Ceramic or Granite Tiles
If you like tile, the easiest and least expensive approach to a new bathroom appearance starts with acrylic bathtub or shower base, rather than a site-built base and then lining the walls with a lightweight tile backer suck as the Georgia-Pacific DensShield. This stiff gypsum board is waterproof and easy to cut so all you need to do is caulk the corners and apply the granite tile.

Resurfacing and Repair
An old-fashioned claw tub makes bathing an especially pleasurable experience because of its deep sides and length.  If you have a battered cast-iron tub that you'd rather not replace, you may consider reglazing it.  You can do this by using an epoxy, sometimes applied to the old surface electrostatically.   A more durable but more expensive way is to install an acrylic tub liner molded to fit inside the tub with a front apron that covers the old fixture entirely.  Some manufacturers offer wall panels as well. As an added bonus, the extra layer has an insulating effect so your bath water will stay hot longer. 

For help with bathroom tiles and shower door enclosures, we recommend checking out Bath & Granite 4 Less.  They have a great selection of bathroom tiles and various sized shower doors, perfect for any home remodel project.