A sustainable bathroom renovation is an exciting project for your home. It’s your chance to create the bathroom of your dreams and finally say goodbye to the bathroom you have now.
Renovating your bathroom isn’t just about achieving your ideal aesthetic, it’s also an opportunity to create a more sustainable space. With a bathroom remodel, you’ll be able to adopt better habits, including water preservation and recycling, and saving energy that will provide much wider benefits. It’s a chance to do things differently, and have a lasting impact on the environment that still leaves you with your dream bathroom.
If you’re looking to renovate your bathroom, take a look at the following to help you adopt a more sustainable approach to your design.
Climate change and your bathroom routine
If you’re already making an effort to live more sustainably, there are probably a lot of things you’re already doing to help the environment. From recycling your products to limiting your water use, there are different things you can do to help the environment at home. But are there other things you could do to make a difference? A bathroom renovation will provide you with an opportunity to further enhance your efforts, making your bathroom an already greener space in your home.
Work to reduce your water use
Reducing your water use can go much further than simply cutting down your shower time. There are a lot of products you can install in your bathroom to save water, including alternative shower heads and even a water-conserving toilet. Using these devices helps you save water with no additional effort required, helping to reduce your water consumption.
Take a different approach to plastic waste
Your bathroom products provide a lot of opportunities for waste. From your shampoo to your face wipes, these types of products can contribute to a lot of waste at home. Changing your approach can help you cut back on your waste, making sure your bathroom cabinets are full of sustainable products, including:
- Reusable face cloths and pads
- Eco-friendly cotton buds
- Refillable shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles
- Toothbrushes made from sustainable materials
Think about how you clean your bathroom
There are endless choices available when it comes to choosing your bathroom cleaning products. However, many of them contain harmful chemicals and plastics which aren’t very environmentally friendly. If you’re going to create a new bathroom that’s more sustainable, then consider how you’re going to maintain it too.
Choose a different approach to how you clean your bathroom. Some of the most eco-friendly ways of cleaning your bathroom include using household products like vinegar to make your own cleaning products and using scrubbing aids that can be used over and over again. Regular cleaning will make things less of a chore so that you won’t need intensive products to get the job done.
Integrate smart and efficient technology
Smart technology can be used all over your home to help you save energy and help you run things more efficiently. Why not create a smart bathroom using the latest technology to control heating and more?
Choose sustainable bathroom accessories
Bathroom accessories are a simple way to change the aesthetic of your bathroom.
Using plastic-free bathroom accessories can help you change the look and feel of your space, while making better buying choices. From your toilet roll holder to your soap dispenser, think about what you need and how you can find a sustainable design.
Making more sustainable choices for your bathroom renovation
Renovating your bathroom provides an excellent opportunity to make more sustainable changes. However, a lot of home improvements can have an impact on the environment, so the approach you choose is important to ensure a more sustainable upgrade.
How necessary is your renovation?
Make no mistake, the majority of home renovations are carried out because we want to improve the look of our homes. There’s nothing wrong with this. But as you’re designing your new bathroom, think about what’s really necessary to help you change your space. Your bathroom might not need to be completely ripped out to make changes, helping you cut down on the amount of work needed.
You could also look at some budget bathroom transformations that people have completed using a little creativity and some DIY skills. Making some simple, low-key upgrades could be all that’s needed to make your bathroom look and feel like a brand new space.
Choose materials carefully
Think about the materials you plan to use for your new bathroom. Can you source them from a sustainable supplier? Are they materials that will last? From using low VOC paint to recycled tiles, there are different choices you can make to make your bathroom renovation a much more sustainable job.
Upgrade your plumbing
Replacing your bathroom gives you a great opportunity to look at your plumbing and find ways you can make changes. There are eco-friendly plumbing systems that will help you save water and energy use, reducing your impact on the environment. Not only will your bathroom be more sustainable, but the rest of your home will benefit from upgraded plumbing too.
Work with eco-friendly builders
Your choice of builders to carry out your bathroom work can also help make your bathroom renovation a more sustainable one. Modern building firms are becoming aware of the need to be more eco-friendly in their approach, ensuring they use sustainable materials and approaches to reduce their environmental impact. Finding a
handyman near me in Olathe or other areas who can work with you whilst ensuring sustainability and making eco-conscious suggestions, can help you achieve a build you can be happy with.
The impact of Brexit and the pandemic means building companies are in demand at the moment, so you should be prepared to wait for a quality builder to complete the job. The wait will be worth it to help you reduce the carbon footprint of your bathroom renovation.
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Choose a design that will last
Many interior design projects can date quickly, especially if they’re heavily trend-based. By looking at simpler, subtler bathroom designs, you’re more likely to have a bathroom that will last. Choosing quality materials like marble and steel, and flooring that won’t damage easily, can make your bathroom last.
Explore trims and accessories for wet wall fitters that will give your bathroom an attractive finished look that is easy to keep clean. Take care to preserve your materials to help them last longer.
Could you reuse and upcycle?
It’s easy to focus on wanting everything to be new and shiny, but does that mean your bathroom has to be entirely new? Are there elements of your bathroom that can be upcycled or reused in your new bathroom? Perhaps you could purchase your bathroom parts from someone who no longer wants them?
You could also take the same approach to dispose of your existing bathroom. Using local marketplaces and listings pages, you may find someone can make good use of your old products and use them differently. For everything that can’t be rehomed, be sure to recycle it all properly.
Making renovations more sustainable is not an easy job. There is a lot more thought that needs to go into the entire project, from the planning to the construction. But if you’re serious about sustainability, it’s worth the extra effort. An eco-friendly bathroom can be modern, beautiful and striking, ensuring you get your dream bathroom while also having a positive impact on the environment. What will your sustainable bathroom renovation look like?
Photography by Toa Heftiba
