The Latest Trends in Bathroom Remodeling

bathroomFor landlords, remodeling a bathroom may be a lot different than it would be for a homeowner. After all, you’re not living in the apartment, and the colors and materials you would want may not be good choices for tenants.

Expensive cabinets and granite countertops generally aren’t found in apartments, unless you’re renting in a high-priced area to high-end tenants. Generally, trends for standard bathrooms are leaning more toward stock cabinets and laminate countertops. The colors do matter, though, to draw in the vast majority of tenants and keep them happy with their apartments.

Even with good tenants, the wear and tear on a bathroom can really start to show after a few years. Once a tenant has moved out, you may want to remodel the bathroom before the next tenants get moved in. Consider what’s trendy, but also take a look at some of the timeless, more classic options.

You don’t want the bathroom to look outdated next year, so it’s important to make sure you don’t follow too many trends too closely. Using more timeless options for the majority of the bathroom and offering some trendy accents can help.

For example, it’s much easier – and also less expensive – to change out a light fixture than it is to replace a countertop. Keep the countertop stock, classic, and neutral. If it’s treated properly, you may not have to change it out for a long time.

The light fixture can be trendier, because replacing it to update the bathroom between tenants is easy and won’t cost very much. Along with some new paint, it can really make the bathroom look clean and modern. That can bring in a good tenant, who sees the quality and value that you’re offering in the apartment.

Another concern when you’re remodeling an apartment bathroom is the floor. Tile is lovely, but the grout can get stained and dirty easily, especially when renting to families with children or people who have pets. Tile also breaks and cracks if something heavy is dropped on it, and chipping up a tile to replace it can be difficult and costly. Then there’s the re-grouting, as well.

Instead, consider linoleum. There are many options today where sheet vinyl is concerned, and it has come a long way from where it used to be. Some of the better quality vinyl floors are great-looking and very durable.

No matter what choices you make when remodeling apartment bathrooms, be sure to take trends into account. You want to have a modern rental for your tenants to enjoy, but you also want to make sure the rental stays looking up-to-date for as long as possible.

Following the latest trend too heavily will make the newly remodeled bathroom appear out of touch with current trends in no time. By avoiding most of the trends and using trendy pieces only as accents, you’ll have a great looking apartment bathroom that won’t need extensive remodeling on a frequent basis.