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To achieve your desired effect and what suits you best, it takes planâ€" ning and patience. If you‘ve ever done any renovaâ€" tion work in the past, you know it‘s wise to avoid attacking any home improveâ€" ment project too hastily. You‘ll be much happier with the results if you sit down and take There‘s also no doubt that a renoâ€" vated bathroom also enhances your home‘s overall attractiveness and helps it maintain its value â€" someâ€" thing to keep in mind if you‘re thinking of seiling your home at some point in the future. b; How would you describe your bathâ€" room? Do the words _ boring, blah, cold, uncomâ€" fortable and crowded _ come immediately â€" to mind? Are you constantly searchâ€" ing for space to store all your toiâ€" letries? Do you find yourself conâ€" tinually battling mould and mildew despite your best efforts? Do you long for the luxury of a hot tub or whirlpool? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then it‘s probably time for either a facelift or a heavy duty renoâ€" vation. A s s o c ia t io n (OREA) for the benefit of conâ€" sumers in the real estate market. This article is provided by local Realtors and the Ontario Real How would you describe your bathroom PLANNING & PATIENCE existing _ space, you‘ll obviously be more limited than if you‘re expanding your present bath. Before making a decision on the types of fixtures you‘d like, shop around and comâ€" pare quality and price. Also check out bathroom showrooms and books and periodiâ€" cals to get a really good idea of what‘s available and how you can You‘ll also begin to realize if your expectations are within your budâ€" get. If you‘re working with go over your existâ€" ing bathroom with a fine tooth comb, examining storage, counterspace, fixâ€" tures, ventilation and so on. By doing this, you‘ll be able to deterâ€" mine what your limitations are in terms of space. You‘ll also begin to realize if vour V It‘s also essenâ€" tial to take a good long look at your present bathroom to discover what works and what doesn‘t â€" and why it doesn‘t work. For instance, is your present countertop prone to scratches and chips or water damage? Is your floor an older, ceramic one which has seen better days and is cold underfoot? Do you experience a lot of mould in certain areas of the bathâ€" room? the time to carefulâ€" ly consider your needs â€" as well as those of your famiâ€" ly. EXAMINE CURRENT BATHROOM You should also You may also want to choose one of the sleek, low profile oneâ€"piece If your space is unlimited, and you want to incorporate all new fixtures, you may want to consider installing an oversize tub, steam â€" bath or whirlpool unit â€" or a showerâ€" unit that‘s â€" separate from your tub. Or how about a platâ€" form or sunken tub for that extra touch of elegance? use your space most effectively. If you‘re interâ€" ested in achieving a distinguished vintage look, what about incorporatâ€" ing a few antique pieces of furniture into your new bathroom? You may even want to consider using a favorite heirloom toilets available on the market today. These use less water than older, more conventional units, but they do tend to be a little more expensive. FINE DETAILS If your bathâ€" room is large enough, you may also want to incorâ€" porate an exercise area or a dressing area into your bathroom â€" particâ€" vlarly if. it is attached to the master bedroom. as a vanity base. Or you can choose sinks with custom carved cabinetry. if your budget perâ€" mits, you may also want to consider a sink basin or bathâ€" tub with hand painted decoraâ€" tions. Each area can be as distinctive as the ~person it‘s designed for. If your bathâ€" room is a high trafâ€" fic area, you may want to divide the bathroom into porâ€" tions with doors. You â€"could,> for instance, have the bathtub and showâ€" er areas separate from the toilet and sink. that way, more than one perâ€" son can access the room at once, but still maintain priâ€" vacy. tn fo D