Our Biggest Reno Regrets and Reno Wins - Both in the Bathrooms

336

Japandi
HDB (Resale)
~1,000 sqft
3 br
Couple Living

Reno Win Number 1: Choosing to extend the counter across the width of the toilet and built in carpentry. It is a win because bigger counter space allows for space to style my hair (we hid a powerpoint in one of the cabinet too), to put makeup and to put skincare! For this, we chose the same quartz as our kitchen and paired it with a walnut laminate. This gives the bathroom a luxe feel which I appreciate everyday! The regret though, is that everything would be elevated had we chosen a beautiful vessel sink to complete the look......
- #Bathroomdesign
- #Bathroomdecor
Featuring the skincare at the background. Having a comfortable designated space really helps ensure I am diligent with it! I can just put my skincare, then wash my hands LOL. Or wash my hands, then put my skincare. Basically, convenience is what helps. Another recommendation - I love Bulbul's diatomite tray! I've owned other diatomite trays and they all change colour so fast (just scroll down and you'll see) but this, it gets wet everyday and its still looking as new!
- #renovationjourney
Just a zoomed-out look. Reno Win Number 2: We arranged for lighting underneath the cabinet to help with my putting on of makeup! It looks yellow in this photo (dammit) but it looks more luxe in real life! Also, how do people have aesthetically pleasing toothbrushes and toothpastes because those things are standing out yet they're so essential LOL.
Featuring the shower area - aimed the camera towards the ground because I just wanna share my love for the tiles! This is Reno Win Number 3: - walnut and warm grey tiles? YES.
And unknowingly yes I am a sucker for packaging but I got this brand of shampoos because we first tried Nard shampoo at an Airbnb and it made my hair so soft in the dry Korea winter that I immediately added it to cart!
The final Reno Wind Number 4 is this ventilation fan. With this, the bathroom dries really fast! It serves to "suck" the air out of the toilet for ventilation, which according to 'them', helps in controlling the odour too. This was important to us because we actually had an issue where our bathroom ceiling was leaking water from the rooftop which Town Council had to patch but we aren't sure if it will be a recurring issue. Reducing moisture helps control the humidity abit and IT REALLY DOES.
- #renovationwin
Now for my reno regrets. If it's not clear, the entire master bedroom toilet is our renovation win, while the entire common toilet is my personal renovation regret LOL. First Reno Regret Number 1: Choosing an ugly sink. I tried putting Aesop bottles (gifted from friends), diatomite trays etc on it but I won't say it looks good. I really should have went for a nice vessel sink! Reno Regret Number 2: The mirror!!! It's in an orangey shade of wood which totally does not match the rest of the toilet, or the house for that matter. I bought it from Shopee and argh, saw alot nicer ones from Hipvan! Gonna use this for awhile before getting a new one to make the money for this worth...
- #Renoregret
Reno Regret Number 3: Half yellowish tile, half white tile?! It instantly makes the toilet look like a public toilet. Worse still, I really did see the bottom half tile in the public toilet I use on a daily basis for my workplace and it just doesn't look nice. Let this be a lesson not to do half-half tiles unless its more contrasting... Oh but we don't regret getting the heater even though all the IDs recommended the storage type to make it aesthetically pleasing. We also did choose a model that is not the prettiest but heck, how many times will I actually take picts of the shower anyway LOL. I was more concerned on how fast and well I can get warm water than the aesthetics part. Likewise for the silver fixtures like soap holders! It is an area that is always wet so I wanted to get something I am sure will not rust or wear/tear so easily.
A zoomed out version of our public, I mean, common toilet! It does not have a ventilation fan, which is our Reno Regret Number 4 because to install it now means we gotta pay extra for the electrical wiring if we do want to install it. Why it makes a difference - there are warmer days when the moment we enter this bathroom and it felt like we were entering into a small confined space that is 2 degrees warmer. It might be the way our bathroom is angled but discomfort from the warmth aside, humidity is a concern too, especially for mould growth. So, ventilation fans are great solutions to Singapore's humidity! We are actually looking to install a ventilation fan in this bathroom years to come, but for now, with minimal usage and complete airing, I guess we can deal with a humid bathroom. So hope it can be a helpful recommendation to you to install your ventilation fans from the start! With that, this ends our review of our biggest reno wins and regrets! See you again!