![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/bathroom-remodel-where-to-save-and-splurge.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo: James Bombales\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nWe sourced expert tips for designing a luxury bathroom for less at Improve Canada<\/a> \u2014 the largest home improvement centre in Canada. Conveniently located two stop lights north of Toronto in Vaughan, Improve Canada offers a one-stop shopping experience for all of your renovation needs. There are over 350 showrooms under one roof (with 21+ in the bathroom category alone<\/a>) where you can easily spend half a day sifting through everything from natural stone to faucets and cabinetry to get ideas for the bathroom of your dreams.<\/p>\n Located within Improve Canada, you\u2019ll find Georgian Renovations<\/a> (showroom 108 and 97), a high-end renovation company with unparalleled craftsmanship. Here, Georgian\u2019s principal interior designer Michelle Mawby explains how you can achieve a high-end bathroom without blowing your entire budget.<\/p>\n Save by keeping your plumbing where it is:<\/strong> One of the easiest ways to save money on a bathroom remodel is to design around the current plumbing positioning. \u201cBut don’t do that in lieu of a good layout and good space planning,\u201d says Mawby. If the shower, sink and toilet are awkwardly positioned, splurging on the finest features and finishes won\u2019t disguise that.<\/p>\n Splurge on your faucets and showerheads:<\/strong> Sure, you can purchase a faucet for $50 online, but saving money here will probably cost you in the long run. Remember, you\u2019re using this item multiple times a day and cheap faucets and showerheads tend to leak and loosen with time, finishes flake off, and the water pressure can be weak and unpredictable. How do you know if it\u2019s good quality? \u201cIt feels good in your hand,\u201d says Prea Harry, a sales and design specialist at Canaroma<\/a> (bath and tile specialists located within Improve Canada at showroom 232 and 249). Look for pitting, waves or distortion in the finish. \u201cYou want to see a perfect mirror finish and 90-degree laser cut edges.\u201d You can visit the multiple showrooms at Improve Canada that specialize in faucets and showerheads to see and feel the quality for yourself. To ensure your visit is efficient, it\u2019s best to schedule appointments on Improve Canada\u2019s website<\/a> in advance since these local businesses can sometimes be out on a service call.<\/p>\n Save on your toilet:<\/strong> There\u2019s no need to splurge on a fancy toilet. Think of it this way: Would you offer less on a house because the toilet didn\u2019t come with a built-in seat warmer? \u201cThat’s one good place where you can save. I just finished a home where we put in a $7,000 toilet. But not everybody needs a toilet where the lid opens when you walk up to it and it plays music,\u201d says Mawby with a laugh.<\/p>\n Splurge on hardware:<\/strong> Mawby sees hardware as the jewellery in any room. \u201cThere are some amazing places for beautiful hardware. It’s not cheap, but it definitely takes it to the next level.\u201d Mawby gravitates toward warm metals, interesting shapes, large scale, lucite and geodes. \u201cWe\u2019ve got traditional, modern and everything in between,\u201d says Harry of Canaroma\u2019s <\/a>hardware selection.<\/p>\n Save on a soaker tub:<\/strong> A large, freestanding soaker tub makes a luxurious statement in any bathroom. Fortunately, you don\u2019t have to empty your wallet to purchase an elegant design. \u201cIf you buy an acrylic bathtub, you could get one for $2,000 or even less,\u201d says Mawby. \u201cIf you’re going with a composite material, you’re looking at the $7,000 to $10,000 price range.\u201d This includes natural stone and even cast iron.<\/p>\n \u201cSeventy percent of our clients want a modern, simple tub,\u201d says Mona Yazdi, the co-owner of Xiorex,<\/a> kitchen and bathroom specialists located within Improve Canada (showroom 6). \u201cBut even if you want a bathtub that has a lot of character and is more traditional, it\u2019s not like before \u2014 you can still get them for under $2,000.\u201d<\/p>\n Splurge on a luxury shower:<\/strong> The trend these days is to eliminate a tub altogether and instead invest in a roomy walk-in shower. \u201cTubs take up a lot of space. A lot of people that you speak to don’t even have time to sit and take a bath anymore,\u201d says Harry. \u201cWhen you eliminate the tub completely, not only have you given yourself more budget to put towards your nice shower, but you’ve given yourself a lot more space.\u201d<\/p>\n If the budget allows for it, frameless glass showers will make your bathroom feel extra sophisticated. \u201cThe typical showers with frames have a lot of metal and rubber,\u201d says Yazdi. \u201cFrameless showers offer a completely different, clean look. It adds a lot of value and turns it into a luxury bathroom. It also involves less cleaning and gives the illusion of having a bigger space.\u201d<\/p>\n Save on tile and flooring:<\/strong> There are tons of economical tile options that will transform your walls into decorative eye candy. \u201cPorcelain has come back in a big way in the last 10 years,\u201d says Mawby. \u201cPrinted porcelain that looks like stone can be anywhere from half to a quarter of the price of real stone and that can really save you money both on your countertops, floor and walls.\u201d<\/p>\n Alternatively, you can cut costs by splurging on a beautiful treatment in one specific area (think the vanity backsplash or one wall in the shower). \u201cIf you cut down on the amount of tile that you’re installing, you can cut down on both material and labour costs, which can drastically reduce your budget,\u201d says Mawby.<\/p>\n Marble countertops are a luxury item that will cause your budget to escalate fast. Canaroma\u2019s team like to point their clients to alternatives that are not only more affordable but also much easier to maintain. \u201cMarble takes crazy, crazy maintenance, it’s almost impossible to keep up with it. Especially in the bathroom where there’s so much moisture, humidity and changes in the temperature.\u201d Luckily, the faux-marble options are so convincing, you may have trouble seeing the difference when you visit the 21 tile and stone showrooms <\/a>located within Improve Canada.<\/p>\n Splurge on the vanity:<\/strong> Don\u2019t skimp on the vanity cabinetry \u2014 you\u2019ll be opening and closing those drawers multiple times a day and need to ensure they can hold up to the moisture in your bathroom. \u201cA lot of fixtures and products come from China these days,\u201d says Yazdi. \u201cSometimes clients want to go with the more affordable option but a lot of times they take it home and after a while, they see it\u2019s peeling, expanding or getting warped.\u201d<\/p>\n Custom cabinetry also adds a wow factor, with smart storage and design that can tie the whole bathroom together. \u201cRight now we\u2019re adding cabinetry that looks like furniture \u2014 we’re adding in metal details, decorative lucite legs, really beautiful hardware,\u201d says Mawby. \u201cIt also lets us really customize drawers and cupboards for optimum storage.\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find a wide selection of custom cabinetry makers at Improve. Along with checking out the showrooms in the bathroom category, many of the showrooms within the kitchen category <\/a>do fantastic custom work for bathrooms as well. At Xiorex, Yazdi mostly uses high quality Italian boards and does custom work in their local, family-run manufacturing facility. \u201cI believe going custom is always better than getting imported goods \u2014 especially from China,\u201d says Yazdi.<\/p>\n Splurge on lighting:<\/strong> Good lighting is essential in a bathroom and splurging a little here will go a long way. \u201cI will rarely go to the bathroom section in a lighting store to pick my bathroom lights,\u201d says Mawby. \u201cWe’re putting in gorgeous chandeliers and pendants and wall sconces.\u201d With 13 showrooms in the lighting category <\/a>alone, you won\u2019t have to stop by the bathroom accessory section of a hardware store ever again.<\/p>\n<\/a>Photo: James Bombales<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo: em_henderson\/Instagram<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo: studiodiy\/Instagram\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo: maisondepayx\/Instagram\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo: James Bombales<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo: andreawestdesign\/Instagram\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n