Episode Three: bathrooms

The Yellow Team Bathroom.

This week the teams had to complete two full bathrooms upstairs - the master ensuite and the main bathroom - in 30 hours.

Bathrooms are a space that can eat up a lot of renovation time, effort and money - but they don't need to. With careful planning and efficient use of all your resources you can have the bathroom you want.

Bathrooms can definitely be very stylish spaces, and we've seen a huge effort put in by both teams to ensure that these bathrooms are stylish. But bathrooms are primarily functional spaces. Especially for growing families, bathrooms have to provide for current and future needs for everyone to get up, get showered, primped and prepared for the day. Bathroom materials need to be chosen for durability and ease of cleaning in addition to look.

Blue Team

• The Blue Team bathrooms used a neutral colour palette that matched well with the bedrooms.
• Tile floors and bath and shower surround were coordinated in beige with a subtle repetition of the striping that was a theme in the bedrooms.
• Decorative elements included artwork in both bathrooms.
• Fixtures and cabinet pulls coordinated well.
• The cupboard style and colour coordinated with the style of the bedroom furnishings in the master, creating a cohesive look throughout.
• A variety of different types of storage - open, closed, drawers and cupboards - make the master ensuite especially very functional.
• Low-flow toilets helped with the team's LEED points.

Yellow Team

• The Yellow Team presented a much more dramatic look in their bathrooms.
• Dark tiles on the floor and the bath and shower surround contrasted strongly with the white walls.
• Silver and wood accents helped to create a glamorous feeling.
• Grey grouting used between the mosaic tiles means the grout will look better for longer: white grout can start to look dingy quickly and can be difficult to maintain, especially in an area that has hard water, like Calgary.
• A mix of matte and shiny tiles as well as a couple of different shades of black and grey gives this mosaic look some texture.
• Insufficient storage may be a problem down the road, especially in the master. These bathrooms have mostly cupboard space, so small items like toothbrushes will likely get left out on the counter, diminishing the luxurious look of the space.