While a limited budget can certainly restrict the width and breadth of a renovation project, it can also foster an immense amount of creativity, forcing designers to explore inventive solutions to freshen a property's overall look and lower operating costs. In terms of revamping an aesthetic, Adrienne Morea, CEO of Atlas Homewares, said that changing hardware is one of the most inexpensive and simple means to alter a bathroom's overall look.
"Cabinet hardware is one of the easiest ways to freshen up an existing space at a minimal cost," Morea said. "If saving money is on the project list, a designer can use existing cabinet bases and update the cabinet fronts with a more modern style and then bring it to the next level by adding a fashion-forward pull or knob design. Wall plates can also be matched to the suite of design so that the color and style can be threaded through all the details. It can make a smaller project look bigger, and a bigger project look finished."
But as all owners know, the design of a property is only one side of the proverbial coin; the behind-the-scenes elements such as water flow and cost of product amenities are also salient issues to consider when investing in bathroom renovations.
AMENITY SAVINGS
Ben Bethel, owner and GM of the Clarendon Hotel in Phoenix, said owners should not only consider small details like the cost and environmental impact of 'giveaway' bathroom amenities, but also recognize that one may have to spend money in order to save it eventually.
"Now that the money has started to come back, we decided to go ahead and put some money into upgrades that will save money in the long run," Bethel said. "We have thought for the past few years about wall-mount [product] dispensers--they help shorten shower time as well as lower trash cost and inventory time and it's the environmentally friendly thing to do."
The new wall-mount, which replaces the little bottles typically found throughout hotels, features shampoo, conditioner and body wash and has dual benefits.
"The great thing about it is we're not buying 130,000 individual bottle each year and then putting them in the trash," Bethel said. "Amenity bottles are used as a marketing method or as a takeaway amenity and brand reminder, but because the [Transportation Security Administration] standards are here to stay, people don't want to bring additional liquids back home."
INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION
Bethel also said owners have to consider unnecessary expenditures that exist under the auspices of "hotel standards;" management must consider each property as its own separate entity with specific issues that may transcend the industry norms.
"We're in the desert and water rates just went up 7 percent this year," Bethel said. "I had maintenance go under the sinks and turn the valves down--guests don't need 5 gallons of water a minute to brush their teeth. This reduces the flow rate by two-thirds and I still haven't had any complaints about the flow rate from guests."
ktandy@questex.com
Five inexpensive renovation tricks
[1] Lighting--Think about placement as well as color and temperature.
[2] Accessories--Revamp little things like the artwork, soap dispensers, towel racks, TVs, or add large or full-length mirrors.
[3] Finishes--Add a new paint color, wall-coverings or a large-scale tile. These are lower-cost alternatives that look like richer materials.
[4] Vanities--Find simple fixtures on vanities that look more like residential furniture.
[5] Quantity--Remember that custom pieces can be as affordable as stock items depending on quantity.
By Katie Tandy
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Author: Katie Tandy
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