Transform Your Bathroom into a Relaxing Getaway

The bubble bath: our favorite way to relax.

Everyone knows that one of the best ways to relax after a hard day of work is to take a long soak in a hot tub. But it’s not always easy to find the time for a bath.

Even if you don’t have time for a bath, we still think that the bathroom can be a relaxing escape from the hectic day. That’s why we put together some ideas for how to make your bathroom the most relaxing spot in the house.

Create Ambience with New Bathroom Lighting Fixtures

Elegant wall sconces help set the mood.

Lighting is one of the most dramatic ways to change the atmosphere of a room, and the bathroom is no exception. While you may need and appreciate bright lighting in the morning, when you’re getting ready for the day, you can easily make some adjustments that allow you to enjoy more muted lighting in the evenings. Installing a dimmer switch for the overhead lights is a quick and easy way to create a more relaxing atmosphere.

You can also shop around for some new fixtures. Wall sconces in muted shades create a welcome and relaxing contrast to the bright lights of the office and will help you unwind after a long day.

Update the Textiles

Pamper yourself with soft bath towels.

There’s something about a plush, fluffy bath towel that immediately puts people at ease. If you’re like most of us, you’ve been using the same bath towels for a while and may not have noticed that they’ve lost some texture and softness. Shop around for the fluffiest, most luxurious towels you can find, and get a matching rug that will pamper your bare feet. You’re breathing easier already, aren’t you?

Take Inspiration from Nature

Natural decor provides a timeless, relaxing quality to any room. Green plants, smooth stones, candles, or a soothing tabletop fountain are all simple ways you can bring the essence of nature into your bathroom.

Relax with neutral tones inspired by nature.

Switch to a More Relaxing Color Scheme

Regardless of your decor, the colors in your bathroom have a big effect on how relaxing—or not—your environment is. Bright, intense colors suggest vibrance and energy, while more muted or neutral hues create a more calming effect. Not sure what colors put you at ease? You can search for inspiration on color-hex, a site that displays thousands of color palette schemes. Each palette includes hues that both complement and contrast, and may give you ideas you hadn’t considered before.

Relax: Colorado Tub Repair Has Your Back

There’s nothing relaxing about soaking in a tub that is chipped or cracked. For professional refinishing that will leave your tub sparkling, give us a call. We’ll do the heavy lifting (not to mention the cleaning!) so that you can enjoy a relaxing retreat in the comfort of your own home.

Three High-Impact Bathroom Remodel Ideas for 2018

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to update your bathroom, you’re in luck. 2018 brings some exciting trends for that oh-so-important room. We’ve rounded up our favorites to offer ideas, pictures, and inspiration that will help you make it happen!

Upgrade to 3-Dimensional Bathroom Tile

3-Dimensional Bathroom Tile

There’s a new trend in tile that’s bringing a fresh new look to bathroom walls: 3D tile. You don’t need special glasses to view it, either. Created with varying patterns and depth, this tile has a raised surface that casts shadows and brings texture and life to the walls of your bathroom. From subtle, neutral patterns that mimic natural scenes (think sand dunes or waves) to geometric shapes that pop, the 3D trend in bathroom tile opens up all kinds of possibilities.

Is it easy to clean? Depends on the style and shape. While it’s bound to be a little trickier than say, slick subway tile, we think the aesthetic appeal is worth the extra bit of effort.

Technology

Hands-free with a digital faucet

Technology is part of our daily lives, and designers are getting smarter about integrating it into the room where we get started each day: the bathroom. Whether you’re considering a refresh or a remodel, these high-tech enhancements will make a world of difference:

• Install a Waterproof TV in your bathroom
  Don’t lose your iPad to the tub (or toilet). Safely catch up on the news and weather while you get ready in the morning and keep your phones and tablets out of harm’s way.
• Upgrade your bathroom cabinets to refrigerated storage
  Keep medicines, creams, or drinks cool right where you need them.
• Go hands-free with a digital faucet
  Conserve water and simplify your routine by installing a faucet that automatically turns on and off. These high-tech fixtures can help save on your water bill!
• Get comfortable with a new, high-tech toilet
  These days you can find a toilet that will do almost anything: clean itself, clean you, automatically open and close the lid, spray air freshener . . . the list goes on.

In-floor Heating

In-floor heating for those cold days

Is the shock of cold against your bare feet first thing in the morning part of your wake up routine? If so, it might be time to double up on the caffeine, because cold floors are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. In-floor heating is gaining in popularity, and it’s no wonder—the luxury of a warm and cozy floor that’s also practical and easy to clean? Yes please!

Since in-floor heating is installed underneath the floor tile, a remodel is the perfect time to do it. Installation is fairly simple, too, although you may need to run new wiring from the main circuit panel to the bathroom. Consult a professional beforehand and then get moving quickly on this one. Winter is still here for a few more months!

One More Idea: Save Money!

You might be thinking that all of these ideas sound fabulous, but how are you going to pay for them? Renovations cost money, of course, and that’s where we can help you save. You don’t have to tear out your current bathtub or shower and buy a new one to get a fresh new look. We can refinish your tub or shower for a fraction of the cost. You can change colors or simply brighten up a white tub to make it gleam and sparkle. Save money on the practical updates so you can spend it on the fun ones!

Home Update Tips for New Empty Nesters

Sending a child off to college or study abroad can be a bittersweet moment for parents. While it can mark an important milestone and achievement, it can also be the first time a child is living away from home for an extended period of time.

For new empty nesters, making some home improvements when children move out can be helpful to updating and reviving certain spaces in the home, allowing parents to make better use of them as living arrangements change and families enter a new chapter of life.

It can also be the key boosting a home’s value if empty nesters may be considering selling their home and downsizing in the coming months (or year).

Home Improvement Ideas for Empty Nesters

1. Converting bedrooms into versatile spaces – With your children not living in your home for the next few months (or longer), consider converting their bedrooms into a useful space, like a home office, a home gym or an activities room. This room can double as a guest room (when kids come home for breaks or other guests visit). You may even want to consider adding versatile furniture to make this room easy to convert into a new space, based on your family’s evolving needs.
   • Note:  On average, home office additions to a house yield a roughly 40 percent return on the investment.
2. Updating kitchen countertops – Refinishing the countertops and/or backsplash in your kitchen can go a long way towards updating the look and feel of your kitchen space. It can also be the ideal time to change up the floor plan of your kitchen and/or replace some of the aging major appliances. In fact, if you are only working with a limited remodel budget – and you may be preparing to put your home on the market, you may want to start your updates in the kitchen, which is one of the first spaces prospective typically buyers check out.
   • Note: Kitchen updates can yield as much as a 66 percent return on the investment (particularly if newer major appliances are added).
3. Refinishing the bathtubs and/or bathroom tile – Just like newly refinished countertops and backsplashes can revive the appearance and feel of a kitchen, newly refinished tile and/or bathtubs can refresh the look and ambience of the bathroom space. When making these updates, it may also be a good time to consider adding in a conversion tub or other features (like shelving, cabinets, or privacy walls) to refine your bathroom space and make it more suitable for the people actually using it.
   • Note: With the right updates, bathroom remodels can yield a roughly 60 percent return on investment.

Let’s Talk about Updating Your Bathroom: Contact Our Denver Bathtub Refinishing Pros for a Free Quote

Are you ready to refinish the bathtubs, tile and/or countertops in your home? If so, the Denver bathtub refinishing pros at Colorado Tub Repair are ready to talk about your needs and provide you with a free quote. Call (303) 908-8764 or email us using this contact form to speak to one of our experienced, trusted pros today.

How to Update a Bathroom for Teens Heading Back to School

Back to school time can inevitably mean more focus and stress on your home’s bathrooms, especially in the mornings when everyone is rushing around to get ready for school (and work).

To help ease on the extra strain that back-to-school time can add (both on your home’s facilities and the people who are using them), here are some helpful updates to consider making to your home’s bathrooms as you and your family prepare for the new school year:

1. Enlarge & refinish countertops – Extending  and refinishing your bathroom’s countertops can enliven and open up the vanity area. That can mean that there’s more room for two (or more) people to be getting ready at the same time every morning, cutting down on the fights over who gets the bathroom first (and/or how much time each person spends in the bathroom).
2. Add separate vanity and/or storage space for males and females – This can help everyone stay organized (and put their own stuff back where it belongs when they’re done getting ready each morning). You can take this bathroom update tip a bit further by getting drawer and/or shelf organizational bins where different toiletries and bathroom items can be stored (and easily moved around).
3. Add more power – Adding a few more electrical sockets can make it possible for a few people to get ready at the same time, particularly if those people rely on power for their hair dryers, electric shavers, etc. that are part of their grooming process.
4. Refinish the bathtub – Refinishing and reviving the bathtub in your home can make an older guest bathroom a new place for someone to get ready for school (or work) in the morning. It can also provide an opportune time to make some other changes (like creating a more private tub and shower space) that allow multiple people to be in the bathroom getting ready at the same time.

   An added benefit to making this update is that it can also provide a nice end-of-the-day stress release, when a soak in a refinished bathtub can be just what you (and/or other members of your family) need to unwind.

Contact Our Denver Bathtub Refinishing Pros for a Free Quote

Let’s talk about your plans for refinishing the tile, countertops and/or bathtubs in your home. Contact the Denver bathtub refinishing pros at Colorado Tub Repair by calling (303) 908-8764 or emailing us this contact form to receive a free quote today.

Choosing the Right Bathtub Refinishing Pros: Questions to Ask before You Hire a Pro

When interviewing professionals to refinish your bathtub – or do any other work on your home, asking certain questions can uncover more about each candidate’s experience, work product and services. Here are some of the most important questions to ask during this process so that you can find out who may be the right (or wrong) person for the job:

1. What credentials do you have? – Make sure the contractor has the appropriate licensing, as well as insurance coverage.
2. How long have you been in business? – Experience matters, so be sure to get a specific answer here. Established contractors will have the insight and knowledge to get the job done right, in the most efficient manner possible.
3. Do you have examples of prior work I can see? – Ask to see before/after pictures or portfolios. Beware of a contractor who doesn’t have any prior work to show you.
4. Do you have references I can call? – References can include prior clients, colleagues, etc. If references aren’t available, ask to see client reviews or feedback. Again, beware of contractors who can’t provide you with any reviews or references who can attest to the quality of their work and services.
5. What types of materials do you use? – Answers provided to this question can speak to contractors’ experience (if they are – or aren’t – able to immediately list the materials), as well as the quality of their work product (if they aren’t using quality materials, the product won’t be quality either).
6. What are you going to charge? – Get detailed quotes and compare them to industry rates. Find out what exactly you’ll receive for the price you’re paying, as well as whether any additional offerings (like warranties) are provided.
7. Why are you the best choice for my project? – This can be a revealing answer, especially when you compare the answers given by different contractors. Quality professionals will have honest, compelling responses that go beyond simply “we’re the best.”

Contact Our Denver Bathtub Refinishing Pros for a Free Quote

Are you ready to refinish the bathtubs, tile and/or countertops in your home? If so, contact the Denver bathtub refinishing pros at Colorado Tub Repair for a free quote. Call (303) 908-8764 or email us using the contact form located here.

Small Changes that Can Brighten Up a Bathroom in a Big Way

This month, we’ve been talking a lot about the do’s and don’ts associated with making bathroom spaces brighter. And while there are some more major things you can do to open up a dark, small bathroom, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to breathe fresh life into your bathroom and invigorate it with a more airy and spacious feeling.

In fact, if you are working with a small budget, here are some of the most cost-effective ways to enlighten a cramped, dull or lifeless bathroom:

1. Add some small plants – Spots of green peppered throughout your bathroom can be an affordable way to brighten up any bathroom space.
   • Pro tip: If you have limited counter space in your small bathroom, place the plants on the back of the toilet or consider hanging them on the wall. Also, consider getting small succulents, cacti or other low-maintenance plants that will stay green/bright with minimal care.
2. Add more mirrors and/or reflective surfaces – Even just two or three well placed mirrors or reflective surfaces can make a smaller bathroom seem more dynamic and open.
   • Pro tip: Try to place mirrors and reflective surfaces where they will catch and reflect the most light (including the natural light from windows). This can go a long way to brightening and opening up the bathroom space.
3. Change the lighting and bulbs – Changing out lighting features – like sconce covers and bulbs (rather than replacing the entire fixture) – is another cost-effective way to alter the look and feel of a cramped bathroom space.
   • Pro tip: Consider using lights/bulbs with dimming features so you can change up the lighting scheme in your bathroom at any point.
4. Thoroughly clean the bathroom – Cleaning the dark nooks and corners in your bathroom, as well as the larger features like the tub and mirrors, can really make the room sparkle.
   • Pro tip: Consider hiring professionals every month (or every other month) to give your bathroom and its windows a thorough cleaning. That can make it much easier to maintain a clean bathroom, as you may only need to do minimal cleaning to keep the bathroom looking sharp, shiny and bright.

Not Enough to Brighten Your Bathroom? Consider Refinishing the Tile & Tub for Some Extra Shine

When small changes aren’t having a big enough impact on a dull, outdated or stale bathroom space, it may be time to take the bathroom updates to the next level by refinishing the bathroom tile and/or bathtub.

Refinishing costs a fraction of the price associated with replacing tile and tubs, and it can be done within a few days (if not sooner). What may be even more appealing than those benefits, however, is the fact that you can extend the life of your tile and tub for well over a decade by refinishing them.

To find out how much it would cost to refinish the tile and/or tubs in your home, contact us for a free quote by calling (303) 908-8764 or by clicking here. You can also email us using the contact form located here.

How to Make the Most Out of a Small Bathroom Space

Enlarging a small bathroom space doesn’t mean that you have to knock down walls or change your home’s floor plan. In fact, with the right combination of design elements, you can make a smaller bathroom seem much more spacious that it actually is, creating an open, airy, welcoming feel for cozier bathrooms.

Here are some of our top tips for making the most out of the smaller bathrooms in your home:

1. Opt for lighter paint or wallpaper – This doesn’t mean that you can’t go with a color. It simply means that the colors should be lighter shades that will make the room seem more open.
   • Pro tip – Don’t forget about the ceiling and floors. A light bright ceiling and floor can enhance light walls and make the room seem even more spacious.
2. Rely on multifunctional pieces – In smaller bathrooms, one of the best ways a piece can be multifunctional is to provide storage space in addition to the main feature or function.
   • Pro tip – Consider what items you don’t really need to have stored in the bathroom and get them out. With minimal space in small bathrooms, it can be helpful to store bulkier items that may not be essential to keep in the bathroom (e.g., clean linens) in an area outside of the bathroom.
3. Position scones and/or shelving higher up – Setting lighting, shelves and even pictures up higher in a small bathroom space will naturally draw the eye upward. This, coupled with lighter colors throughout the space, can further enhance the open and airy feel you are trying to create in a small bathroom space.
   • Pro tip – Don’t be afraid to edit your own design and try out a few different schemes to figure out what you like best.
4. Use light-colored bathroom accessories – Use lighter colored towels, shower curtains, floor mats/rugs, etc. in your bathroom, and place these accessories in strategic locations that won’t interrupt the flow or spacious feel of your bathroom.
   • Pro tip – Consider getting an area rug with a simple pattern or bright colors to create the illusion of more floor space. A striped rug can easily do this if placed in the right region of a smaller bathroom space.
5. Take the dressing off of the window – In smaller bathrooms, curtains or blinds over the window can really close off the space. So undress the bathroom room, and let the natural light in.
   • Pro tip – Get your windows cleaned professionally on a regular basis to really maximize the natural light and enhance the bright, open feel of your bathroom.

Want to Take It to the Next Level? Try Refinishing the Tile & Tub

Refinishing the tile and bathtub in a small bathroom can be a game changer when you really want to open up and brighten a small space. What’ more is that refinishing tile and tubs is far cheaper than replacing them – and it can extend the life of these features for well over a decade.

To get a free quote for refinishing the tile and/or tubs in your home, call the Denver bathtub refinishing pros at Colorado Tub Repair today at (303) 908-8764. You can also click here or email us via this contact form.

Décor & Design Mistakes to Avoid with Small Bathrooms

When designing and/or decorating a small bathroom space, how that space is set up and decorated can make a big difference in the overall feel and look of the finished room.

Shedding some light on the best ways to construct and decorate small bathrooms, below we have pointed out some mistakes to avoid when designing – or redesigning – a cozier bathroom space.

With Small Bathrooms, Avoid…

1. Covering the walls and/or ceiling with dark paint and/or wallpaper – Although dark colors can be dramatic and may go with the other rooms of your home, they can also make a small bathroom feel more enclosed and cavernous. So, opt for lighter, brighter colors with paint and/or wallpaper for your small bathroom.
2. Covering or blocking the window(s) – The bright, natural light from a window is another element that can open up a small bathroom space. So, avoid putting up a window dressing (that can seem to shrink the window and reduce the light coming through), and avoid storing things on the windowsill (which can have the same effect as an overbearing window dressing like curtains or blinds).
3. Forgetting about the storage needs and space – Storing your bathroom products, linens, etc. on countertops or shelving that takes up the bathroom’s floor space can make a small bathroom seem even more constricted. Instead, figure out a place to store these essential items where they will remain out of sight, off of countertops and/or off of the floor space. Vanities, medicine cabinets and appropriately placed shelving can be especially helpful to this end.
4. Using Broadway-style lighting – The bright lights around a mirror (like theater dressing room lights) can be harsh, unflattering and unforgiving to a small bathroom space. Instead of this type of lighting scheme, try one is softer and will highlight the better features of the small bathroom. This can be achieved with a combination of overhead and side lighting.

Want to Open Your Small Bathroom Up Even More?

In small bathroom spaces, aging tile and tubs can be one of the biggest eye sores, making even the cleanest and well-designed small bathrooms seeming cluttered and unpleasant.

If this is the situation in one of your bathrooms and you are considering replacing the tile and/or bathtub, a better option can be to refinish the tile and/or tub, saving you time and money that can used on other areas of your bathroom update project.

Get a Free Denver Bathtub Refinishing Quote Today: Contact Us

Let us refinish the tile and bathtubs in your home. Contact us for a free estimate by calling (303) 908-8764 or by clicking here. You can also email us using the contact form located here.

Easy, Cost-Effective Bathroom Upgrades

Are you sick of looking at your dated bathroom? Do you want to wow your future houseguests with a new, attractive and more comfortable bathroom?

If you are nodding your head in agreement to these questions, here are some relatively easy and cost-effective bathroom updates you can make – without knocking down any walls or putting your bathroom out of commission for days or weeks at a time:

1. Replace the smaller fixtures – The smaller fixtures in bathrooms, especially those that your family/guests are regularly touching, can become unsightly, discolored and damaged sooner than some of the other features in your bathroom. The good news is that replacing these fixtures (e.g., light switches, outlet covers, toilet paper holder, faucet spouts/handles, small shelves) can be pretty easy and inexpensive.
2. Update your toiletry holders/dispensers – Specifically, these items can include things like the soap dispensers, toothbrush holders, etc. that sit around your sink (or in other areas of your bathroom).
3. Change the lighting scheme – While this may be as simple as adding a new light or changing out some of the bathroom lightbulbs, it can also involve replacing the main (or secondary) lighting system(s) with something different.
4. Get rid of the clutter – Given that updating your bathroom is likely driven by a desire to refresh its look, taking a critical look at the items that you do NOT need to store in your bathroom is another easy way to refresh its look. For example, if you are storing items like bath towels, extra toilet paper or other toiletries in your bathroom (and if there is limited space in your bathroom), consider finding a location outside (but near) your bathroom where these items can be stored. Opening up space – and leaving some open space – in your bathroom is a free and effective way to update its look while creating a new, spacious and welcoming feel.

A Word about Your Bathtub, Tile & Countertops

While the above bathroom upgrades can revive an outdated or dull-looking bathroom, they may only have minimal effect if your bathtub, the surrounding tile and/or bathroom countertops are chipping, cracked, stained or otherwise damaged.

In these situations, one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can invest in is refinishing these major fixtures (instead of replacing them).

Contact Us for Affordable, Experienced Denver Bathtub Refinishing Services

Let us refinish the bathtubs, tile and/or countertops in your home at highly competitive rates. Contact us for a free quote today by calling (303) 908-8764 or by clicking here. You can also email us using the contact form located here.

How to Complete a Bathroom Remodel on Time & Under Budget

Remodeling projects can update the appearance of homes while possibly increasing their value. When time and money are limiting factors in getting the remodel project done, however, starting out with the right plan can be the key to completing the remodel on time and your budget.

For those who are preparing to remodel one or more of their bathrooms, here are some essential tips that can save you time and money as you work on getting the project done:

1. Have a clear deadline – Figure out the date on which your remodel has to be finished. Do you have a baby on the way or guests arriving at some point? Or does is the bathroom remodel part of a larger home remodel project? Whatever your deadline ends up being will be important to determining how much work can realistically be completed within that time frame – and whether you may be able to do more (or less) of it yourself.
   • Pro tip – Set your deadline a little bit earlier than your projected date of completion to give yourself some wiggle room in case something unexpected arises. For instance, if you want your remodel done in 8 weeks, set your deadline for 7 weeks to give yourself an extra week to spill into if necessary.
2. Create a plan for exactly what the remodel will entail – How extensive do you want your remodel to be? Will you be changing the layout of the bathroom? Or just be updating the major features? Writing out a detailed list of all of the elements of your remodel plans is important to understanding the scope of your project and creating an action plan for tackling them.
   • Pro Tip – Walk through your bathroom when doing this, as it can help you identify all of the aspects you want to include in your project.
3. Set your budget – Knowing your deadline and the details of the remodel plan, you can now calculate a realistic budget for the remodel.
   • Pro Tip – Like the schedule, add some wiggle room into the budget so you are prepared in case any unexpected costs arise.
4. Figure out what you can do yourself versus what you may need to hire professionals to do – Depending on the scope of your remodel plans, you may need to hire professionals to take care of some updates, like refinishing your bathtub or repairing your bathroom tile. Taking the time to identify which aspects of your remodel need to be done by pros before you get started can help you avoid costly pitfalls – such as attempting to take on a complicated update yourself and possibly causing more damage in the process.
   • Pro Tip – Once you know what you need pros for, shop around for the best quotes. Going to trade shows (like Home & Garden shows) can be an easy way to get at least a few quotes quickly.
5. Don’t forget about the little things – With remodel projects, it can be easy to focus on the big aspects of the project, such as an unsightly bathtub or drab wall covers. Don’t forget, though, that the little things – like lighting fixtures and outlet covers – can really make a difference as well, so be sure to include them in your update plans.
   • Pro Tip – Update the little features last, after more major updates – like tub, tile and wall repairs/updates – have been finished. In other words, make the little updates your finishing touches.

We Can Save You Money on Your Bathroom Remodel – Contact Colorado Tub Repair Today

Let us help you with your bathroom and/or kitchen remodeling plans. In addition to providing bathtub refinishing services, we also offer tile refinishing and repair, countertop refinishing, and much more at highly competitive prices.

Contact us for a free quote today by calling (303) 908-8764 or by clicking here. You can also email us using the contact form located here.