Interior Design

Bathroom renovations – they can be relatively painless, like when the bathroom is a rarely used powder room. OR, they can be a bit more involved, like when the bathroom in question is attached to your bedroom sanctuary or sends the entire family into your bathroom while their’s is torn apart.

The good news: you WILL survive your upcoming bathroom renovation. The better news: You’ll survive it with only a modicum of inconvenience if you’re prepared.

5 Ways To Prepare For a Bathroom Renovation

Consider the following as your “Bathroom Renovation Preparedness Guide”. Between this, and some deep breaths from time-to-time, you’ll come through the process swimmingly.

1. Hire the right design/build team. Not all design and build teams are created equal. Your job is to find one that’s experienced, professional and has excellent communication skills. One of the reasons I advocate hiring a interior designer when performing a remodel or full-scale renovation is to keep things as stress-free as possible. Even the best construction companies can err on the side of less-is-more when it comes to client communication. This can mean you don’t always know exactly what is happening, when, which is a bit stressful when it’s your own home you’re talking about. By hiring an interior designer who has professional relationships with high-quality contractors, you gain the best of both worlds: clear communication and a solid design plan, combined with top-notch work.
2. Create a communication plan. Even the most solid plans can be thrown off a bit depending on product availability or unanticipated discoveries in internal wall spaces. Make sure you and your contractor have a set plan for how communication re: scheduling or design changes will take place so you’re on the same page.
3. Prepare for dust. No matter how careful you are, things are going to get dusty. From saw dust to drywall dust, it can be talcum powder-fine and will seep into the most unlikely of places. You can minimize its infiltration by using sheet plastic and tape to seal off adjacent hallways, doors, rooms, closets and so one. Your design/build team will typically secure the most obvious spots, but you’ll want to take care of any closets or dressers that may be affected to minimize the clean-up later. Also, buy an extra HVAC filter or two from your local hardware store. Once your bathroom remodel is complete, you’ll want to change the filter – and then change it again a month later – to keep all that particulate matter from circulating around your home.
4. Set up another bathroom space. Depending on the scale of your bathroom remodeling project, you may be without a fully functional bathroom for up to three or four weeks. It’s time to set up a new bathroom space. If you have another full bath in the house, lucky you. Your biggest challenge may be setting a few new parameters for availability and use now that the whole family is sharing. If you are remodeling your only full-bath, you may need to be a little more creative. Most construction companies can rig a temporary toilet and shower area in another area of the house – garage, laundry room or basement.
5. Expect the unexpected. We hinted at this in #2, but the reality is that it’s a rare remodeling project that moves forward without a hitch. There is usually at least one snafu – sometimes small and often not-so-small. Just be prepared and keep an open mind so you can work more cooperatively with the design/build team to problem solve.

Are you first-time homeowners who would love to never move again? Are you baby-boomers interested in aging-in-place, rather than moving into a retirement or assisted living community? Are you a homeowner interested in selling your home as quickly as possible and for top-dollar? Do you plan to have a parent, grandparent or in-law living with you for some time?

If you answered, yes, to any of these questions – I recommend turning your attention to what we call accessible design principles.

Senior Friendly, Accessible, Universal or Livable – Good Design Matters

The terms accessible, universal and senior friendly frequent design publications these days. This is partly due to baby boomers, but it’s also about something bigger and larger than that.

It’s the post-2008 perspective shift that makes people want to buy a home they can make home, without worrying about flipping or investing. It’s about the mobile worker population who can live where they want and work without having to transfer companies or uproot their families. It’s about families who are choosing to care for one another in the comfort of their own home, rather than relocating in senior-only communities.

Finally, it’s about people realizing that accessibility improves life for everyone, not just those in acute need. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the ways you can make your home more accessible.

Lighting and electrical plans

It starts with something as simple as a lighting and electrical plans. By building these things in now, you won’t have to cut into walls and amend things later.

As with any good lighting plan, you need to accommodate for safety and task lighting. Make sure that all exterior walkways, stairs, and doorways are well-illuminated. Lighting inside the home should be bright enough on a dark night to illuminate the full room, with fixture placement such that shadows are minimized. Safety lighting can also take place via toe-kick or undercabinet lighting that provides an ambient glow when desired and also serve as wee-hour night-lights for the kitchen and bathrooms. Putting all of your fixtures on a dimmer switch is the best way to keep lighting under your desired control.

In terms of electrical plans, I recommend installing some well-placed floor outlets in the living and family rooms. This minimizes exposed cords from floor lamps, which are common, senior trip hazards.

Have a master suite downstairs

If you have a two-story home, I highly recommend placing a master suite or a comfortable guestroom with an attached bathroom on the downstairs, or most accessible, level. Even if you choose to sleep upstairs, for now, it means you and/or your partner will be able to have an accessible bedroom/bathroom, that doesn’t require navigating stairs, when you’re older, are recovering from a surgery or illness, etc.

Ample room for maneuvering

Accessible designs are always focused on seniors, but what about when a family member has an unexpected accident that renders them in a wheelchair, with a walker or on crutches at one point or another? What about family gatherings or parties, when guests may have mobility aids that need to be accommodated?

Accessible designs leave at least 36-inches between and around furnishings and walls, down hallways, around tables and chairs, between your perimeter cabinets/countertops and the kitchen island, etc., so people can maneuver easily. You’ll never regret building that access into the design now, and it makes for a gracious and flexible home.

No grip faucets, cabinet handles, and door pulls

Things that seem easy to grip take on a whole new personality the minute hands are out of commission as the result of injury or arthritis. This is why accessible designs incorporate faucets, handles and pulls that don’t require strong gripping action. Plumbing fixtures can be touch-free these days, and larger bars or levers are preferred for doors and drawers.

If you’re a young family, you’ll appreciate that more accessible kitchen and bathroom fixtures mean more autonomous kids, not to mention less wasted water.

Plenty of daylight

We know now that electrical light is not nearly as beneficial as light from the sun when it comes to our circadian rhythm (sleep and wake cycles) as well as mental and emotional well-being. This is true for everyone, and it becomes especially important for those who work from home or are more housebound – spending more time indoors than out. Adequate daylighting also makes colors look brighter and fresher, it makes rooms appear more spacious and inviting and it helps indoor plants to thrive.

Make sure you have adequate windows and add skylights and solar tubes for extra benefit. A solar tube placed over a home workstation is superior to fluorescent or LED lighting any day!

Think about grab bars and handles

Shower and toilet area grab bars and handles are like a quintessential senior design feature. But, let me tell you if they’re available – you’ll use them. They also make bathrooms safer for people of all ages. If you plan on aging in place, having seniors or physically challenged house guests, these bars are worth well more than their weight in gold.

Your bathrooms will look infinitely more stylish if you incorporate these features into the design now than if you have to install them later.

Implement slip-free surfaces

Finally, slip, trip, and fall hazards are the leading cause of injury for adults over the age of 65, and this includes serious traumatic brain injuries or the need for surgical procedures that can lead to further complications. Since most falls occur in or around the home, it makes sense to minimize slip, trip and fall hazards when designing any space.

Select slip-resistant flooring in kitchens and bathrooms. Invest in high-quality area rugs that don’t curl at the edges and corners, and reinforce them with full-coverage, non-slip mats underneath. Be thoughtful about the transitions or thresholds between hard surface and carpeted flooring. Minimize stairs wherever possible and design a ramp if you’re able to for exterior stairways.

If you could describe your household in a single paragraph, what would it say? What is the basic gist of the colors, energies, lifestyle and values of the people who live there? Now, take a look at your entryway. Is there anything of that paragraph inherent in your entryway design?

Your Entryway Is an Overarching Snapshot of Your Home

In my mind, the perfect entryway is one that not only looks great, and welcomes visitors – it also serves as a single snapshot of your entire home. Not only should its style serve as a precursor to what comes next, the mood, energy and features should reflect the people, creatures and beloved furnishings that call your household Home.

Here are some ideas for creating not just the “perfect entryway” – but for creating the perfect entryway for your home.

Brighten it Up. Even if you are partial to darker shades, the entryway is a place for a little lighter and brighter palette. You want guests to get a burst of energy as they walk in, so use lighter shades that complement your darker interior palettes. That way, the first impression isn’t gloomy or cave-like. If your entryway lacks natural light, consider adding a solar tube or skylight. Change the light fixture out for one that has more reflective or refractive qualities – perhaps a metallic or glass chandelier, for example, that will maximize the light.

Add a Mirror. Speaking of reflective qualities, it’s a rare entryway that isn’t dressed up by a mirror. In addition to enhancing illumination and making a smaller or more narrow space feel larger, it’s nice to give guests a space to take a peek and fix any stray hairs or wardrobe mishaps that may have taken place between their car and your doorstep. Similarly, on the way out, it gives women a spot to reapply lipstick or for men to adjust their coats and ties before heading to their next destination. Again, choose a mirror with a frame that somehow ties into other furnishings in the main living spaces.

Create Interior Design Echoes. Look around at your interior and see if it is echoed by your entryway. Are there similar lines or shapes? What about textures and fabric? Is the entryway formal while the rest of your home is casual? If the entryway isn’t an echo of your home, it can create a disconnect of sorts. Find ways to repeat basic design principles as well as specific motifs, so the entryway resonates with the rest of your design.

Add Personal Touches. Sometimes, people fear that adding personal touches will take away from their “picture perfect” entryway. Quite the contrary. The entryway of this Suburban Oasis in San Francisco is a prime example of why personalization matters. These homeowners hired me to create a transitional design in their new home. The entryway is striking with its high ceilings and fun mish-mash of arches and angles. However, all that open space, combined with a cool color palette and hard surface flooring could easily have come across as stark and modern. Instead, we installed two colorful pots with indoor plants (literally adding life to the space) as well as gorgeous shelves that are laden with family keepsakes and more greenery. It completely changed the energy of space.

Consider adding seating. If you have the space for it, it’s nice to add some seating options. The easiest and most space-saving way to do this is to use a bench that can run along the wall. Not only does it give people a chance to sit down to add/remove shoes or boots, it also gives you a place to display some fun art or collectibles, and provides a spot where guests can place their purses or bags – just be careful that it doesn’t become a clutter catchall.

Once you’ve run through this entryway checklist, the space is bound to be a more personalized and stylish entryway than it was before.