How to Design Your Bath Remodel

Summer is the perfect time for a bath remodel.  Since the weather hot and beautiful, you can be outdoors enjoying the sunshine while the experts transform your bathroom.  Before you get started it is important to think about the type of bathroom that you want and what features you need to make the space work perfectly for you. 

Here are some questions to ask before a bath remodel:

1. How many people will use the bathroom?  A common problem with a bathroom is that they can become crowded. This isn’t an issue if you live alone but if you share a bathroom with a spouse or have several kids using a hallway bath it is important to incorporate enough space for everyone.  Let your contractor know how many people will be using the space and how old they are. 
2. Does the bathroom need to be ADA friendly?  If anyone uses the bathroom in a wheelchair, the space will need to be wide enough for the chair to turn around in. This is an important factor to tell your contractor about before the project begins. 
3. Do any children need to use the restroom?  As a contractor, we can incorporate kid-friendly features into your bath remodel. Simple solutions like installing two levels of sinks make it easy for a little one to wash their hands.  Additionally, a shorter toilet can be installed. This makes it easy for kids to use the restroom without help. 
4. What do you want to store inside of the space?  If you don’t have a nearby linen closet, there needs to be space to hold all of your typical toiletries along with extra towels, toilet paper, and more.  This can easily be built into the bathroom and fit seamlessly with the design. 

These are some of the basics that need to be discussed when designing your bathroom.  Once they are resolved it is time to focus on more design elements.  This is where you can be as creative as you like with things like color, fixtures, lighting, and more can completely transform the space.  For example, a spa-like bathroom can be created for the master that offers a serene getaway.  The powder room can be more fun and whimsical since it won’t be used as often. Simultaneously, a hallway bathroom shared by kids should be colorful and full of storage solutions.  All of these can be incorporated into the design by Quality Kitchen and Bath. 

We can also include some practical yet luxurious features like heated tile floors that can make your feet warm and toasty during the winter.  Heated towel bars can help your towels to dry quickly and give you something warm to wrap yourself up in.  Built in televisions can deliver the news while you curl your hair and brush your teeth in the morning while touchless faucets can keep germs off of your hands.  The sky is the limit with modern home technology.  To get started on your dream bath remodel, call Quality Kitchen and Bath today.

How to Create Storage with Custom Cabinets

You can use custom cabinets to create more storage in your home.  While they look fabulous in the kitchen and bathroom, their uses are far more extensive.  Since you can have the shape customized for any size space, it is easy to turn even the smallest nook into a functional storage space.  By using stunning design ideas and techniques, your storage solutions can be both beautiful and functional. 

Here are ideas you can try in your home:

• Dining room storage.  If you love hosting dinner parties or family gatherings it is important to have storage for your party supplies, linens, place settings, and decorations.  We can create built-in dining room storage for you to keep all of the extras that make a dinner party special.  By placing them in the same room, it will also reduce the time you spend preparing and cleaning up.
• Storage above the bed.  If you have a small master bedroom, you can increase your storage without taking up floor space.  Built-in storage can be designed around your bed, using beautiful custom cabinets.  You can even incorporate a headboard into the design to perfect the look.
• Window seat.  Maximize the space underneath your windows by having a custom window seat created.  It can have storage underneath for items like blankets, pillows, or games while providing a comfortable spot to sit and relax.
• Bookshelves.  Cabinets don’t always have to come with a front.  You can leave them open and create built-in bookshelves in any room of the house.  They can be installed along the sides of a doorway in order to maximize what is typically unused space.
• Shoe storage.  If you have a large family, or a lot of shoes, there is likely a large pile forming at the entrance to your home.  Built-in shoe storage is an ideal solution.  We can take a wall inside of your mudroom or next to the entry and use custom cabinetry to create small cubbies for each pair of shoes.  If this is in a visible space, lovely cabinet fronts can be installed to hide the clutter.
• Laundry room.  We can build custom cabinets in the laundry room with deep drawers that make it easy to store clean clothes in between folding, towels, extra sweaters and more.  A countertop can be placed on top to act as a good folding area.
• Built-in desks.  Whether you work at home or have kids that need to do homework, built-in desks can provide a place to work and much needed storage.  We can install a variety of cabinets to hold files, paper, pens, pencils, office supplies, and art supplies.  By giving everything a unique space in your home, clutter will be reduced.

Custom cabinets are the storage solution you have been looking for.  They can be made in any size and will fit in difficult spaces.  You can reduce clutter and become the organization queen or king by creating a plan for all of your storage needs then having us build the cabinets to accommodate them. 

Five Tips for Making Your Bath Remodel a Success

Before you start a bath remodel there are things you can do to make the process more successful.  In any remodel, there are bound to be surprises.  By preparing and creating a plan, you can stay on schedule and on budget.  Our team of experts can help you to do just that. 

Here are tips for making your project a successful one.

1. Plan for your remodel and buy the supplies.  Before you start demolition, know what paint colors you are using, the vanity you want to install, lighting fixtures that you need, tub, tile etc.  Consider each item that you want within your bathroom and buy it ahead of time.  Some items will take time to arrive or may be temporarily out of stock so wait to start your project until you have everything.  As a contractor, we will help with this process.
2. Apply for permits.  If you are doing more than a simple bath remodel, like extending out the space, you may need a permit.  We will help to facilitate this process by completing and submitting a permit application.  If one is required, the job can’t start until the permit is received.  The time of year and the county will determine how long this process will take.
3. Plan for storage.  A bathroom needs storage.  When considering your design options it is important to decide if your storage will use built in cabinets or if you want to buy storage that takes up floor space.  This should be incorporated into the design, and built-in storage needs to be created during the initial build out.
4. Ventilation.  Bathrooms without proper ventilation can suffer from mold issues.  When doing a bath remodel you can have a fan installed, window, or both.  Whenever possible we recommend incorporating both options because it gives you the maximum amount of air flow.  We can use windows with opaque glass so that no one can see inside when the window is closed.
5. Install good lighting.  The proper amount of lighting is essential for ladies that want to have their hair and make-up turn out perfectly.  A bathroom should include multiple lighting options so that it can be dim when you want to soak in the tub or bright when putting on eyeliner.  Consider recessed lighting that is installed in the ceiling along with lights over the bathroom mirror and an extendable makeup mirror that is lit.
6. Heated flooring.  If you want to keep your toes nice and toasty all year long, have heated floors installed.  This is a delightful way to heat the space and is an environmentally friendly solution.
7. Color.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with color.  The bathroom is the perfect place to have fun and try out a new color or texture on the walls.  Since the space is small and confined, it doesn’t have to match the rest of the house.  Get creative and have fun with your bath remodel.

For more ideas or to schedule a consultation give us a call today.

Design Ideas for a Summertime Bath Remodel

If you want to do a bath remodel this summer, we have fantastic ideas for you.  Remodeling your bathroom can be fun and increase your enjoyment of the space.  Since bathrooms are so small, it is easy to make a large impact fairly quickly.  Even with kids home from school it is easy to tackle this remodeling project and it can be completed in only a couple of weeks.  As an added benefit, the bathroom is contained so the rest of your house won’t be impacted by dirt or clutter.

This summer take advantage of the long days and start a home improvement project.  Our professional crew can transform your space quickly and beautifully.  By the time school starts back up you and your family could be getting ready in style.

Here are some of our favorite bath remodel ideas.

• Storage.  Every bathroom should be full of built in storage solutions.  Whether you are a couple without children or a large family of five, storage is essential for keeping the bathroom clean and organized.  We can build cubbies into the wall to hold your towels so that a linen closet isn’t needed.  Custom cabinets can be made to hold the right size of makeup and toiletries.  Drawers can be divided for smaller items.  The key is to identify every member of the family that will be using the space and the items they use to get ready in the morning.  Once we know that we can create a storage plan to keep everything in its place.
• Heated towel bar.  This is lovely in the winter.  It will help your towels to dry faster and give you something warm to wrap up in on those colder days.
• Heated tile floors.  This is a fantastic solution for keeping the space warm.  Your toes will stay nice and toasty, and it is an energy efficient solution for keeping your bathroom warm.
• Install a window.  Many older homes don’t have windows in the bathroom. While a fan can be effective for removing excess moisture, it cannot provide the fresh air that a window can.  Have a window installed that can open so that you can have fresh air and let the moisture out year round.
• Custom mirrors.  Large blocks of glass mirrors look boring and have no character.  Use a large custom mirror, or two mirrors, instead.  This will improve the entire look of your bathroom and give it a custom feel.  You can also use the mirror to express your creativity.
• Double sinks.  This is a must have for anyone that isn’t single.  Brushing teeth, washing your face, and getting ready in the morning becomes much easier when you are not fighting over the sink.  Even the kids will appreciate this one.
• Lighting.  Have quality lighting installed so that you can see yourself while getting ready.

There are many other solutions for customizing your bathroom.  A bath remodel can be as simple as improving the aesthetic features or as complicated as adding more square footage.  We can handle it all and would be happy to share specific design ideas during an in-home consultation. 

Custom Cabinets for Your Home

If you need better storage, custom cabinets are the solution.  Many homeowners think of cabinetry in the kitchen only.  While it is absolutely necessary for an organized kitchen, they can be used in other areas of the home, as well.  We provide custom work for homes throughout the area.  Here are some of our favorite design and storage solutions.

Mudroom

When your family walks into the house they need an area to place coats, shoes, rain gear, backpacks, purses and more.  If you have a mudroom it can become an ideal place but still needs storage.  Placing a shoe rack on the floor simply won’t cut it.  Built-ins can be designed with a cubby up top for hats and purses, hanging coat storage underneath, and a bottom cubby for shoes and boots.  By installing one, for every member of the family, you can make getting out the door much faster.  This will eliminate the need to search the house for a new glove or boot when leaving for school Monday morning.

Entertainment Room

An entertainment room is great for relaxing with family and friends.  This is a fantastic area to play board games, video games, listen to music, and watch your favorite movie.  The challenge is that all of these things take up space and can make the room look cluttered.  Custom cabinets are the storage solution you need.  Individual cabinets can be designed with the storage item in mind.  For example, a board game cabinet needs to be wide and deep enough to fit the largest Scrabble set.  A video game cabinet needs to have smaller built in sections to separate games.  Understanding how you use the space enables us to design a custom solution.

The Garage

Who says the garage has to look cluttered and dirty?  If you are a hobbyist or like to keep your garage pristine, we can help by installing custom cabinets for the garage.  They can be made in any material or color that you like and house your tools and equipment.  This will save you time trying to find the right tool and help you to create a cool hangout spot.

Kitchen

A kitchen can always be improved by installing custom kitchen cabinets.  By evaluating the type of food you like to cook, how you cook, and the tools you use, we can create a plan for how to best store and access these items.  The kitchen is trickier than most places in the home because it is used so frequently.  Everything needs to have a flow in order to make cooking dinner a breeze.

Bathroom

Installing customized cabinetry in your bathroom can make getting ready in the morning faster and easier.  You can have special drawers for makeup, shaving supplies, accessories, towels and more.  Everything can have it’s place which will cut down on the time you have to spend digging for an item.  Careful planning can improve your routine.

For more custom cabinet solutions and ideas, give us a call.  We will be happy to meet with you and discuss options for improving your space. 

The Case for Custom Cabinets

When remodeling a kitchen, custom cabinets will make a huge difference in the overall functionality of your space.  Some people elect to only refinish the front of their cabinets during a remodel.  While this does save money, it won’t yield the full benefits of a complete kitchen remodel that include making your life a little easier.

Whenever you design something you are able to take into consideration how you use the space.  Where you store your spices, the type of food you cook, and how you move about the kitchen all play into design decisions.  The challenge with existing cabinetry is that they weren’t designed with you in mind which can lead to a lack of functionality.

Here is how custom cabinets can help you.

·         Everything in its place.  When designing your cabinetry we will discuss with you all of the pots, pans, dishes, spices, bowls, food, silverware, appliances etc. that you use.  Your design plan will include a functional location to store each of these items.  The design should make it easy to access what you need, when you need it.  This will also save you time when putting dishes away.

·         Correct height.  If you are tall or short, the standard counter height may not meet your needs.  When your kitchen is customized we can build it to your specifications which will make cooking more comfortable.

·         See what you are storing.  We can install pull out drawers inside of your cabinets so that you can see what you are storing inside.  This will save you from digging through a dark cabinet in search of your favorite bowl.  Everything is brought into the light, instead of you digging.

·         Correct width.  Do you have a lot of placements or a special silverware holder?  If so, standard drawers may not be wide enough.  We can ensure that drawers are designed to fit these special items.

·         Pan storage.  Pans can be extremely messy.  If you like to bake, you probably have a lot of pans and cooling trays.  Placing them inside of a flat drawer doesn’t make sense.  Our stand up storage solutions can organize your pans so that they can be categorized and easily located.

·         Maximize small spaces.  Every corner, nook, and cranny can be utilized when you have custom cabinets made.  No space is wasted because we are able to come up with creative design solutions.

·         The right color.  Functionality is important but so is design.  Each homeowner has their preferred color choice when it comes to wood.  Your cabinets can be completely customized to fit your homes design and showcase your personality.  You can add whimsy be selecting fun or unique knobs and drawer pulls.

·         Electrical.  We can install electrical outlets into on the counter appliance garages so that you can use your toaster without taking it out of its hiding spot.  These little extras will keep your kitchen looking clean and fresh.

There is a huge variety of options to choose from when designing custom cabinets for your kitchen.  We are the home remodeling experts and can help you to identify exactly what you need and install them without a hitch.  Call us to learn more or to schedule an in home consultation. 

Ideas for Your Bath Remodel

Spring is an excellent time for a bath remodel.  The weather is warmer, the windows can be open, and a new bathroom will make your home feel refreshed.  While bathrooms are typically one of the smaller rooms in your home, they get a lot of use, and a nice one can make your daily routine far easier.

There are several things to consider when remodeling your bathroom.  Ask yourself who will be using the space, what their storage needs are, how many people will be in there at the same time, and what the bathroom will be located next to.  Once you have narrowed down how your bathroom will be used, you can have a discussion with your contractor about what you need.

Here are our favorite bath remodel ideas.

·         Custom Tile Showers.  We can build a custom tile shower that is unique to your individual design preference and how you use the shower.  For example, if you enjoy trying ten different types of shampoos you will need several built in shower shelves.  If you like to relax in the shower, a bench can provide a place to sit.  Tiles can be selected that are stunning and simultaneously practical.  This is one high end feature you do not want to go without.

·         Ventilation.  Bathrooms have a lot of moisture.  If you have a larger family, with multiple people showering, it becomes especially important to have plenty of ventilation in your bathroom.  Older homes were often made with only a small ceiling fan or no fan at all.  Whenever we do a bathroom remodel, we identify multiple ways to add ventilation like a strong ceiling fan and installing a window that can be opened. This will also help to keep the air circulating and fresh.

·         Towel Storage.  Most families have a linen closet in the hallway.  This isn’t very practical for when you are ready to shower and need a towel.  We can install built in towel storage that looks like cubbies.  Your towels can be rolled up, stored, and grabbed exactly when you need it.

·         Laundry Hamper.  How many times have you seen dirty socks and underwear on the floor?  Installing a laundry hamper in your bathroom can solve this problem.  A removable canvas bag can help you to transport laundry when you are ready to do the wash.  Think of it like you would a built in kitchen garbage can. This has the same functionality, only for your laundry.

·         Heated Floors.  Your toes will feel nice and warm during cold winter months when you have heated tile floors to step onto.  This is a solution that can also cut down on your heating bill during the winter.  They are good for any room in your home with tile floors.

·         Double Sinks.  If you have children, even your hallway bathroom should have double sinks.  Getting kids ready for bed, when everyone is vying for the sink can be a frustrating exercise.  Installing double sinks will help with the commotion, and there are ways to do it, without taking up a lot of space.

Whether you need practical design solutions or ideas for creating a bathroom fit for a princess, we can help.  We are bath remodel experts so call us today for your in home consultation. 

Whether you need practical design solutions or ideas for creating a bathroom fit for a princess, we can help.  We are bath remodel experts so call us today for your in home consultation.