Do you need a designer for your bathroom renovation?
Are you considering a bathroom renovation and wondering if you need a designer? Our answer is yes. A bathroom project is a very involved process, and it will go much more smoothly if you partner with an experienced firm!
So, what do I need to know before I start my bathroom reno?
First, you need a contingency plan. The timeline for a bathroom renovation varies, depending on the size and scope (and current lead times are longer!). Changing the layout of a bathroom entails bringing in several tradespeople, whether it’s a large primary suite or a medium hall bath. A builder needs to coordinate with their plumber, electrician, tile installer, painter or wallpaper hanger, and any other specialty tradespeople. That means that your bathroom will be out of commission for a while, so you need to make alternate arrangements. For some, that means that the whole family will be sharing one bathroom. This can create a traffic jam of sorts when everyone is getting ready for work and school. If you live in a condo or townhome with only a half bath as your other option, you might want to look into staying somewhere while the work is being done. One of our team members even scheduled a vacation to coincide with part of her bathroom remodel.
All of those logistics have to be figured out before we start? It seems a little overwhelming.
We won’t lie to you; it is daunting. This is where teaming up with an experienced interior designer is invaluable. Honestly, bathrooms are hard! You have to be able to visualize how it will come together. Have you looked at tile samples and tried to picture a 6″x6″ square as an entire floor? Think about something like a shower wall – that’s a pretty large space. How much tile will you need? Do you like porcelain or natural stone? What type of vanity works best?
Okay, there’s that feeling of being overwhelmed. The good news is that we’re here to help with that. We think of this part of the process as doing the heavy lifting for you. At this point, we’ll already have gone through a lot of questions and inspiration to narrow down your aesthetic and needs. When the time comes for you to make those tile selections, we’ve already pulled several samples, looked at them within those parameters, and then weeded out most of them to present options that fit most closely with what you’ve told us you like.
The above applies to all of the other elements of a bathroom design, like tub, shower, and sink fixtures, lighting, vanity style, and sinks. Our role is to make the selection process as smooth as possible while ensuring that you love the design.
Bathroom renovation room board
This definitely seems more manageable if I partner with a designer. How do you plan what goes where and how?
The short answer? Carefully and deliberately. We meticulously plan every inch of space, from the tile to the tub to the shower curb. Our drawings dictate how high the shower knobs will be placed on the wall and how many tiles go into the floor. Nothing is left to chance, and we follow building codes and best practices to make sure that everything behind the walls and under the floor is just as perfect as what you see when you open the door. (We also make sure the door has enough clearance when you open it.) We even coordinate templates for glass and countertops so there are no surprises at delivery! Our plans act as a kind of insurance policy; we document exactly how and where things go to eliminate confusion and miscommunication. Sometime in the middle of the project, your bathroom will probably look like this:
If you trust the process, it will come together in the end and this will be a distant memory.
Once the renovation is done, can we make changes to all of that work?
Bathroom design differs from living room or dining room design because essentially done means “Done” with a capital D. If you don’t love the paint color, that can be changed. Accessories like towel bars and toilet paper holders can be swapped. However, unlike a living room where you can move the sofa to the opposite wall, once that plumbing, electrical, and tile is in, it’s in. Moving the shower or sink means starting from scratch and going back to demo.
Our process is detailed and collaborative to ensure that by the time we arrive at the end of the project, it’s exactly what you wanted. At Glenna Stone Interior Design, we believe one hundred percent in getting it right the first time. We truly want you to not only enjoy the look of your new bathroom, but also the practicality and usefulness. You should feel that everything fits you, your needs, and your wants perfectly, and that’s what we promise to deliver!
Project photography by Rebecca McAlpin
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Glenna Stone Interior Design is an award-winning Philadelphia interior design firm serving Philadelphia, the Main Line, and surrounding cities. Utilizing her background and training in interior design, architecture, and engineering, Glenna specializes in creating interiors for residential and commercial design settings. We invite you to visit our website, view our portfolio, and catch up on the latest interior design concepts on our blog!