Many people feel their bathroom is the most important room in the house. For good reason. It’s your most personal space that you make available to your guests. It’s where you shower, bathe, get ready in the morning. It’s where you want to feel refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to start the day or prepare for a good night’s sleep. The ambiance and utility of this room can have a big impact on your life. 

Bathrooms can become outdated. Remodeling them is a great way to not only modernize your home, but to also add much needed practicality and enjoyment to your life.

Here are Bryan Casey Construction and JC Design’s recommendations to ensure your bathroom remodel goes perfectly!

1. Do your research. Get input from all users. What do your family members love about the bathroom? What don’t they like? What would their dream bathroom have? What it the one thing they would add if they could only add a single new element?

Take notes when you go to restaurants, friend’s homes, hotels. Sure, many are commercial bathrooms, but you’re just getting ideas. How often have you seen an amazing sink at a new restaurant, or a “wow” shower at a trendy hotel. Jot down the elements you like as you prepare for your renovation.

2. Understand Costs and Options. For many of us, once we make the mental transition to remodeling our bathroom, we can’t help but envision a palatial 1,200 sf marble retreat! Complete with waterfall inside your walk-in shower, two Italian-imported vanities, vaulted ceilings with ambient lighting, and even a sitting area with a chaise lounge! 

Then our budget comes to mind and we are reminded new layouts, new plumbing, and high end countertops, tile, vanities and lighting can begin to cost real money. 

But, take heart. If you haven’t shopped for quality bath fixtures, tubs, flooring and other “wow” touches, you might be surprised that your dollar can go a good ways and still get some amazing items.

If your plumbing is quite old and needs to be updated or replaced, it may be an ideal time to go ahead and change the layout of your bathroom. (see #4 below). Lighting, material and layout can make a big difference for a bathroom without breaking the bank.

3. Use a professional designer and contractor. At this point, describing your vision and wish list to a quality remodeling contractor and bathroom designer makes great sense. A designer and contractor can help you understand how to best utilize your space, add the elements that are important to you, and provide additional ideas that can take your bathroom from “nice” to “wow”.

Both design and construction are very important to creating an amazing bathroom. Many contractors, like Bryan Casey Construction, include professional, experienced designers with each bathroom remodel. JC Design at Bryan Casey Construction works with you to not just pick out colors and accessories, but to review lighting options, flooring, cabinetry, counters, mirrors. 

4. Maximize Space. Lighting, Layout. Adding more square footage to a bathroom makes sense. But if you have a small space, or even if you have a larger room, the layout can make all the difference. Here are some techniques that can make a room feel larger:

a. Add ambient lighting. Lighting that originates higher on a wall or is recessed in shelves, can add depth, character and softness to a room – all making it feel larger. Notice we did not say brighter (though bright lights can work in many instances), but merely layered lighting.

b. Using a glass door for a shower versus a shower curtain can help open up a bathroom. Yes, it may be more expensive. But the “user experience” can be much nicer, and over the course of a number of years, you may spend a couple hundred dollars replacing shower curtains and liners. 

c. Consider open shelves, glass windows in cabinets, and placing towels racks strategically to open up space in the room. 

d. If space is really limited, pedestal sinks may open up space considerably compared to a cabinet.

5. Use quality materials where it counts. If you have a limited budget but really want to make the bathroom pop, choose to spend your dollars where they will be noticed the most – flooring and fixtures. Quality flooring – tile, porcelain, stone or marble floor – well laid in an optimum design, can be the signature impression of a bathroom. Ask your designer to help you select the best flooring material for both your space and your style. 

Bonus suggestion: consider under-floor heating for the room. It feels great on your feet in the winter months, and provides even heating in the room.

Fixtures can make or break a bathroom. Pull knobs or handles, the shower head, bathtub faucet, sink faucet and spout, light fixtures, towel rack and toilet paper holder – combined, they can make the bathroom really shine without going all in. 

Are you looking to remodel your bathroom or other areas of your home? Bryan Casey Construction is an award-winning home remodeling and interior design company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Co-Founder Bryan Casey is a licensed builder and contractor and has built premium-quality kitchens, basements and bathrooms for over 20 years. Co-Founder Julie Casey received her degree in Residential Interior Design and has created beautiful custom design projects for over 20 years. With over 40 years of combined experience, Bryan and Julie provide free assessments and quotes for your home remodeling needs.To Contact Bryan Casey Construction, call 816-716-8258. To Contact Julie Casey JC Design, call 816-616-3758.