How to Plan the Perfect Bathroom Remodel for Your Tacoma Home
Remodeling your bathroom is a great way to add a touch of luxury to your home. Your bathroom should be a place that prepares you for whatever your day holds and helps you relax after it ends. If your bathroom is beautiful, smart, functional, and customised to you and your needs, it will be a space you love. When you’re considering a bathroom remodel, it can be hard to know where to start. We’re here to help! Massey Remodel + Design has recently been awarded the Best Bathroom Remodeler from the Seattle Times Best in the PNW. We’re so proud of our team and honored to help you make your Tacoma bathroom remodel perfect.
Step One: Make a List
Start with a good old-fashioned brainstorming session. Write down anything you might want in a bathroom: a freestanding tub? A heated floor? Plants hanging in front of the window? Then ask your partner, kids, or family members for their wish list. After you have it all down on paper, organize it into “needs” and “wants.” This will help you prioritize what’s most important to you and make decisions later.
Step Two: Decide What Level of Remodel You Want
To get what you want out of your bathroom remodel, do you need to gut the entire thing and start from scratch? Modify it by changing out the vanity, shower, and tile? Freshen it up with new paint and hardware? Would you like to move walls or change the shape of the room? Do you plan to shift the position of the toilet, sink, and shower?
Consider the ideal layout for your space. Think about who uses this bathroom and what their needs are. Is it a primary bathroom that is used every day or a guest bathroom? How many people will need to get ready in the mornings using this bathroom, and how can it best support those needs? These questions will help you know what you need to do to get the bathroom remodel you want for your Pierce County home.
Step Three: Meet with a Designer
At Massey Remodel + Design, we are firm believers in the design-build method of home remodeling. When you work with a designer to plan and execute your plans for your home, you will get their expert help and guidance, suggestions and creative ideas, and the certainty that your dreams are becoming a reality. And when that designer is part of a design-build team, you know that the designer and contractors/builders work together well, keeping all the work in-house and collaborating to make your project the best it can be.
When you meet with your designer, you can share your lists and ideas with her. Together, you’ll create vision boards and 3D renderings of potential floor plans. She will help you make selections: things like flooring, shower tile, paint colors, lights, vanity style, and more.
Your designer will help you throughout the process with any decisions you need to make. She will collaborate with the construction team to solve any problems that come up, and she will keep you up to date about the construction process as it progresses. Read more about our design process here.
Step Four: Think Through the Pieces of the Puzzle
With the help of your designer and construction team, consider the following areas of your bathroom renovation:
The Wet Area
The wet area is just what it sounds like: the part of your bathroom that will get wet. Many people are making their bathrooms into complete wet rooms, with no separation between the tub/shower and the rest of the space. This open-concept bathroom design makes the room feel bigger and is great for accessibility. Materials are designed to withstand moisture, and this look can make the bathroom feel like a spa.
If a wet room isn’t for you, you can still get the open and airy feel by using glass panels, a curbless or walk-in shower, and floor-to-ceiling tile. Decide if you want a shower only, a shower/tub combo, or a shower and a stand-alone tub. Replacing a tub with a spa shower is a great way to increase the value of your home.
The wet area often makes up the largest part of your bathroom, so deciding what you want in that space will help determine the layout of the rest of the bathroom as well.
The Dry Area
If you have a smaller vanity, replacing it with a double-sink version featuring marble or granite countertops will give you an instant bathroom facelift. Update the mirror to a style that works with your space. And consider the placement of the toilet. Does it need to be moved? Do you want to build a separate toilet room? Replacing your current toilet is a good idea when renovating a bathroom. Consider getting a high-efficiency dual-flush toilet to make your bathroom more environmentally friendly.
The Nuts and Bolts
While not the most interesting or fun parts of a bathroom remodel, these pieces are vitally important to making your South King area bathroom remodel perfect:
Lighting: Good bathroom lighting is a must. You want brighter lighting over the vanity with lower lights elsewhere to facilitate relaxation. Lighting on dimmer switches allows you to adjust as needed.
Ventilation: A completely utilitarian feature of your bathroom, a good ventilation system is necessary to keep your space fresh and mildew-free. Your contractor will be able to help you choose the right fan for the size of your space and your individual needs.
Outlets: Nothing is more frustrating than not having outlets where you need them! As you plan your bathroom renovation, consider where you will use outlets and how many you need. And then maybe add a few more! Your designer and contractor will be able to help advise you about placement and number.
Storage: In a bathroom, storage is always at a premium. You should plan for as much as you can, in a variety of formats. Consider cabinets, built-ins, open shelving, hooks, and drawers. For smaller bathrooms, use recessed storage where possible—shower niches and recessed shelving.
Flooring: You have a lot of options for flooring, everything from LVT to natural stone tile. Take into account the rest of the flooring in your home and what style you like. Heated flooring is a great idea for a luxurious space.
Smart Features
Today’s bathrooms use smart technology to make life easier and to be more environmentally friendly. Smart technology means the use of technology to regulate, automate, or control devices within a home. For example, you can set your lights and even your shower on a timer. You can use a smart mirror to update you on traffic and weather while you get ready in the morning. If multiple people use the same bathroom, each person can program the shower temperature just as they like it. Many other smart features are available, and your designer and contractor can help you decide what is best for you.
Ready to Get Started?
Designing and remodeling a bathroom is a great way to add value to your home—and your life. If your Tacoma bathroom is ready for a little care, we’re here to help. We can talk you through every step of the process and help you bring your dream bathroom to life. Contact us today and let’s get started.