Bathrooms are high-use rooms that can demand a lot from the earth. They’re a major source of household water consumption and they require energy to light, heat, and ventilate the space while each member of your household bathes on a day-to-day basis. A bathroom remodel is an opportunity to decrease your home’s impact on the planet in a number of ways, and almost all of them are related to choices in materials. An eco friendly bathroom is created through a blend of efficient, sustainable materials and universal designs, both of which help limit your carbon footprint over the long haul. Try integrating any of these eco-friendly design ideas into your own remodeling plans, and share ideas from your own eco-friendly bathroom remodel in the comments section below.

Resource conservation in the bathroom

In the bathroom, resource conservation is focused on water consumption and HVAC. Eco friendly lighting can help reduce energy consumption anywhere in the home, and the bathroom is a good place to start.

Image from Case Design/Remodeling

Low-flow fixtures help reduce water consumption in the bathroom. Water efficient shower heads and faucets increase aeration so flow is reduced without compromising pressure and performance. A dual-flush toilet can reduce toilet water consumption by up to 30%.

Image by Roca

A bathroom fixture like this one minimizes water use and offers a sleek, modern design. The Roca W+W is a sink and toilet in one that filters and chemically treats the sink water for reuse in the toilet.

While enormous soaking tubs are all the rage in the master bath, a well-designed bathtub can cut water use in half and still leave plenty of room for a relaxing, spa-like experience. Image from Case Design/Remodeling

Image from Case Design and Remodeling

Eco friendly lighting utilizes as much natural light as possible. A skylight in the bathroom allows plenty of light into the room while maintaining privacy.

Good vanity lighting can help limit the amount of overhead lighting needed. And converting to LED fixtures means your lights will use less than 10% of the energy of their incandescent counterparts.

Although not every bathroom has room for a ceiling fan like this one, adding one to a bathroom with windows will increase HVAC efficiency dramatically.

Image from Lindus Construction

If your bathroom doesn’t have a window and a skylight isn’t an option, a sun tunnel, or tubular daylighting device (TDD), may be your answer. These affordable contraptions blend in with recessed overhead lights and send a large dose of natural light into the room to reduce artificial light consumption in the daytime. Try adding a sun tunnel to a shower in lieu of a recessed light.

Integrating sustainable and recycled materials

There’s a lot to keep in mind when it comes to choosing sustainable materials. Using recycled or salvaged materials—whether it’s from your old bathroom, a salvage yard, or elsewhere—is one of the best ways to limit your impact because there’s no effect on the planet from production and the materials are often sourced locally. Instead of throwing away existing materials from your bathroom demolition during a remodel, consider refinishing and reusing your existing bathroom vanity, reintegrating old bathroom tiles into a new tile design, or resurfacing an aging sink or bathtub instead of replacing it.

 Image from Case Design/Remodeling

Keeping the old chimney as part of the new design gives this bathroom plenty of character, visual interest, and texture. The quartz countertop is an increasingly common choice for an eco friendly bathroom vanity, as the engineering process uses scraps from natural stone products and reduces waste. The maintenance-free qualities of quartz surfaces contribute to their eco-friendliness by eliminating products needed for sealing.

Image from Kerrie L. Kelly

There are plenty of opportunities to create beautiful designs with colorful recycled glass tiles in the bathroom. Use them on vertical surfaces such as the shower walls, vanity backsplash, or to cover an entire wall like the design pictured here. A recycled glass basin sink, quartz countertop, heat-absorbing slate tiles, and minimalist design come together to create an eco-friendly vanity in a striking contemporary bathroom. Image from Case Design/Remodeling

Image from Gaspar’s Construction

An antique sink like this one is perfect in a kitchen or bath and has the ability to take the style of any space in a whole new direction.

Image from CounterEdge

Recycled glass countertops mix glass and tinted cement with other scrap materials to create a wide range of different patterns and colors. The countertop pictured here is a mix of glass, stone chips, and mother-of-pearl. Manufactured by FuezStone at a wind-powered plant in Portland, OR, this countertop is eco-friendly on multiple levels.

Image from Tali Hardonag Architect

Salvaged materials offer another way to bring beauty, uniqueness, and sustainability to a space. This eco-friendly bathroom boasts fast-growing bamboo flooring, locally-harvested river stones, low-flow fixtures, and a sink pedestal crafted from a salvaged barn beam.

Creating a universal design

A universal design is appealing—both aesthetically and functionally­—to a wide range of users, including children, the elderly, and both sexes. It’s not always easy catering to so many different style preferences and needs, but the reward is a space with a limited impact on the earth. Because the materials and overall design are selected for their longevity, the space limits the need for future renovations, which have an impact on the planet in themselves.

Image from Case Design/Remodeling

A universal design often brings a neutral color scheme that works well with any style, accent, or décor. A simple design can be dressed up and personalized with eco friendly bathroom accessories and other impermanent fixtures. Here a glass tile privacy window adds natural light, while black and white recycled glass mosaic tiles create an eye-catching accent band. Porcelain subway tiles complete a classic design that promises to remain timeless.

Image from Modern House Architects

Custom-poured concrete sinks offer a clean, beautiful, and neutral design that’s eco-friendly to boot. Concrete is usually mixed and cast locally and sourced from locally-harvested natural materials. Concrete products can be tinted nearly any color, or mixed without tint for an industrial look.

This attractive, modern design expands countertop space with a custom basin rack, and would make an excellent baby bath, in addition to a universal master bath sink.

Image from Boor Bridges Architecture

Materials that retain heat or keep their cool should be considered eco friendly as well. This outdoor soaking room increases its energy efficiency with a custom cast concrete bathtub and slate tile floor. Concrete and slate both absorb solar or artificial heat and then radiate the warmth slowly for hours, making these materials wonderful in the bathroom. A concrete bathtub also keeps bath water hotter for longer periods.

Gray can add a lot of color to a room, from cool blue undertones to warm hues with red tones. As a neutral color, it satisfies a wide range of palettes and provides a happy medium between black and white. Rather than taking the attitude that gray is dull and depressing, the color can be approached as urban, modern, industrial, and even medieval. While ever-adaptable white has been the dominant color in bathrooms for decades, gray provides a similarly universal tone that’s sure to grow with your family and please future homeowners too. As you’ll see in the following bathrooms, gray comes in an endless array of shades and tones. Have you used gray materials in your own interior design schemes? Tell us your favorite shade of gray and where you used it in the comments section at the end of this post.

Many gray bathrooms are still predominately white, allowing gray accents to add both color and texture to the space.

This Case Design/Remodeling bathroom uses the gold colored mirror frame to add color and elegance to the room. The gray detail in the cabinetry, granite vanity top, and marble backsplash with a mosaic tile detail give the space a ton of depth and texture that doesn’t demand a lot of additional color. Silver accessories keep the room neutral and adaptable. Framed black and white photographs provide the perfect décor for this neutral space.

Charcoal and other darker shades of gray can work extremely well in a larger bathroom.

While gray appears to be the dominant color at a glance in this Case Design bathroom, a closer look reveals that this space is equally full of warm colors. The gray slate tiles that cover a majority of surfaces in the room are full of rusty red and brown tones, while the burnt sienna vanity and beige sink, counter, and bathtub deck match the tile accents rather than the gray tones to help warm up the room. The off-white window casing, bathtub, and grout further brighten the space.

While darker gray shades like charcoal aren’t often the color of choice in a small bathroom or powder room, they can make a bold statement and provide elements of style and contrast.

Here crisp, white subway tiles offset a traditional black and white floor and solid charcoal walls. While charcoal is often considered to be more black than gray, it’s gray enough to be used in a small space, while true black is simply too dark to be a dominant color in most interior design schemes. Image courtesy of Tyler Grace http://www.houzz.com/photos/183133/Pedestal-Sink-traditional-bathroom-philadelphia.

A similarly designed space takes an entirely different direction simply by using a different shade of gray.

This bathroom shows that sometimes gray is the only hint of color a room needs. The gray and white color scheme allows the elegant vanity mirror to become the centerpiece of the bathroom. Image courtesy of by Brockman, Forbes, and Glasgow Architecture and Design

http://www.houzz.com/photos/29448/bstudiobfg-com-traditional-bathroom-new-orleans.

This Case Design powder room extends the hallway wainscot and floor tiles into the bathroom to create a neutral space with green undertones and an elegantly detailed design.

Ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tiles come in endless shades of gray. Since these materials are common in bathrooms, it makes sense that gray tones are making their way into the bathroom too, regardless of the space’s design style.

White subway tiles set in gray grout leave this room looking predominantly white, even against the charcoal riverstone floor. This room has so much aesthetic texture that it doesn’t need a lot of color or extra adornment. Image courtesy of Miller and Wright Architects

http://www.houzz.com/photos/77334/Bathroom-spaces-other-metros.

This bathroom similarly creates depth and texture by setting charcoal subway tiles against white grout. The gray and white mosaic floor tiles combined with marble accents add lighter shades of gray to the space without drawing too much attention away from the accent wall. Image courtesy of Urrutia Design http://www.houzz.com/photos/206983/Urrutia-Design-traditional-bathroom-san-francisco.

When it comes to both tile and wall color, there are so many shades of gray available that there’s sure to be the perfect gray out there for everyone.

Is this bathroom blue or gray? In many spaces the shade of gray you experience depends on the time of day and lighting. This bathroom uses gray to create a neutral space with a hint of color. Image courtesy of Great Neighborhood Homes

http://www.houzz.com/photos/992551/New-Construction-Edina-Arden-Park-contemporary-bathroom-minneapolis.

 

Wainscot tiling is the perfect design element in the bathroom. It makes smaller spaces look bigger and adds elements of texture and detail. This bathroom integrates contrasting natural tones to create a calming, neutral space. Image courtesy of BiglarKinyan Design Partnership

http://www.houzz.com/photos/40898/casual-luxury-contemporary-bathroom-toronto.

Charcoal is a very popular shade of gray, as we’ve seen in many of our gray bathroom examples. One advantage of charcoal is that it both blends and contrasts extremely well with so many other shades of gray.

The charcoal floor and vanity top against lighter shades of gray and white make this room’s turquoise accent pieces pop. A black and white palette with plenty of horizontal and vertical lines becomes the perfect choice for a contemporary bathroom design. Image courtesy of Susan Teare

http://www.houzz.com/photos/389717/Susan-Teare-contemporary-bathroom-burlington.

Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder, and there’s no exception when it comes to designing a beautiful bathroom. A new bathroom design should be beautiful to the user first and foremost. In many cases that user is you, but there are certain elements you can keep in mind when remodeling a guest bath, children’s bathroom, powder room, or a bathroom in a home you plan to resell, in order to keep those spaces universally appealing.

There are many different bathroom styles you can use for inspiration, or you can create your own beautiful bath style. A unique or challenging space offers an opportunity to come up with original designs and innovative solutions. As you browse the following Case Design/Remodeling bathrooms, make note of your favorite elements of each. Which design ideas do you envision in your own new beautiful bath?

 

Elements of a beautiful bath

What it takes to create a beautiful bathroom is different for everyone, but one element most beautiful baths share is that they offer a relaxing experience inside an inviting space.

 

Warm and inviting:

Hard bathroom surfaces can look and feel cold, but they don’t have to. Mood lighting and warm colors can soften the look and smaller spaces have a lot of potential for easy heating solutions that can keep baths feelings as warm as they look.

 

This smaller bathroom makes excellent use of space and light to create a warm and inviting look. Overhead lighting can be harsh and overbearing, but between the skylights and vanity lighting in this room, there’s no need for any overheads. Extra mirrors help make the room look bigger, while natural warm tones keep the space contemporary and neutral.

 

Beautiful materials. As you’ll see in all of these bathrooms, quality materials contribute a great deal toward an appealing bathroom.

Plenty of natural stone tile and accent details steal the show in this beautiful master bathroom. Travertine subway tiles with a greenish cast combine with marble slab and porcelain squares to create depth and texture. The luxury soaking tub and details like the brass fixtures create a touch of elegance.

A closer look at the shower reveals the detail and beauty of the tile work. Customizations like the marble slab bench help create a relaxing experience. Porcelain, glass, marble, and travertine tiles are all used here to create a stylish shower.

 

A relaxing experience.

A bathroom gets used multiple times a day, so why not make it place you want to spend some time in? Luxury amenities like steam showers and soaking tubs transform the bathroom into an oasis and retreat in a spa-style setting.

You can have your choice of steam shower or deep soak in this beautiful master bath, or enjoy a cool rinse in the shower after a hot bath. Bright white wainscot tile keeps the space clean and bright while contrasting the bold wall color.

 

Excellent storage.

Basic vanity storage simply isn’t enough in many bathrooms these days. Some master baths double as a closet or dressing room with built in drawers, shelves, and wardrobes. Guest baths need space to store plenty of towels and linens, while kids’ bathrooms need organizational solutions for everything from bath toys to laundry. Regardless of the bathroom, good storage keeps the space looking neat, clean, and clutter free.

Stylish cabinetry is another way to create a beautiful bathroom. There’s plenty of storage for towels, linens, body products and more, with floor to ceiling cabinetry that’s custom designed for the space.

A larger vanity provides extra storage and countertop space. Glass cabinet fronts create a safe, dust-free place for both design accents and medicine cabinet items on the shelves inside.

 

Natural light.

Not every bathroom enjoys the luxury of natural light, but if you’ve got it you can use it to help create natural beauty in the bathroom.

A soaking tub with great views will have you sipping wine in the bathtub at sunset on a regular basis. A privacy curtain still allows plenty of light through the top of the window and adds a nice design accent to the room. The natural light works perfectly with the subtle paint and simple glass accessories to create a very cheerful yet refined bathroom.

 

A beautiful feeling.

A good bathroom needs to do a lot more than just look pretty. It needs to feel good too. Aesthetically pleasing bathrooms also need to have a comfortable place to unwind, a functional design, and amenities the user will truly appreciate.

A stunning guest bath like this one may encourage your friends and relatives to take up permanent residence in your home.

A gas fireplace inside the bathroom keeps your bones warm and the floor dry.

What’s the most important element of a beautiful bathroom to you?

Build Your Dream Walk In Closet   The walk in closet you’ve been dreaming of is at your fingertips, even if you think you don’t have the right space. You may be able to add a wall inside your master bedroom to create an additional room for a walk in closet. Other times an old nursery or otherwise too-small room can become the perfect walk in closet, with the right storage and clothing organization design. These days walk in closets double as dressing rooms that include sitting chairs, clothing settees, built-in furniture, vanities, storage islands, and a ton of customizations. We also need a place to keep all the worldly possessions in our lives, and a walk in closet gives everything its place while keeping it organized too. These walk in closet ideas are intended to inspire you to get organized and help you come up with your own unique walk in closet designs.

This Case Design/Remodeling Indy http://www.houzz.com/photos/1104994/Coppergate-Drive-Bathroom-Remodel-traditional-closet-indianapolis closet enjoys plenty of natural light. A master bedroom window was integrated into the design when the closet was added. This room has a number of elements of a well-functioning walk in closet: plenty of compartments and hanger space, a vanity for jewelry and makeup, and an additional storage island. The space above the cabinets has enough room to store larger items, such as pillows, blankets, and suitcases.

This design by closet guru Lisa Adams http://www.houzz.com/photos/63756/The-Natural-Mahogany-Wardrobe-spaces-other-metros keeps everything tucked away and protected. A variety of clear, opaque, and solid cabinet fronts create a unique look and give the user options for placing certain items in view and hiding others. A vanity like this one is being integrated into an increasing number of walk in closets as they become more like dressing rooms. I really like the open high and low shelves for organizing storage boxes in this design.

  Organizing in style.   Walk in closet designs should be tailored to you and your clothing storage needs. If you need extra storage, create a design with plenty of shelves and consider using storage boxes to protect your valuables and further organize your space. Hanging rods in varying lengths and heights can help organize a larger wardrobe by separating and compartmentalizing different types of hanging clothes.

This closet by Case Design/Remodeling Indy http://www.houzz.com/photos/1095340/Master-Bath-Remodel-modern-closet-indianapolis combines a modern design with an old-fashioned sliding ladder to make better use of a unique space. Adjustable lighting helps the homeowner focus light where it’s needed most.

Contemporary closet designs—such as this one by CustomMade http://www.houzz.com/photos/96514/The-Guests-are-Coming-It-s-time-to-Organize-traditional-closet-other-metros include so many storage drawers that there’s no need for dressers and wardrobes in the bedroom. Clearing up a lot of space in the master can be a big bonus if you have to borrow space from your bedroom to create a walk in closet. The tradeoff is a fresh, clean, organized space in both your closet and master that makes the space sacrifice worth it.

  Not just for the ladies.   Many walk in closet designs are customized for men’s wardrobes. Some larger homes have separate walk in closets for ladies and gents, making them luxury dressing rooms, in addition to places to organize clothing and related accessories.

This closet takes on a masculine look with dark finishes, muted colors, and a sleek, modern design. The closet still includes a vanity and full-length mirror, keeping the design gender-neutral and attractive to a variety of potential future users. Design by Lisa Adams http://www.houzz.com/photos/58876/The-Boutique-Closet-contemporary-closet-los-angeles.

This men’s specific closet design by Lisa Adams http://www.houzz.com/photos/64031/Byron-Allen-contemporary-closet-other-metros is bright, cheerful, and organized. It does the job right by fitting a lot of items into a fairly small closet space.

  Signature storage solutions.   Modern cabinetry options have plenty of unique designs to meet all your storage and display needs. These days, many cabinet designs and clothing organization solutions make your master walk in closet look a lot like a trendy boutique.

This home tie rack can really help the man with an extensive tie collection find what he’s looking for. Colorful ties and other accessories with the right display can become their own design element inside a closet. Image courtesy of Lisa Adams http://www.houzz.com/photos/63695/Closet-Accessories-contemporary-closet-other-metros.

You never know what’s hiding behind the cabinetry inside a closet, kitchen, or laundry room these days. Rollout hampers keep the floor clear and the room design clean, but are still easily accessible. You can use design like this one by Designs by BSB http://www.houzz.com/photos/90614/Loganville-Master-Bathroom-Renovation-modern-bathroom-atlanta as his and hers laundry hampers, or install two per person if you have the room. The extra hamper can be used to separate dirty laundry, or it can serve as a permanent donation bin for people like myself who are constantly cycling through clothing.

Shoe problem? No problem at all! Just make sure you customize your closet with plenty of shelves and cubbyholes for items like shoes and purses. This shelving plan by Leib Designs http://www.houzz.com/photos/240360/Walk-in-Closet-contemporary-closet-new-york creates more room for shoes without a separate compartment for each.

  Converting unique spaces.   If you live in a smaller space where there’s no room for a walk in closet, don’t despair. You may be able to convert an existing smaller closet or other space in your home, or simply integrate walk in closet design styles and organizational solutions right into your master or other bedroom.

This design by California Closets http://www.houzz.com/photos/381248/Walk-in-Closets-contemporary-closet-san-francisco isn’t a walk in, but it has the feeling and organization of one. A closet design along one end of a room, such as this one, can easily be converted into a walk in closet in the future or used as is.

This tight space still found room for a huge walk in style closet. The high ceilings and skylights give the narrow, converted hallway an open feeling. Design by Dijeau Poage Construction http://www.houzz.com/photos/49470/Presidio-Heights-Residence-traditional-closet-san-francisco.

With the right room design and décor choices, you can create a living space inside your walk in closet that gives it a ton of personality. It’s worth devoting some time and space to a room that you may spend a fair amount of time in while getting ready each day.

The elegant simplicity of this closet design by Elad Gonen and Zeev Beech http://www.houzz.com/photos/88035/closet-contemporary-closet-other-metros creates its own style that doesn’t demand a lot of extras. Don’t forget to include a full-length mirror and sitting chair similar to the ones pictured here in your own closet design.

  Share your ideas and recommendations for customizing walk in closet designs from your own home with other Case Design readers below.

Many Americans shower daily, so it makes sense to create a luxurious shower to help heighten the experience. Bathroom remodeling is on the upswing because it adds both value and comfort to homes. A home with a luxury shower room demands a higher price on the market and makes a nice amenity for the current homeowner, regardless of plans to sell or stay. During the 1990s luxurious baths were all the rage while high-use showers were deemphasized as design features, but today’s more practical bathrooms are devoting a lot of design elements and bathroom space to the shower. These days luxury showers rule, whether they’re used for a quick wake-me-up in the morning or relaxing steam shower at the end of the day.   The elements of a luxury shower. What makes a shower luxury? While there are certain design elements commonly associated with luxury showers, you’ll see from the examples below that the look of luxury also means taking a unique approach. Custom designs, beautiful tile work, and contemporary features all contribute, but it’s often the extras and amenities that truly make showering a luxury experience.

This Case Design steam shower has many elements of a luxury shower: dual handheld showerheads; a third, ceiling-mount showerhead; natural stone tile; flip-down sitting benches; and a custom design to fit the space.

 

This custom luxury shower room by Deep River Partners http://www.houzz.com/photos/441922/Master-Bath-eclectic-bathroom-milwaukee makes great use of the open space in the center of a larger bathroom. The tile columns, glass tile walls, and flagstone floor add several unique design features that make this master bath shower one-of-a-kind.

 

This bathroom by Pulp Design Studios http://www.houzz.com/photos/215360/Pulp-Design-Studios-contemporary-bathroom-dallas has a unique take on the typical shower design with a soaking tub  inside the shower. It’s smart to use the enclosed shower room to contain the moisture from both the bath and shower, helping to protect and prolong the life of the beautiful marble surfaces outside the shower room. The deep soaking tub, bamboo shelf, and steam sauna all help create a spa-like experience.

  Creating the look of luxury. A luxury shower has a unique design, but there are some common elements that most luxury showers share.

• Rainshower shower heads, also called ceiling-mount or top-mount heads, are found in nearly every luxury shower these days.
• There are at least two shower heads in most luxury showers. Most people prefer a detachable wall-mounted sprayer as a second head.
• Custom tile designs make a space unique with beautiful materials.
• Most high-end showers are enclosed in glass and don’t have shower curtains.
• Sitting benches help make the shower as relaxing as the bathtub.
•  Lighting options include lights on dimmers both inside and outside the shower to help set the mood.

You’ll notice these common elements in all of our featured showers.

This beautiful bathroom by BiglarKinyan Design Partnershop http://www.houzz.com/photos/41020/Lavish-Luxury-contemporary-bathroom-toronto has a shower and adjacent bathtub design found in many high-end bathrooms. The bathtub deck extends into the shower to create a stone bench and a nice aesthetic feature. While this shower could easily be converted into an enclosed steam sauna, the choice to leave the top open improves ventilation and maintenance of the natural stone surfaces inside the shower stall.

 

This similar setup has a fully-enclosed steam shower that enjoys the same views as the soaking tub. Image courtesy of Ward-Young Architecture and Planning http://www.houzz.com/photos/145252/Master-Tub-and-Shower-traditional-bathroom-sacramento.

 

In contrast, this custom shower design has combination shower-tub with an atypical approach. This rowboat style sitting tub combines the luxury of a bathtub and the practicality of a shower. Image courtesy of Visbeen Associates http://www.houzz.com/photos/454809/Master-Bathroom-traditional-bathroom-grand-rapids.

 

You don’t have to have a huge bathroom to shower in luxury. This shower by Traditional Log Homes http://www.houzz.com/photos/784326/Bathrooms-in-log-homes-eclectic-bathroom-calgary fits in the same space as the shower-tub combo unit that it replaced and includes a number of luxury features, such as dual hand-held and rainshower heads, his and her temperature control settings with auto-memory, travertine benches, a custom tile waterfall, and steam sauna settings.

 

Another luxury shower fits into a nook inside our own Case Design/Remodeling bathroom. The custom tile work, skylight views, and features like the stone shelf and sitting bench create a relaxing and luxurious experience.

 

This shower design by Cottam Hargrave http://www.houzz.com/photos/26602/CH-portfolio-modern-bathroom-austin creates a spa-like shower that allows users to rinse off on their way to and from the outdoor pool. The roofless shower and plenty of hot water turn showering outdoors into an indulgence.

 

For those who prefer to bathe outside, this outdoor shower from The Orvis Company http://www.houzz.com/photos/202198/Outdoor-Shower-traditional-showers is an affordable luxury at only $279. When you live near the beach it makes a lot of sense to stop sand at your doorstep.

We’d love to hear what shower luxuries you enjoy at home. Visit our Case Design/Remodeling Facebook page and tell us all about it!

When the Aikins decided to move forward with a hallway bathroom remodel, they wanted to update and neutralize the space. They wanted to make it functional for both their growing toddler and adult house guests. The bathroom had a sink on stilts with no vanity storage, poor lighting and ventilation, a leaky shower, and an outdated look. They referred to it fondly as their “little pink bathroom.”

This hallway bath got a complete makeover for a whole new look.

The goal was to replace the pink tiling and fixtures, resurface the walls, remove the linoleum floor, and change the color scheme.

The Aikin bathroom was remodeled as part of the Case Design 2012 Bath Program. The program is designed to help busy homeowners streamline the remodeling process and timeline, by giving homeowners fewer decisions to make over materials, keeping those materials in stock, and simplifying construction.

 

How the Bath Program works.

The Case Design/Remodeling team has put together a bath collection with nine design platforms that include three design styles: contemporary, transitional, and traditional. Homeowners can choose designs from three price levels.

Each package includes all the materials necessary for the remodel, including the fixtures, tile, vanity and accessories. The pre-selected materials eliminate many decisions that homeowners may deliberate over because there are thousands of options to choose from for each material and dozens of materials to decide on.

Under this streamlined remodeling process a bathroom remodel takes about four weeks. The first two weeks are spent choosing and ordering materials, and the following two weeks are dedicated to construction. Homeowners may decide to make custom modifications, but fewer customizations mean the project takes less time.

Using the bath program, we’re able to cut project timelines by more than half. Bathroom remodels typically take a total of 8 to 12 weeks: 4 to 6 weeks to select and order materials, and another 4 to 6 weeks for construction.

The bath program is a practical solution designed to get the job done. Homeowners can take a project from concept to completion in a little over a month. There’s no spending the entire summer on a bathroom remodel.

 

From old-school pink to contemporary white.

Working with Case project designer Allie Mann, the Aikins chose a level II contemporary design for their hallway bath. They customized their design to sensibly improve the space by updating the ventilation, putting in additional lighting, and adding a waterproof membrane underneath the new shower tile to prevent future leaks.

Here are a few images from the work in progress:

After five days of construction, the old tile had been removed and the new tub was in place. The shower walls were reinforced with a Schluter membrane to deter leaks. Lighting was added to the shower as well.

A day later the space is prepped for tile. The new tile will extend from tub to ceiling to help make the space look bigger. A larger format tile also helps open up the space.

The floor is prepped for tile as well and the walls are ready for some new paint. A 12×12 tile format keeps with the contemporary design and helps open up the space to make it appear bigger.

 

 

Moving right along . . .

The bathroom is really transformed during the second week of construction as everything falls into place. It’s not even recognizable as the same space anymore.

From pink to white, this bathroom has changed dramatically. Homeowners aren’t completely off the hook when it comes to decisions over materials with the bath program. The colors of the vanity, tiles, and walls were some of the choices that make this bathroom unique.

Here you can see the contemporary Moen showerhead and Daltile porcelain tile that were used in the shower.

After about two and a half weeks, the new bathroom is ready to go. From the design platform the Aikins now have to work with, they can add their own accessories to the space to decorate it as they please. In a contemporary bath design adornment is usually minimal, but subtle touches like the color and style of towels, bath mats, and the shower curtain can really develop the look of a room and personalize the space.

Final “after” images of the bath makeover is complete and we will post photos of the finished space in our next article!

Looking for creative ideas to incorporate into a bathroom remodel? Current bathroom trends have an “anything goes” attitude with an emphasis on either repurposing old furniture or going the polar opposite direction with bare-bones modern designs.

Your vanity choice can change the look of your entire bathroom. Since a minimalist approach to decorating has permeated interior design, a bathroom vanity often aims to dress up the room without dominating the overall look.

A survey of bathroom vanities we’ve seen at Case Design/Remodeling over the last few years includes refinished antique furniture, repurposed kitchen cabinets, and floating sinks with no vanity at all, on top of some innovative placement within the bathroom space.

So feel free to use your imagination, and if you have old kitchen cabinets, dressers, or other furniture you were planning to haul to the dump, you might want to think twice before throwing away these precious gems. Don’t forget to share your own creative bathroom vanity choices with other readers at the end of this post.

Read more →

When remodeling your master bathroom, it is important not only to fashion the oasis you’ve always wanted but create something that will increase your resale value to your home as well. There are many ways to create plush master bathroom designs by incorporating upgraded features while increasing the functionality and flow to your master bathroom.

Read more →