Bathroom design starts with a blueprint or floor plan. You need to layout where key features like the sinks, toilet, bathtub and/or shower will go, with enough space for doors to open and people to access everything safely. In new home construction, careful consideration is also given to which walls the plumbing and vents will run through, and ideally plumbing will go on interior walls when you live in a cold climate location.

Remodeling a bathroom must address similar needs when adding space or moving the plumbing. The cost of a bathroom remodel goes up significantly when walls, doors and/or plumbing get moved so the benefits need to outweigh the added cost. READ MORE

Do you know how many decisions are required to outfit a new bathroom? There are literally 100s of decisions to be made. Having completed more than 10 bathroom remodels, I know the decision making can get overwhelming. After dealing with custom cabinets for 2 bathrooms, I once jumped at the chance to buy a discontinued vanity/cabinet combination to save myself lots of decisions.

When I learned about bathsimple.com, a website that simplifies the process of picking out the majority of your bathroom purchases, I had to check out their website and you should too! READ MORE

You know the color you need to pick up at the paint store … until you get to the store. Paint manufacturers offer hundreds of color choices that can be overwhelming so here are some tips on how you can pick your color with confidence.

• Bring swatches from home to match at the store, like a curtain, pillows that match your couch or a sheet of tile.
• Get large paint chips to audition colors in your home, like the Benjamin Moore, 5 x 9 inch chips we used in the bathroom photos below.
• Get a small sampler pint and test in the room where you plan to use it.

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