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Inspired Remodels

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General Contractors Guide to Functional Bathrooms

By / Bathroom Remodel / Comments Off on General Contractors Guide to Functional Bathrooms

General contractors will generally build any bathroom configuration you want. However, their extensive experience teaches what works and what doesn’t. If you want a great bathroom, where function and form come together to serve with style, follow these tips from general contractors for a successful bathroom remodel.

Don’t Make Space – Use Space

Even if you have a small bathroom, you don’t need to knock down walls to get more room. If you want more space, just use the space you have wisely.

Look for hidden opportunities to hide toiletries. This mirror doubles as a medicine cabinet and storage for personal care items.  A slide-out shelving unit nestles snugly within the mirror when closed. The casual visitor to the bathroom would never know it was there.  But for the person that uses the room on a daily basis, it’s a nifty way to keep personal grooming items close at hand. And it doesn’t chew up valuable space.

mirror closed

Bathroom Mirror – storage hidden

mirror open

Bathroom Mirror – storage exposed

 

Another way to get more space is by using the underutilized area under items that are already in the bathroom.  For example, you can use the area under a cabinet to store towels, like in this bathroom.

Shelf Under Cabinet Uses Space for Storage

If you want or need a shower seat for safety or convenience, use a shelf under the stool for storage of personal care items. This shelf can store shampoo, conditioner, soaps, sponges, body wash, etc within easy reach of the person seated. No getting in the shower only to discover you forgot something.

General contractors recommend seat with storage for safety and function in shower

Seat with Storage

Use the Right Lighting

General contractors like Inspired Remodels get many requests when remodeling bathrooms. However, “could you please make this bathroom darker?” has never been one of them. These days, it’s best to provide a variety of lighting to get the most use of the room. You want functional lighting for some tasks and ambient lighting for others. Make sure the room has both.

For example, you want low light to create a relaxing atmosphere for your soaking tub. But you don’t want to apply your makeup or shave in low light. The solution? Incorporate room for candle stands in the tub area.

General contractors use ambient lighting to enhance tub area

Ambient Lighting for Soaking

 

For day to day grooming activities, you need functional lighting. This bathroom takes advantage of natural lighting and strategically placed functional lighting. Notice how the lights are placed next to the mirror?  This provides much better lighting than lights over the mirror. Overhead lights can cast shadows. For the best lighting, take a tip from Hollywood and place the lights next to the mirrors and take full advantage of all natural lighting.

functional, natural, and ambient lighting

Pick the Perfect General Contractors

Get the best bathroom by working with the best general contractors. They know how to work with the plumbing and electrical you have in place and how to get the most from your room. Inspired Remodels is a design/build general contracting firm. That means that they not only work with you to design a fully functional and beautiful bathroom, they will build it for you too. That’s one point of contact for the entire project and one less headache for you.

Contact Inspired Remodels online or call (949) 716-1938 and talk to the Orange County general contractors that will deliver a bathroom that is functional to use and fabulous to look at.

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Get a Free Kitchen Remodel Planner

By / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on Where to Get a Free Kitchen Remodel Planner

Just in the thinking stage of your kitchen remodel or are you getting serious? A kitchen remodel is a big investment. Whether you are just looking for inspiration or are ready to get serious, you need all the help you can get. Good news! Inspired Remodels wants to help. Here are several free online kitchen remodel planner tools to help you sketch out your next kitchen remodel. Whether you want a desktop version or prefer a mobile app, there’s a free kitchen remodel planner just waiting for you.

Planner 5D

Why settle for 3D when you can have 5D? If you need a planner that renders realistic looking designs, look no further. Planner 5D software is for designing more than just kitchens, but the kitchen module has all you need.  You don’t need special design or construction skills to create great designs. It works best on a desktop, but Apple and Android versions are available.

The user community has a large collection of designs you can download and modify to make your own. This is a great option if starting with a blank slate scares you.

Roomstyler

Roomstyler is another online tool with a large support community. When it comes to details, this kitchen remodel planner covers every detail. Not only can you pick your cupboards and appliances, you select details down to the spatula. Mood boards, texture boards and boards from popular designers provide inspiration. This tool also lets you look at the room at different times of day by entering the direction and altitude of the sun. This is very helpful when factoring natural light into your design.

online kitchen remodel planner tool helps pick backsplash and cabinets

Backsplash Designer

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Don’t let picking cabinet finishes and counter tops overwhelm you. Backsplash.com provides a great kitchen planner that focuses on three simple elements: cabinets, counter tops, backsplashes. If you aren’t changing the essential floor plan or layout of the room, this tool allows you to hone in on what’s important: the finishes. Try different combinations with just a few clicks until you find what you love.

A Real Orange County Kitchen Remodel Planner

Online tools are fun, but they won’t get the work done. When you are ready to move from virtual reality to real life, contact Inspired Remodels. Jason and Joe Mueller are the go-to guys when you are ready to work with a flesh-and-blood kitchen remodel planner. Inspired Remodels works with you to create kitchens that are functional and beautiful. Just share your dreams and how you use the space. Inspired Remodels will design, plan, and build the kitchen of your dreams. Call (949) 716-1938 today for your consultation or just click to Contact Inspired Remodels online.

p.s.If these online kitchen remodel planner tools don’t work for you, check out the tools in our previous blog, Online Kitchen Remodel Planner Tools Makes Design Easier

 

 

Custom Kitchen Remodeling Ideas for Inspiration

By / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on Custom Kitchen Remodeling Ideas for Inspiration

Thinking about making a change in your kitchen this year but aren’t sure where to start? Check out these ideas and get your custom kitchen remodeling juices flowing. Inspired Remodels is all about sharing our inspiration to spark your creativity. Here’s what’s going on in Orange County kitchen remodeling.

Built In for Convenience and Style

These days, the kitchen is the center of entertaining. So why not put everything you need in one spot that ties the kitchen to adjacent entertaining room? Well, why not?

What’s not to love about this built-in bar at the end of the kitchen space? It’s stylish and ties in perfectly with the rest of the kitchen. there’s plenty of storage for stemware space to display decorative steins, and room for a full liquor cabinet and wine storage. The countertop is an easy-to-clean surface and matches perfectly with the rest of the kitchen as you can see in this shot.

bar as seen from the kitchenNow, guests can help themselves to a beverage and still be part of the action in the kitchen without getting in the way of the cook! Great for guests and even better for the cook in the kitchen. This is a kitchen that is built for entertaining.

Color is King

Don’t be afraid of a little color in the kitchen. Sure, white is still a favorite for it’s “clean” look, but you can still add pops of color. A little can go a long way to change the look of a kitchen. See how these blue lights do more than just provide illumination?

custom kitchen remodeling job added blue lights for accent color to an otherwise neutral kitchenThat vibrant blue is just the right touch of color to be a game-changer in an otherwise neutral kitchen. The crackled look to the glass adds texture to the light. Pendant lights are one way to add accent color to a kitchen. But, they aren’t the only way. Tile is more than just a material for backsplashes and floors. It brings color too.

We all know that grey is the new black. But, sometimes gray and white need to have a colorful fun. The aqua and green in this tile accent piece create a permanent work of art above the cooktop. And unlike other art forms, this tile won’t be damaged by heat and will be easily cleaned of any grease or food splatters.  An area that prominent demands a special touch, and this tile does the job with style.

Wood Doesn’t Need to Be Wood Anymore

Wood adds a natural warmth to any room. But caring for wood in a high-traffic or heavy-duty use room isn’t easy. Wood floor may look beautiful in a kitchen, but they aren’t always practical. So get wood warmth and style with the durability of tile! Wood-look tile has been a mainstay for bathrooms but it’s coming to a kitchen near you..or maybe even your kitchen. Many custom kitchen remodeling jobs in Orange County are using wood-look tile in the kitchen. It’s easy care and durable.

You can’t tell the difference between the wood cabinets and the “wood” floor. This tile will stand up to spills, dropped knives, and heavy traffic. It’s the perfect floor for a busy kitchen. Damp mopping won’t mar or dull the shine.  This floor will last for many years. Unlike wood, it won’t need refinishing. 

wood look kitchen tileWood doesn’t need to be dark. See how this wood-look tile complements the white cabinetry? This simple but stylish kitchen remodeling project incorporated a wood-look tile in tones to complement the traditional tile backsplash and contrast with the white wood cabinets.

Inspired Custom Kitchen Remodeling Starts with Inspired Remodels

Stop dreaming of a custom kitchen remodel and start planning one today. The design/build experts at Inspired Remodels are ready to help you design and create a new custom kitchen that works as well as it looks. From custom cabinets, to built-ins, to new flooring and more, Inspired Remodels is where inspired custom kitchens start. Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Inspired Remodels online and schedule a consultation today.