bathroom flooring Archives - Inspired Remodels

local bathroom remodeling contractors (Orange County) after photo with seamless glass shower, white soaking tub, dual mirrors, and 3 contrasting tile patterns

Bathroom Remodeling: What Do You Decide First?

By Inspired Remodels / Home Improvement / No Comments

When faced with a math problem, we solve it from left to right and follow the PEMDAS order of operations. Need a refresher? Start with parenthesis, exponents, multiply, divide, add and subtract. When bathroom remodeling moves from an idea to reality, what decisions do you make first? Does bathroom remodeling have an order of operations?

It does! Follow along and discover the order to make decisions in bathroom remodeling.

Settle on Design and Layout

Start your bathroom renovation journey by settling on the overall layout and design for the room.

Make this decision first. The design and layout determine your plumbing and electrical needs. If the design calls for moving these systems, this increases the cost. That’s important to know right off the bat.

Determine The Budget

Now look at the amount you have in your bank account and consider your ability to pay debt. You may pay for your bathroom remodel in cash or financing may be required. Depending on how much work you do or if you hire a bathroom remodeler like Inspired Remodels, you can spend $25,000 to $60,000 or more.

Remember, moving plumbing and electrical drives up costs. A prefab tub surround costs less than tile.

Knowing your budget and getting approved for a home improvement loan or line of credit before you start shopping makes good sense.

Select Your Style and Palette

Now you know the basics, next comes the fun part. But before you get down to details, make some overall style decisions.

Do you want a modern, transitional, or traditional look? Do you like the look of Mission style but want a modern take?

Settle on a style and let this decision inform your next decisions.

Picking a color palette goes hand-in-hand with the style decision. Also, keep in mind the size of the room and the natural light. Light colors and minimal design make rooms look larger. Large spaces can support darker colors and more detail in the design elements.

Select Vanity and Cabinets

Selecting your vanity and cabinets becomes easier once you’ve determined your budget, style, and color palette.

Midnight blue works well for modern styles but will be out of place in a traditional environment. See how easy this is getting?

The most common bathroom cabinet and vanity colors work well in small and large bathroom bathrooms. This includes white, grey, and light-finish wood.

Select Tub/Shower and Toilet Fixtures

Does the bathroom remodel include a new tub, shower, or toilet? Make these decisions based on the plumbing and layout you’ve selected.

Remember, modern smart toilets and bidets require hot and cold water as well as access to electricity.

Pick Flooring

Your flooring covers more area than the shower and tub area. That’s why you pick flooring first.

Bathrooms require waterproof flooring. Decide on natural stone, ceramic, porcelain, or wood-look tile. What’s the difference between ceramic and porcelain? Both are made of clay, but porcelain is a type of ceramic made from finer clay and gets fired at a higher temperature. This makes them more durable.

All porcelain is ceramic, but not all ceramic is porcelain. Got it?

Pick Shower/Wall Tiles

Now let’s pick the shower and wall tiles. Always pick shower or wall tiles smaller or the same size as floor tiles. This maintains balance and proportion.

Use shower and wall tiles to bring design interest. Add texture and pattern if that is your desire. Use the same color on the wall and floor but change the shape of the tile.

The services of a designer and bathroom remodeler help make choices that keep the entire room cohesive.

Select Lighting

Pick overhead and task lighting. Consider the amount of natural light at all times of the day.

Bathroom Remodeling Contractors Make It Easier

Starting the bathroom remodeling process with a contractor makes decision-making easier.

Your contractor maintains relationships with vendors and knows from experience the quality of products available. They help you work within your budget.

Want to work with a bathroom remodeler in Orange County, California? Schedule a consultation with Inspired Remodels.

Flooring Contractor Uses Biophilic Design in Orange County

By Inspired Remodels / Home Improvement / Comments Off

Biophilic design evolved from Biophilia and was introduced by Stephen Kellert in 1983. It has gained popularity ever since. This design connects our indoor living spaces with the outdoor environment through design. Inspired Remodels, an Orange County flooring contractor, understands that the choice of flooring materials and colors plays a key role in the overall biophilic design. Think of a color palette that resonates with the local Orange County landscape, from desert to mountains, sea, and sky. Consider natural and man-made materials that emulate their natural counterparts.

after flooring contractor installs grey flooring in living area

Grey wood floors, plants, and natural fiber rug contribute to biophilic design

Flooring Material Options

Any Orange County flooring contractor that uses biophilic design looks first to natural materials like stone, wood, bamboo, or even concrete.

Natural Stone

For the Orange County landscape, slate, sandstone, and travertine offer the rugged textures and tones of our beautiful mountains and rock formations. The use of a matte finish maintains the earthy look of the stone.

Wood or Engineered Wood

While any wood does the job, selecting light tones or weathered woods maintains the biophilic aesthetic and complements other natural design elements. Woods like oak or hickory bring warmth while mimicking the sun-bleached look of our arid region. Use wide planks to maintain the natural feel.

Bamboo

For a sustainable and durable alternative to wood, consider bamboo flooring. Bamboo comes from grass and the natural color complements our Orange County environment. Opt for this sustainable, eco-friendly option and choose natural or lightly stained planks.

Polished Concrete

For an unusual but easy-to-care flooring option consider polished concrete. It offers an industrial look that still brings an earthy vibe to the décor. Tint concrete with warm, desert-inspired colors before polishing. As a bonus, polished concrete keeps interior rooms cool, saving energy costs.

Color Schemes

Natural finishes make the ideal starting point for color options. Matte finishes maintain the aesthetic. The flooring color should complement or contrast with the other colors used in the room.
Earth tones such as sandy beige, soft taupe, or warm terracotta work with rust red, ochre, or burnt orange to mirror the rocks in the Santa Ana mountains.

Neutral grays mimic the weathered look of rugged stone and mountain shadows. This flooring color pairs well with warm walls and balances cool tones in the room.

Orange County flooring contractor photo after installing wood LVP in kitchen with green cabinets and white countertop

LVP looks like wood

Desert greens like sage or olive echo native flora. Soft blues and blush pinks bring in the colors of the Pacific and sky at dusk or dawn. Luxury vinyl flooring (LVP) planks in ash or oak naturally match these colors.

Tips for Picking Rugs

A good flooring contractor designs beyond the flooring material itself. They understand how the use of rugs adds visual interest and comfort to bare feet.

Natural fiber rug contributes to design

To maintain the biophilic principles, pick textured rugs made from natural fibers like jute or wool to add warmth, mimic the terrain, and complement the flooring. Natural materials align with the eco-consciousness of biophilic design.

Look for rugs with freeform, wave-like patterns or designs that mimic rippling water, shells, or coral reefs. Rugs with raised or varied textures resemble the undulating Pacific Ocean floor or tide pools. Gradual shifts in tone from ombre effects mirror the changing colors of the ocean and mountains of Orange County.

Artisanal handwoven or knotted rugs align with the natural imperfections and craftsmanship associated with biophilic design. Choose low-VOC rugs to maintain indoor air quality and stay true to eco-friendly design principles.

Flooring contractor after picture: Hardwood flooring on stairs and landing

Stair flooring is not a DIY project

Orange County Flooring Contractor for Biophilic Design

Not every flooring contractor in Orange County understands the use of biophilic design. Get your flooring through Inspired Remodels and you will be assured that your design incorporates biophilic design if that’s your preference.
Bring your design ideas to Inspired Remodels and reap the benefits of a truly inspired design for years to come. Schedule a consultation today.

Orange County Flooring Contactor Sheds Light On Common DIY Flooring Mistakes

By Inspired Remodels / Home Improvement / Comments Off

Are you thinking about installing new flooring in your home? It’s tempting to take the DIY route to save a few bucks. But before you dive in, consider this: DIY flooring projects often end up costing more in the long run. Why? Because without the proper know-how, you’re bound to make easily avoidable mistakes. Ask any seasoned Orange County flooring contractor about common DIY mistakes. You will hear about these common mistakes.

Not Understanding the Importance of Preparation

DIYers often underestimate the importance of preparation. Skipping crucial steps like proper subfloor preparation or moisture testing leads to flooring disasters. Without a level surface or proper moisture protection, failure waits in the wings. The flooring fails sooner rather than later.

For example, that fabulous wood flooring that’s all the rage now requires acclimation. Whether installed by a DIY’er or a pro, wood flooring material needs time to acclimate to the environment before installation. Pros know how to open and stack flooring planks and understand how long the acclimation process takes.

Many DIY enthusiasts overlook this critical step. Their floors warp or buckle over time and only then do they call in a pro.

Orange County flooring contractor uses wood-look tile to create spa feeling with white marble walls and white soaking tub

Wood-look tile offers a waterproof alternative to wood in the bathroom

Picking the Wrong Flooring

Selecting the right flooring material for your space is crucial for both aesthetics and functionality. However, many DIYers make the mistake of choosing based solely on appearance, without considering factors like durability, maintenance requirements, or suitability for the room’s purpose. They end up with great flooring in the wrong room or the wrong house. Environment and lifestyle matter.

When you work with an Orange County flooring contractor, they serve as advisors as well as installers. These pros won’t put wood floors in the bathroom, they’ll advise you to pick wood-look porcelain or ceramic.

Pros know what flooring stands up to high foot traffic from people and pets. DIYers lack this expertise.

Stair flooring is not a DIY project

Poor Measuring and Installing Tools

Every flooring pro knows the maxim “Measure twice, cut once”. Unfortunately, many DIYers fail to heed this advice. This equals wasted materials, material shortages, and a patchy appearance to the final product.

Even a small measurement error can result in gaps, uneven seams, or misaligned tiles or planks. Even if they measure correctly, DIYers often lack the skills, precision, and attention to detail required for proper installation. Complex techniques like pattern matching, seam sealing, or proper adhesive application require practice.

Poorly measured and installed flooring looks amateurish and fails to stand up to wear and tear.

after bathroom remodel flooring contractor shows grey and white pattern tile flooring and blue vanity

This tile pattern is no problem for an Orange County flooring contractor

Go With a Seasoned Orange County Flooring Contractor

Sure, the allure of DIY seems appealing. But, tackling a flooring project without the necessary expertise leads to costly and unattractive mistakes. From improper preparation and measurement errors to poor installation techniques and material selection, the risks far outweigh the potential savings.

Avoid these risks. Work with a professional Orange County flooring contractor like Inspired Remodeling. These pros bring the knowledge, skills, and tools to get the job done right the first time.