Our Primary Bathroom Remodel: Design Ideas, Lessons & Tips

After almost eight years in our home, we decided it was finally time to remodel our primary bathroom. There are so many things we love about our home, but our primary bathroom was not one of them. The shower was small, the fixtures were dated, and overall, the space just wasn’t being used well.

I had a pretty good idea of the changes I wanted to make to the floor plan, but I couldn’t nail down the color scheme. There were just too many options!

Using the Thumbtack app, I found an interior designer who offered an affordable hourly rate. We met with him, and I showed him all the styles, colors, and inspiration I loved. He helped us bring everything together in a way that felt cohesive.

He provided recommendations based on his design, although we didn’t use every suggestion. One of the most helpful things he did was show us how to make our smaller bathroom feel larger. Looking at the finished space now, I definitely think many of his tips helped bring the entire bathroom together.

Finding the Right Contractors

Once we confirmed the floor plan and overall design, I started meeting with contractors.

Three contractors and one plumber later, we decided to hire the plumber separately for the plumbing work and use a contractor who had previously remodeled our neighbor’s bathroom and kitchen.

Hiring two separate resources saved us approximately $1,500. It did mean a little more coordination on our part when it came to schedules and timelines, but for a project this size, it was completely manageable.

The Vanity That Almost Wasn't

Construction started before I had even picked out a vanity.

I had fallen in love with a teak vanity I found from a company in Georgia. Surprisingly, shipping to California was reasonable, but when I was finally ready to order it, I discovered it was backordered for several months.

As luck would have it, our contractor knew a carpenter who could build a similar vanity for us—and we were even able to add a few customizations.

Sometimes Plan B turns out even better than Plan A!

What I Learned From Our Bathroom Remodel

Here are a few things I now share with friends and family who are considering a bathroom remodel.

Consider hiring specialty trades separately for smaller projects.

For a smaller remodel, it may be worth getting estimates directly from a plumber, electrician, and contractor instead of having one general contractor handle everything.

This can sometimes be more budget-friendly, but keep in mind that you'll be responsible for coordinating the different resources. Understanding the order of work is especially important so one delay doesn't hold up the entire project.

Think about what you may need in the future.

Consider adding features now that you may appreciate later.

For example, we installed handrails even though we don't currently need them. In 10 or 15 years, I have a feeling we'll appreciate that little bit of foresight.

And functional doesn't have to mean unattractive. We chose handrails that coordinated with the rest of our bathroom fixtures so they blended into the design.

Customize your shower niche to fit what you actually use.

A shower niche is a great way to keep your everyday essentials organized without taking up additional space.

Don't assume every shelf has to be the same size. We added a fourth, shorter shelf specifically for smaller items like razors and other shower essentials.

It's a small customization, but one we use every day.

Prioritize your must-haves before construction starts.

My herringbone wall was at the top of my wish list, so we made sure it was included in the contractor's original estimate.

Once construction started, however, I came up with a few additional ideas. I wanted dimmable lighting and hoped we could recess our new vanity mirror.

The dimmer was something we were able to make work. Recessing the mirror was another story. Because of its location partially beneath a window, doing so would have required considerably more construction.

We ultimately decided to hang the mirror instead.

That's one of the realities of remodeling: not every idea is worth the additional cost or construction once you understand what's involved.

My Biggest Bathroom Remodel Advice

Remodeling is exciting, but it can become overwhelming quickly.

Be prepared to make decisions along the way because it never fails—once demolition begins, something unexpected seems to be hiding behind those walls.

My biggest advice is to do your research and prioritize what's most important to you before the project begins.Understand how those priorities affect your budget and know where you're willing to compromise.

Find resources you trust. That doesn't necessarily mean choosing the least expensive contractor or vendor. Sometimes paying a little more for someone dependable is worth it.

It's also important to set a realistic timeline. For smaller projects, I would add at least one to two weeks of buffer to the expected completion date. For larger renovations, consider adding four to six weeks.

You should absolutely manage the project toward the agreed-upon timeline, but if changes or unexpected issues come up during construction, having that extra time built into your expectations can make the entire process much less stressful.

Most importantly, make choices that will make you happy and that work for the way you live.

No matter the size of the remodel, you're making a significant investment of your money and your time—and you're going to live with those decisions for years.

Do your research. Be realistic about your budget. Prioritize what's important. And find people you trust to help bring it all together.

Is there an area of your home you've been wanting to upgrade? Message me—I'm always happy to share ideas from what we learned along the way.

Want to see the finishing touches? Click here to see the fixtures and bathroom finds we purchased that gave our remodel that special touch.