Bedroom Renovation Checklist

Your bedroom should elicit feelings of rest and relaxation.  Creating an organized and stylish bedroom helps you to enjoy that space better – whether you want to chill and read a book in bed, cuddle with a loved one, or shut down after a long day, your bedroom design can have a huge impact on how comfortable and inspired you are to use the room.  The good news is bedroom renovations tend to be among the most affordable home renovations; so with your bedroom vision in mind, let’s consider a bedroom renovation checklist that will ensure your project goes off without a hitch.

Where Do You Start?

Before you start a bedroom renovation, there are some serious questions you need to ask yourself.  Careful planning will help you organize your bedroom remodel so that your project runs smoothly and finishes on time and on budget.  So where do you start?

Well, start by asking yourself these questions:

  1. What are your needs?  Knowing why you are renovating your bedroom will help you identify what you need to change to make the space more liveable or functional for you.  Consider aspects such as lighting, external noise, and furniture.
  2. What are your family’s needs?  As much as you may love all-white furniture, this isn’t always a great choice for young families or folks with pets.  When you are planning your bedroom renovation, consider components and characteristics that not only suit your style but also your lifestyle.
  3. What is your style?  Some people like brightly lit, airy spaces, while others prefer a warm and cozy space that facilitates sleep.  If you know your style and design goals from the beginning, your renovation planning will run smoothly.

What’s Next?

Now that you have a sense of where you want your bedroom renovation to take you, it’s time to consider the nitty gritty.  When redesigning or renovating a bedroom, it’s easy to focus on major features like floors, furniture, and walls – but there’s so much more to consider.

  • Organization – from how you will use your closet space to your current space needs, organizing your clutter before you renovate will help you conceptualize the project.  Some people will prioritize closet organization while others prefer a simple space free of excess.  Getting organized will also help you choose furniture based on those needs – from bedside tables to dressers and armoires, your organizational needs may dictate more of your renovation than you realize.
  • Design features – do you just want to throw up a new lick of paint or are you interested in more adventurous wall coverings?  What about your windows and window coverings – are you drawn to contemporary alternatives such as vertical blinds or do you see yourself with black-out curtains or something in between?  When you identify design features in advance, you can begin to set a budget and make adjustments as necessary.
  • Lighting – do you have ample natural light in your bedroom?  What kind of lighting fixtures suit your personality or how you want to use your bedroom?  Remember to carefully consider lighting in your bedroom renovation.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when renovating a bedroom.  When in doubt, work with an expert designer or general contractor to ensure your bedroom renovation meets your needs and reflects your vision.

Bathroom Renovations on a Budget

Bathroom Renovations on a Budget

Home renovations can be expensive, and bathroom updates are often among the most costly.  From bathtubs and sinks to tiles and plumbing, there are many ways to update your residential bathroom.  If you go all in, you could easily spend a small fortune on renovating your bathroom; but, it’s not necessary.  Indeed, bathroom renovations on a budget are possible – here are some tips to get you started.

Consider your Floor Plan

If you’re looking to save money on your bathroom renovation, keep your fixtures in their current configuration.  Installing or changing plumbing to accommodate a new bathroom layout can be very price, so installing sinks, tubs, toilets, and showers in their original location is a great way to keep costs down.

Prioritize your Renovation

Planning and prioritizing your bathroom renovation is another easy way to manage your budget.  Before you start your renovation, gather detailed information about the cost of materials and prioritize which renovation items are most important to you.  You can still make a big impression with your renovation by focusing your budget on a single feature such as the vanity or shower tile.  In other words, you can splurge in one area or another while saving in others.  Some examples:

  • Use high quality tiles for a feature mosaic in the bathtub, but use more affordable tiles otherwise. 
  • Install an expensive new sink, but save on the countertops or vice-versa.
  • Install affordable cabinets but highlight them with stunning handles or knobs.

Accentuate your Style

Style doesn’t need to be expensive and many bathroom renovations on a budget are successful because homeowners expressed their own, personal style.  For example, contrasting wall and floor tiles can be aesthetically impressive, but you needn’t go all out and buy the most expensive tiles.  Replacing your vanity to reflect your style preferences (whether contemporary or classic) can revitalize your bathroom.  You can even make a huge impact with a new coat of paint that includes a feature wall with attractive wallpaper or a contrasting colour.  Let your imagination take the lead!

Be Flexible

While it pays to plan ahead with your bathroom renovation, it also pays to be flexible when it comes to fixtures and features.  Sometimes you have your heart set on a nickel faucet, but you find a chrome alternative that is almost as attractive and considerably less expensive.  A bit of flexibility in your bathroom renovation can help you keep your budget in check.

Accessories

Finally, sometimes a bathroom renovation is all about the accessories.  A few inexpensive updates can be highlighted with economical accessories such as new towels, candles, and high-quality soap.  Even less expensive updates to mirrors, cabinet hardware, and towel bars can transform your bathroom without depleting your bank account. 

K Residence Project

Four thousand square feet and seven months of painstaking labour give you a sense of the scope and effort that went into the major renovation of K Residence.  Nearly every aspect of this Vancouver Westside home was revitalized in this renovation, and the finished project is something you need to see to believe.  Except for the structural components of the home, the renovation spared no detail – the basement, main floor, and second floor of the home were extensively remodeled including upgrades to the kitchen, bathroom, and living spaces.

The K Residence Renovation required careful planning, and it all started with getting a sense of the homeowner’s ultimate vision.  When all was said and done, it was clear that the homeowner was keen on creating a sophisticated new home – one that integrated contemporary elements with classical style seamlessly.  These goals were achieved through the juxtaposition of new and old.  Newer elements such as stainless steel appliances, stunning marble countertops, and attention to details such as intricate windowed designs set in panelled entry doors bring a contemporary feel that is offset by the traditional elegance of chandeliers in the kitchen and foyer, French doors to the master bedroom, and crown moulding throughout the home.

Additionally, simplicity was the name of the game when it came to paint and fixtures.  Throughout K Residence, you’ll find bright white paint that adds to the grand and spacious feel of the home.  Natural sunlight is embraced in the kitchen and main living room where large, energy efficient windows allow for ample daylight.  Lighting in these areas is designed to enhance natural light while beautiful wood flooring is highlighted throughout the day.  Indeed, the combination of sunlight, contemporary lighting features, and hardwood floor throughout the home provide a distinctly elegant style from the basement to the second floor.

The kitchen is another focal point in K Residence.  White marbled countertops are harmoniously set against luminous white tile and cabinets which are perfectly offset by the warm wood flooring and stainless steel appliances.  Feature cabinets include window panels and help to create an unassuming and homey feel in a space that is equally refined and practical.

Without question, every detail was considered in remodelling K Residence.  In the end, the home delivers a unique combination of worldly class and style without compromising the livability of the space.  All the modern conveniences have been accounted for including a gas fireplace set between large shelving units, baseboard heating, and beautifully expansive decks to make the most of outdoor living.  At K Residence, homeowners wanted to enjoy every comfort in a home that screams unprecedented style – it was no small feat to achieve, but the finished product was certainly a success.

Bathroom Renovation Cost Vancouver

Your bathroom may be designed with function in mind or it could represent a relaxing oasis.  Depending on how you like to use your bathroom, you may be considering a bathroom renovation.  For some of us, we take a pragmatic approach to grooming and we are in and out of the bathroom in record time; for others, we prefer to rest and recoup in a warm bath at the end of the day and our bathroom design needs to reflect a calming environment.  Still, regardless of how you use your bathroom, bathroom renovations can help keep your bathroom looking and feeling fresh.  So, if your tiles are showing signs of age, your fixtures don’t function as they should, or you just want to update old décor, you probably want to know more about bathroom renovation costs in Vancouver.

A recent estimate of bathroom renovations suggests the minimum budget for a small bathroom with affordable fixtures and design elements will start around $10,000.  If you are renovating a large bathroom and you want to go all out with fixtures, cabinets, mirrors, and lighting, you can sometimes expect to spend four or five times that figure.  So then, how can you plan your budget given the variety of bathroom renovation costs?  It’s simple: plan, plan, and more planning.

The key to any successful renovation that finishes on time and on budget is planning.  Consider carefully how you envision your renovation to proceed from which components can be saved and reused to your final design and style elements.  For example, your plumbing and fixtures may be functional and well-maintained meaning they need not be replaced.  However, you may have already decided that you want all new features in your bathroom – so, pricing out these features in advance will give you a good idea of final costs.  That being said, one major factor that many homeowners overlook when planning a bathroom renovation is what they will do when their bathroom is out of commission.  If you have only one bathroom, also include the costs of arranging temporary bathroom solutions.

Ideally, to ensure a seamless bathroom renovation, it is always recommended to work with a professional contractor.  Unless you have experience managing renovations, or you are confident in your own renovation skills, a contractor can take the headache out of a renovation.  S/he will help you develop your budget and costs, will oversee every element of the project including hiring tradespeople, and the best contractors are highly effective at keeping bathroom renovation projects on budget.

Ultimately, there are many factors that go into a bathroom renovation, so you should take the time to plan and budget thoroughly before initiating your renovation.  Measure your space, consider the design and function of the bathroom, consider the costs for fixtures, features, flooring, paint, and lighting, and remember to factor a contingency plan into your budget in case things don’t go the way you imagined.