| bathroom remodel (2)

Imagine the length of seventeen inches. Now, consider if you added that width of space to your bathroom. What kind of impact could it have? A lot! Read on to see how Thompson Remodeling took an older, cramped bathroom and transformed it into a functional and elegant main bath.

Pendant lighting has become a very popular choice for our clients who are remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. This type of light hangs from the ceiling from a pole, cord, or chain and comes in a wide variety sizes, styles, and materials. Often, they become a focal point, which makes them an important part of the overall design aesthetic for a room. From oversized lanterns to more refined decorative glass or intricate metal designs, there is pendant light available to suit nearly any space.

When you spend years in your home you start to accept some of its quirks, like poorly arranged rooms or cramped bathrooms. Such was the case with these clients who longed for a nice master bathroom but figured it wasn’t in the cards for them. We are so glad that they reached out to the Thompson Remodeling team to help! We specialize in transforming spaces from weird to wow and have seen our share of strange configurations.

Have you seen a no-threshold shower? It's a shower that has no curb or surrounding edge to it, making it flush with the bathroom floor. You may have also heard the terms barrier-free, curbless walk-in-shower or zero threshold, but they are all the same thing. I know what you may be thinking. Where is all the water going to go? Won't I have a flood on my hands after every shower? No! The secret to containing the water is in the drainage system. This type of shower will have either a trench drain, which is a long and narrow drain placed where the shower door would be placed, or a center drain with the floor just slightly pitched towards it.

Subway tile has been having a moment…a big one actually. For years it’s been a mainstay in kitchen tile designs for backsplashes and bathroom shower surrounds. We love it for its classic appeal, ability to work in all types of design aesthetics, and variety of available colors and materials. But, sometimes our clients are seeking a different or unique tile design for their remodel. Thompson Remodeling’s design team enjoys finding the right tile to suit each client’s preferences. Here are just a few examples of tile designs from recent remodels where the homeowners decided to go beyond the subway tile movement.

Picture your dream bathroom. What does it look like? Does it have a luxurious spa shower or a modern soaking tub? Maybe you envision a floating vanity with a gorgeous granite countertop. Does that vision fit into your budget? When it comes time to make all the selections for a bathroom remodel, things can start to add up. Thompson Remodeling knows how important it is to keep your project on budget and we have a few tips on which items are worth splurging on for your bathroom remodel.

One major component of every remodeling project is figuring out how to incorporate storage options, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. Every household accumulates “stuff” and the bigger your family is the more you will have. Thompson Remodeling has experience working with Grand Rapids families of two people to up to eight and more! We will work with you to find creative ways to accommodate all that important stuff you need to keep in each room to make it function at its best. One solution we have found to work really well is floor to ceiling cabinets. They can be integrated to match other cabinetry within a room and offer unlimited options for drawers, pullouts, cubbies and other internal organizing systems.

Your countertop selection is a key design component for a kitchen or bathroom remodel. Granite is a great option for homeowners who want to use a natural material with unique patterns and features. Once you find that perfect piece of granite, the next thing you have to determine is the finish you would like. There are three types of granite finishes: polished, honed, and rough. One may lend itself better than another based on the design aesthetic you wish to create.

Coverings is an annual trade show that showcases the latest tile and stone products. Earlier in April, the show was held in Orlando and featured 9 miles worth of trends and exhibits. Wow, that’s a lot of floor and wall coverings! Although we didn't attend, we've done our research to keep up with the latest innovations and how designers and trendsetters are using tile. Since the majority of our remodeling projects include flooring and sometimes wall coverings, tile is a material we talk about every day. And if you are planning a remodeling project, it’s probably in your future as well. So, take a look and check out the trends that were spotted at this year’s Coverings show below.

Project Story: This master bathroom was out-of-date and the homeowners couldn't wait to see their retro vanity and flooring disappear. The existing white tiled countertop made you feel like you had time traveled back to the 70’s. The homeowner told us the bathroom felt “gross” and the counters was really hard to clean. They wanted to update the space to be more cohesive with the rest of their home. She had a very specific design aesthetic: light, clean, and airy. Updating all the finishes and improving the shower footprint were critical to a successful design.

The before and after photos of this bathroom remodel are so dramatic they will make you look twice! Many Grand Rapids homeowners have an outdated bathroom or two in their homes that they want to update. For this project, our client's requested a major refresh of their main bathroom without making any structural changes. Aesthetically, they wanted the bathroom to be done in whites and grays, but still have a masculine feel.

How would you rate your bathroom storage capacity? Do you have enough room for all of your toiletries, grooming tools, toilet paper, and towels? Most Grand Rapids homeowners feel their bathrooms are lacking in the storage department. It’s one of the main problems we work to solve when creating a bathroom design for our clients. Even though we are working with some of the smallest spaces in the home, our design team knows how to maximize every inch to accommodate each homeowner’s storage needs.