Inspired Remodels, Author at Inspired Remodels

Kitchen and bath remodeling after photo that adds soaking tub to shower bathroom

Bathroom Remodel Features Earth Tones & Minimalism in Orange County

By Inspired Remodels / Bathroom Remodel / Comments Off

Bathroom remodels remain a popular way to update the look of your home in Orange County. The use of earth tones and minimalist style dominates the most stylish remodels.

Why Choose Earth Tones?

If you want to create a space that invites unwinding and relaxation, incorporate earth tones in your bathroom remodel. Colors such as warm beige, soft taupe, natural clay or terracotta, and muted greens such as sage create a sense of harmony between the bathroom and the Orange County environment. This biophilic design creates a spa-like vibe in the shower and the entire bathroom.

Additionally, earth tones are a timeless choice! If you remodel your bathroom now and this isn’t your forever home, you need to choose colors that appeal to the masses. Earth tones fit the bill perfectly.

The Beauty of Minimalism

Do some spaces leave you feeling anxious? Have you ever felt a space not only looks cluttered but feels that way as well? Minimalism in design vanquishes the anxiety and claustrophobia generated by busy designs. When designing your new shower and bathroom, focus on simplicity. Incorporate clean lines and more functionality throughout the space.

Incorporate one or more of these elements in the bathroom design to add a touch of minimalism:

Floating Vanities with Concealed Storage

Clear the countertops from clutter and stuff by incorporating storage options with the power to conceal. Enjoy having plenty of room for everything and having them handy while still tucked out of sight.

Medicine Cabinets with Mirrors

Instead of plain mirrors, opt for medicine cabinets. Bonus points for mirrored cabinets that incorporate LED lights. For the ultimate minimalist design, choose recessed units that install flush with the wall to minimize protrusion. Some medicine cabinet options feature electrical outlets inside allowing you to store the electric shaver and/or electric toothbrush neatly out of sight.

Frameless Glass Shower Enclosures

Traditional shower glass doors utilize frames made of aluminum or other metals. Current bathrooms designs trends in Orange County lean heavily into frameless designs. Whether it is a frameless, all-glass shower enclosure or a glass and tile Roman Shower design, frameless showers eschew metal to create a more elegant feel.

How Earth Tones and Minimalism Work Together

Many traditional minimalist designs feel cold and stark. When poorly designed, minimalism leads to spaces with a sterile and uninviting vibe. But when you use earth tones in a minimalist design for a shower or bathroom remodel, you create a space that’s calm, tranquil, and peaceful.

Use these elements to incorporate earth tones and minimalism in your bathroom design:

Minimalist Wood Tone Vanity

Not all vanities must be floating. It’s okay to use a standard vanity as long as it features clean lines. Stay away from cabinets with heavy detailing and instead opt for slab fronts or skinny Shaker designs to incorporate the minimalist feel. Complement the wood tones with simplistic drawer pulls and doorknobs

Use Natural Materials

Bring earth tones into your bathroom remodel by opting for a natural pebble tile for your shower floor. Complement a frameless shower with flooring tiles in terracotta tones. Select faucets and fixtures that highlight minimalist style with their clean lines and neutral colors

Add Plants

If your bathroom offers abundant natural light, use plants as décor elements. There’s no better way to bring earth tones to the room than incorporating real, natural green. Use plants native to Orange County and make a real biophilic design splash. Even if you have low light, you can still grow Spathiphyllum. They call it the closet plant for a reason; it requires minimal light.

Orange County Shower Remodeling Inspiration

Need more bathroom or shower remodel inspiration? Check out these recent projects in our portfolio of Orange County bathroom remodels.

Surely you’ll find something to inspire you here.

Lake Forest Remodel

Trabuco Canyon Remodel

Laguna Niguel Remodel

5 Mistakes to Avoid During A Custom Kitchen Remodel

By Inspired Remodels / Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

Your home is typically your most valuable asset, and deciding to undertake a custom kitchen remodel is an important and exciting decision.

Many Orange County homeowners purchase a house or condo knowing at some point they will want to customize and make the space their own. Custom kitchen remodeling represents a sizable investment in a complex process. Even a minor mistake leads to major timeline and/or budgetary setbacks.

To help you get the results you want with the least amount of stress, avoid these five most common mistakes homeowners make during a remodel.

Automatically Hiring the Lowest Bidder

When considering a custom kitchen remodel, meet with a few different general contractors and obtain multiple bids. While it may be tempting to go with the cheapest bid received, that’s not always the best course of action.

The Problem. The lowest bidder may provide quality work and deliver acceptable results, but more commonly, they cause stress and headaches. From poor craftsmanship or low-quality materials to deviating from the project scope, or submitting numerous change orders for items not initially considered, the lowest bid may not always be the best solution.

The Solution. Instead, get several bids from various contractors and then compare your options. Make sure the bids or estimates you consider are for the same work and the same materials and finishes. Ask yourself:

Who did you feel most comfortable with and confident in?
Who else in the community used them?
What do each of the contractors bring to the table?
Have any of the contractors built your dream space before? Have they shared photos online?

Focusing Solely on Aesthetics

The Problem. During the planning phase of a custom kitchen remodeling project, it is easy to focus on beauty and not functionality. Updating your kitchen so that it’s on-trend and updated to today’s colors doesn’t make the space serve you better. Don’t spend a fortune on a beautiful room that’s not built for the way you cook or entertain.

The Solution. Opt for a layout that works for you and makes cooking a meal easy. If your counters are cluttered with various small appliances, bring this up during the design phase. Let the designer/general contractor know of your functionality needs so they design a space that offers both beauty and practicality.

Custom kitchen that will help sell in 5 years

Not Considering The Future of the Home

The Problem. Goals such as “Create a gorgeous kitchen with the latest colors and finishes” isn’t a goal that supports the overall plans for your home. That’s because it fails to consider your future plans for the home. These include goals such as how long you plan to live in the home, whether you plan to rent the home out to others, or if you plan to sell the home in the near future.

The Solution. Keep the design and materials aligned with the future of your home. If this is your forever home, go for the ultimate in personalization (that’s permission for red cabinets if that’s your heart’s desire). However, if your plans include a sale in the next five years, make choices that appeal to potential buyers. If the home is going to become a rental, opt for budget-friendly designs and finishes that offer durability.

Skipping New Plumbing

The Problem. Many homes in Orange County have experienced a leak due to failed copper piping. Failing to take advantage of this opportunity to re-plumb the area can be penny-wise and pound-foolish. When your pipes fail and you have a leak, the restoration team is going to cut through your cabinets, tiles, and floors. Matching finishes could be a nightmare.

The Solution. When the demo is complete and it’s time to start the remodeling process, go ahead and replace the plumbing. It will be less expensive while the pipes are exposed and accessible. Protect yourself from future headaches and construction by taking care of the pipes.

Black and white kitchen cabinetry with wood look flooring

This kitchen flows beautifully to the adjoining room

Ignoring The Rest of the Home

The Problem. Your custom kitchen features all the latest conveniences and is designed with the trendiest colors and finishes. And it doesn’t match any other room in the house. You failed to consider how the kitchen would look from adjoining rooms. Now the kitchen seems disassociated from the rest of the house. Bummer.

The Solution. Consider how the renovated kitchen will fit in with the rest of the home. Is the style consistent, and does the ingress and egress flow with adjoining rooms? Design the kitchen to be new and fabulous, but design it to be part of a larger home.

Custom Kitchen Remodeling in Orange County

Turn to Inspired Remodels and avoid the most common mistakes made during a custom kitchen remodel.

Inspired Remodels listens to your wants and needs and then designs a functional and beautiful space that fits with the rest of the home. Bring your dreams and inspiration, and watch Inspired Remodels bring them to life.

Steps to Custom Kitchen Remodeling

By Inspired Remodels / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

Do you love your home but not the kitchen? Would you love a new custom kitchen but don’t know where to start the remodeling process? Understanding the custom kitchen remodeling process is the first step to a successful remodel!

Whether you’ve lived in your home for years or recently purchased a home, if you want to remodel your kitchen, this guide helps you understand the process.

Do Your Research

Although a kitchen remodeling contractor or designer can guide you through the design process, you and your family know the look you want far better than anyone!

Use a variety of resources to get inspired! Websites such as Houzz, television shows like Fixer Upper (or any other HGTV show), and social media platforms like Pinterest or Instagram provide great places to collect ideas, wants, and needs for your remodel. As you begin your discussions with potential contractors, having ideas and inspiration to share helps.

Find a Custom Kitchen Remodeling Contractor You Can Trust

Most people find the home remodeling process overwhelming and stressful – and understandably so! Working with a kitchen contractor you trust reduces anxiety and stress.

When looking for a general contractor, turn to Yelp!, your neighbors, or even Google for guidance. Talk to several contractors and collect multiple estimates. While price may be a major consideration, also consider how comfortable you feel with the contractor and their reputation for doing quality work on time and on-budget.

Keep looking if:

If you feel uncomfortable with the contractor
The general contractor lacks confidence
You can’t find references or completed jobs.

Your home is one of your most valuable assets, and you must trust the general contractor who works in your home. Check out How to Avoid Being Scammed by a General Contractor for more tips on this step.

Ask for References

Once you narrow your selection to 2 or 3 contractors, ask for the names and contact information for previous clients. Reach out and speak to the client. You may even be able to see the finished project firsthand!

A picture paints a thousand words, but seeing is believing. Have you ever purchased something online only to be disappointed in the quality when the product arrives? Checking references allows you to avoid disappointment in the quality of the contractor’s work.

Custom kitchen remodeling contractors expect you to ask for references. They understand you are interviewing them for a job, and they will gladly offer references for you to check. Reference checking allows you to verify that the person represents themselves accurately. Privately speaking with prior clients provides valuable insight you can’t get from an online review!

Ask Questions About Their Custom Kitchen Remodeling Process

Don’t be afraid to ask your general contractor questions! Whether it is about a certain material or a step in the custom kitchen remodeling process, ask the experts. Your contractor can address your questions and concerns.

Unless you’ve been through a remodel before, work in the custom kitchen remodeling industry, or have spent countless hours researching a kitchen remodel in depth, you will have questions. And when you do, speak up. Your kitchen remodeling contractor has the answers.

Prep for Your Remodel

Use the weeks leading up to your remodel to prepare for the interruption to your daily routine.
A custom kitchen remodel removes your kitchen. To avoid eating out or at a friend’s house for weeks on end, set up a temporary kitchen. Check out how in our Tips For a Smooth Remodel.

Certain trades may suggest or even require you to leave the home while they work (e.g. for a bathroom renovation, hot mop day) and you should prepare in advance. Ask your general contractor or the project manager what steps they need you to take to prepare your home for your remodel.

Understanding the process, performing due diligence in hiring a contractor, and preparing helps ensure your custom kitchen remodeling project results in the kitchen of your dreams.

Author: Inspired Remodels