5 Important Things We Ask Every Client Before We Start Their Bathroom Design

Bathroom design should work for people of all ages and abilites but also have personal touches.

Bathroom Design 101: 5 Important Questions We Ask Before We Start

Bathroom design has come a long way in the last few decades. From the tiny, utilitarian bathrooms of the 60’s and 70’s to the spa like baths of today.

But even the biggest most beautufl bath can be frustrating to use if not designed well. Today there are a lot of bathroom design trends that are really not a good idea for the funtion of the space.

Too many remodelers jump straight into talking materials and fixtures. The result? A beautiful bathroom that still doesn’t work for your lifestyle. That’s not how we operate.

Our design team follow a process we’ve come to call ‘identity driven design’. It’s about understanding your daily routines and how they can be improved. What your needs are today and what they may be in the future.

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Instead of dropping the counter at the seated vanity area, keep the counter height the same and just use a taller chair. 

1. Who Uses The Bathroom and What is Their schedule?

A bathroom for a single person looks different from one shared by two adults or is shared by 3 kids. Also important is the schedule… does one spouse get up much earlier than the other?  Who needs more time in the bathroom and who likes to be in and out?

We ask this first because it helps us understand how flexible the space needs to be and helps us start to think about what kind of lighting might be needed or soundproofing.

Separate handhelds in sa small shower can clutter the space. Dual function showerheads like this one from Delta can help. 

2. What are Your Biggest Frustrations with The Current Bath?

This seems like an obvious question but often we get so used to a space that we become blind to things that are causing us small frustration every day.

Tha’s where the skill of our designers come in. The’ll use their knowledge of bathroom design to ask specific questions and uncover things that can make a big difference in how you enjoy the space.

Every bathroom needs a visual focal point. Often this is the shower tile but it can be the countertop, faucet or even a hanging light. 

3. What’s Your Morning and Evening Routine Like?

Bathroom design can get pretty personal. Do you both get ready at the same time?  Do you shower in the morining, evening or both?  Do you like a relaxed morning or is it usually a mad rush?

Understanding your routines and how you bathroom design can help enhance them is one of the most important questions we explore.

Freestanding tubs are beautiful but not might be the best choice for older folks or people with mobility issues

4. What Are Your Must haves vs Nice To Haves ?

While some people might have a budget to whatever they want for most of use remodeling is a compromise between what would be ideal and what our budget will allow.

Knowing your non negotiables up front helps us create a baseline budget and then decide what can be added and what value different options might present.

Most of us would love to have a huge walk in closet with storage for days but that’s not always possible

5. Any Physical Needs We Should Plan Around ?

Ideally all bathrooms would be designed for people of all ages and abilities. This is how you truly ‘future proof’ a bathroom. But a lot of homes just were not built with this idea mind so remodeling because about compromise… how accomodating can we make the space? 

Whether you have physical limitations today or are worried you might in the future now is the time to start thinking about them. 

Conclusion

A beautiful bathroom design starts with the right questions, not just pinterest pictures or product samples. These 5 questions are a good starting point… And each of them often lead to more questions as we get to know you and how to create your perfect bath.

If your designing your bathroom yourself, use these NKBA Guidelines as you ask yourself the 5 questions listed here. Time spent in design and nailing down every detail will make the construction process go much smoother.