Kitchen and Bathroom Design Tips for Lake Oswego Homes

Kitchen and bathrooms are almost always the first rooms to be renovated. Unsurprisingly so, as they’re the highest traffic rooms of any home! To help you make the most of your time and financial investment, we’ve collected a few renovation tips from the remodeling experts at Refresh Lake Oswego. 

Carefully consider and define these three things before getting started

1. Your intentions

Where will you be in five years? It may sound like the opening of every job interview, but getting clear about your intentions will shape everything else about your renovation. How? For starters, budgeting for your forever home is very different than doing so for a home you plan to sell in a few years. Designing around resale value also yields much different results than if you were tailoring your home to your specific lifestyle. So consider your intentions before diving in. 

2. Your priorities

Much like your intentions, knowing what your priorities are dictates the rest of the process. At Refresh, we typically work with homeowners who prioritize one of two things: budget or design. Homeowners who are budget-led come to us with a hard budget and want to know what they can realistically achieve. Design-led homeowners have a vision for their design and are more flexible when it comes to finances. There’s no wrong way, it just depends on your priorities. 

3. Your approach

Are you a skilled trades person or have someone close to you that’s willing to guide you through the process and connect you with suppliers? If not, DIY may not be the best approach for you. Bringing a professional project manager or team on board will not only provide a wealth of knowledge and expertise, it will also alleviate a lot of stress and free up your time so you can focus on things other than renovation logistics. 

Kitchen design tips

Work with your space

This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up scrolling through design inspo that wouldn’t really work in your space or, more importantly, for your lifestyle. Make sure to think about whether that modern farmhouse design you love so much will work in your existing galley kitchen. If not, you may need to be open to changing the layout, which isn’t cheap. 

Focus on lighting

Lighting can make or break a space and a combination of ambient, accent, and task lighting is the key to a kitchen that’s both stylish and functional. This Portland kitchen renovation does a fantastic job of illustrating an optimal lighting plan. 

Embrace technology

The kitchen probably isn’t at the forefront of your mind when you think of tech, but there are a variety of helpful ways to integrate technology into your kitchen. Wi-Fi enabled smart appliances, motion activated faucets, and central vacuum systems can all be installed during a kitchen remodel. 

Bathroom Design Tips

Keep decor functional

Bathrooms tend to get cluttered quickly, but using functional elements like your vanity, shower, and light fixtures help to give your space personality without needing to bring in too many extras. The statement pieces in this peaceful primary bathroom in Portland create enough visual interest within the design so that a simple plant and bathmats are all the accents needed for the perfect finishing touch. 

Include lots of storage

“This bathroom has too much storage”, said no one ever. In fact, lack of storage is one of the most common catalysts for a bathroom remodel. Whether it’s cabinets under the vanity, concealed storage, open shelving, or a combination of the three, ample storage is an integral part of a functional bathroom. 

Working with professional kitchen and bath remodelers

Having a professional on your side is extremely valuable for first-time and veteran renovators alike. At Refresh, each project is led by an experienced Remodeling Consultant who will guide you through our 5-step process, from the initial consultation through to final project delivery.

Your first meeting will consist of goal setting, managing expectations, and discussing kitchen and bathroom design ideas as well as your ideal budget and timeline. From there, your team will develop concept designs and working drawings before moving on to active construction and eventually your new finished space!

Ready to bring your vision to life?

Get in touch with a local Lake Oswego Remodeling Consultant to arrange an initial consultation and get the ball rolling!