Hollywood Hills Master Bathroom Design Project- The Design

Virginia: Since I get paid by the hour as an interior designer, I try to streamline the process as much as possible for the sake of the budget. Asking the client to do a little home work helps them to focus and figure out what is important to them before I am on the clock. It also fires up my creative juices since I know the direction we are headed right out of the gate. Of course, I guide them if I feel their goals are unrealistic or if I think they won't be happy with the end product. When I look at the pictures they have chosen without my input, it gives me a very clear idea of who they are and what they are about, important to know if you want to have happy clients in the end.

Often, the pictures are a mish mash of several different styles, so it is my job as the designer to distill the essence they find attractive. You can use the same technique in real estate - get to the essence of what the buyers are really looking for by having them do a little homework beforehand.

Cathy: Thank you! The current bathroom definitely reflects the period the house was built.  When we are finished, they will have a luxuious master bath that is up to date, very functional, looks gorgeous and will add tremendous value.

Michele: It was like putting pieces of a puzzle together, trying to figure out how to get everything in. And fortunately the adjoining bedroom is large enough to add a closet later on down the line if they need to. I really enjoy figuring that stuff out.

Leah: Most of the walls will wind up being stripped because of plumbing and electrical changes, tiling  and adding insulation to outside walls. Walls that are stripped will go to drywall, but still keeping the rounded corners in keeping with the rest of the house. The walls outside the bathroom in the hall are curved around a rotunda (not reflected in the drawing). I am hoping there is some hidden space there to be able to create a linen closet or additional storage.

Kathy P: In a lot of older homes the bathrooms are really tiny. If there is an unneeded closet adjoining the bath, it makes a lot of sense to grab that space and incorporate it into the bathroom.

Wendy: We are still in the planning/budgeting phase. We will probably start tear-out in a few weeks. I don't like to tear anything out until I have all the element collected and sitting in my warehouse or at the job site. No point in inconveniencing my clients until it is absolutely necessary and I don't like the surprise of something not showing up. The plan is to have the bathroom finished before Christmas. A lot of that timing depends upon what happens with plan check at the building department.

Sandra: I make rough drawings (and they are very rough) with dimensions, and then pass them off to my interior design assistant who works everything out in a CAD program on the computer. Once the drawings are done in CAD, it is easy to make any changes or adjustments. When we have an approved plan, my assistant goes with me to the project and remeasures everything to make sure the CAD drawings are accurate.

Tracy: That sounds like a dream project. Good luck with it, and make sure you show us some photos.

Tanya: I really enjoy starting from scratch and creating something entirely new. I guess that's why I enjoy staging vacants so much.

Terrylynn: I have never tried to market my interior design services. I am really picky about which clients I will work with for interior design. It has to be a good fit in order for it to be a winning experience for both client and designer. Most of my work comes from referrals and repeat clients, although I have been getting more inquiries due to my staging work. Marketing my staging business by blogging on AR has been such a positive and profitable experience for me, I thought 'why not try it for the interior design part of the business as well?'.

I also hope to educate the public about everything that goes into a major design project and remodel. Bathrooms, more than any other room in the house, are very detail intensive and a great deal of precision is required.

Thank you, Terrylynn!

Connie: The budget has not been set yet, but I'll never discuss the budget publicly any way:o))Regarding the fridge, she travels a lot and wants to make sure her products last as long as possible. Also, the bathroom currently has no ducts for A/C or heat so the room gets quite hot in the afternoons in the summer. Hopefully the other steps we take will remedy that and the refrig may not be necessary.

Karen: That would be a mojito dispenser for me!

Thanks for your nice comment, Will. Stay tuned for future installments.

Shannon: I am always so interested to hear what other walks of life people came to staging from. It is fascinating. The fridge for make-up was a first for me. I have put small refrigerators in for champagne and water before.

Kathy: I am itching to get started. A few more decisions to make and approvals to get, and then I am on the way to pull permits and wade through the plan check. Thank you for your kind comment.

Kathleen: So nice to meet a fellow traveler in renovation design. Most people don't notice the details until they are wrong and negatively impact the usefulness of the space. I love figuring out the puzzle pieces, and I've done this enough that I don't expect to make any of those mistakes. The rooms in this home are actually quite generous (except the master bath) so there is plenty of room to add another closet if it is needed down the road. Thank you!

Cathy: I'm glad I was able to share information that was valuable to you. I look forward to seeing your photos.

Robyn: I wish I could turn the housing market around, but I'm not that talented:o(( Thank you for your kind comment.