Design Ideas to Magnify Your Small Bathroom

When planning a home renovation, home owners have one concern on their mind: Better utilizing their space. Whether it is a large kitchen or a small laundry closet, maximizing the use is crucial for function and to make the space seem larger than it really is. Full baths, half baths, and guest bathrooms all come in different sizes and are the main focus for space utilization in home renovations. Here are some design ideas to magnify your small bathroom:

Lighter Paint Colors:

Using lighter paint colors will make your small space seem larger. Using paint pallets that are focused on light colors and pastels will bring some personality to your space but also add some height to make the room seem airy and not tight with bold colors.

Small Patterns:

Using small patterns on tile, textiles, and wallpaper will also make the room seem brighter and bigger. Large prints can overwhelm a small space while smaller patterns will add character without overtaking the small area. Be aware: the overuse of patterns can reverse the effect and leave you and your bathroom visitors feeling dizzy!

Go High!

Tiling your shower? Go high! Taking shower tile to the ceiling will also add volume to the room and give the appearance of taller ceilings. Not to mention the continuous look will add cleanliness to the space which adds to the airy appearance.

Get Creative with Storage

Getting creative with storage can include using floating shelves, hidden mirror storage, and small vanities with drawers and cabinets. Lifting the storage with floating shelves is a stylish trend that we are seeing in a lot of bathrooms. Shelves are no longer used for knick-knacks and solely for decoration, but are serving a functional use by holding towels, toilet paper, and toiletries. Hidden mirror storage has been around for decades, but the newest designs are not your mama’s medicine cabinet. Instead sleek designs are taking over and providing functionality. 

No matter the size of your renovation Arizona’s Interior Innovations is here to help you utilize your space, create a palette that adds dimension to your home, and leave you with a bathroom you will have a hard time leaving. Coming up with design ideas to magnify your small bathroom challenges the creativity of our designers and they love the challenge. Give us a call when you are ready to magnify your small space.

How to Create a Home Renovation Budget

Taking on a Home Renovation Project can be a nerve-racking experience. The excitement of a new dream space can be overwhelmed by the long list of to-dos, long renovation time, and the ongoing cost sheet is enough to make you back out of the project all together. How can you budget out a home renovation while maintaining real expectations and without breaking the bank? Here are just a few tips that will start you on the right path and can improve your home renovation experience:

1. Make a List of Your Priorities

Know what is important in your renovation and what can be negotiated on. This is an exercise that you and everyone involved in the renovations needs to be a part of, whether that is a significant other or roommate. Knowing what a high priority in your renovation is will help you determine where to spend your money and what you can reassess when the home renovation budget gets tight. If custom cabinets with unique storage abilities is at the top of your list, but under cabinet lighting is more of a perk then you know when the numbers get high the under-cabinet lighting is going to have to wait.

2. Talk to a Specialist and then another

When you are ready to speak to a design specialist, our talented designers at Arizona’s Interior Innovations is ready to meet you and talk about making your dream a reality. You are welcome to visit our showrooms and see what we have available or we can come to you. After the meeting our team will put together a bid and send it to you for review. Once you have received it, talk to another design team. Once you have a general idea of what materials and labor are going to cost and you have the experience of speaking with a design team talk with another one to see where the prices differ, who has better timelines, and where the quality is.

Keep in mind low prices can lead to low quality, so don’t base your decision strictly on price. Know what is important to you! If you want better quality, a shorter reno time, or a larger reno team pick the company that fits the experience you want to have in your renovation.

3. Add a Risk Window

We all know that during the middle of an HGTV renovation something is going to happen: Mold, Load Bearing Walls, Copper Pipes, the list could go on and on. These are not put in the shows to add drama and intrigue, but because they happen. It is best to be prepared to have an issue, the best way to prepare for this? Create a “risk” window in your budget. It is recommended at that you budget an extra 10-15% to cover any unexpected costs. Fingers are crossed it’s a small cost and not a large “back to the drawing board” issue, but the more prepared you are the less stress you will have when your General Contractor calls you out of nowhere.

4. Things Add Up…Quickly!

Kitchen Hardware is the sneak attack of Kitchen Renovations! Looking at a handle that has a sticker price of $4.00 seems like nothing compared to the cost of countertops and cabinets, but that $4.00 quickly turns into $140 without much effort. Be careful and be aware of the quantity of small items that are purchased for your new Kitchen or Bath. Also don’t let these “small things” ruin your budget by not even considering them. Take a full inventory of your space and understand the costs of even the smallest of details.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to do Your Own Shopping

It is easy to turn your project over to your design team and general contractor and let them handle the issues, however if you are budget conscious it is best to stay involved. After you receive your bid don’t be afraid to shop around. There are items on the project list that don’t need to be purchased through your design team vendors: light fixtures, appliances, and even some hardware can be purchased outside and brought into the design. Do not be afraid to take control and look for deals! This can help keep you on budget in the long run. Secondhand appliance stores or for sale sites like OfferUp contain some real treasures that can set your renovation apart and keep you on budget. It’s a win-win!

Arizona’s Interior Innovations offers quality products without the large price tag. We are happy to work with you to design a new Kitchen or Bath that is within your Home Renovation Budget and we are transparent in our pricing and services. Please give us a call today and schedule your free consultation!

Kitchen and Bath Cleaning Tips

After days and weeks of renovations its easy to get lost in the mesmerizing quality of a new Kitchen or Bathroom, but as life resumes some normalcy how can you keep your new Kitchen and Bathroom looking new? Here are some Kitchen and Bath Cleaning tips to keep your new space as mesmerizing as Day One!

“It’s so beautiful, I’m scared to use it!” We hear this phrase at project closing all of the time and we understand! Everything about a fresh renovation is shiny and new, and homeowners initially have a hard time letting loose and using their new space, however over time dust settles…literally!

Kitchen Cleaning Tips:

Boil Your Greasy Range Hood Filter

Cleaning your Range Hood Filter is recommended 1-2 x a year. A greasy clogged up hood filter blocks airflow and can lead to unwanted damages and poor performance later. To clean your filter, you will need: a large pot (big enough to fit at least half of your filter), water, and ½ cup of baking soda. Fill your pot with water and bring to a boil, once the boil has been achieved slowly, let me repeat that again, SLOWLY add the baking soda. The pot will get fizzy, this is normal! Once all the baking soda has been added place your hood filter in the boiling water and let it site for a few minutes. Once the whole filter has been in the boiling water, rinse off with hot water from your tap. Once the water runs clear you have a clean filter!

Get Pasty with Your Sticky Kitchen Cabinets

Kids, Pets, Life, all can really add grime and dirty up your cabinets and if you are not used to wiping them down on a regular basis then that dirt and grime builds up. Owners of white and lighter colored cabinets have the blessing and curse of being visually aware of any build up, however the darker the cabinets the dirtier they are up close.

To clean off dirt and grime mix 2 parts of baking soda with 1 part of dish soap and 1 part water in a small bowl. Using a microfiber cloth apply the paste and rub the dirt off, then use a damp cloth to remove any residue. Finally, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe the surface clean.

Stay Away from Your Ovens Self Cleaning Function!

Running your ovens self-cleaning function is easy but can lead to horrible smells and searching for the owner’s manual. Cleaning the oven yourself is easier than you might believe. It takes some time, but the lack of smell and stress will make the time commitment worth it.

First, start by removing the racks from the oven and soaking them in hot soapy water for a few hours and then scrub with a sponge. Dawn dish soap is notorious for being hard on grease and is highly recommended!

To clean the inside of the oven without harsh chemicals make your own cleaning paste by mixing 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water to form a thick paste. Apply the paste to the inside of your oven and leave for 30 minutes. Then using a soft sponge soaked in white vinegar to scrub away the baked-on grime. Finally, wipe out the paste using a microfiber cloth.

Dishwashers Need Cleaning Too

Looking at the bottom of your dishwasher will reveal that not all things are washed away in the Dishwashing cycle. Hard water, grease, and food particles attach to the bottom and walls of your dishwasher and can eventually lead to operation issues. Deep cleaning your dishwasher is recommended 1-2 times a year. Check out this amazing article by The Spruce to see how simple and satisfying it is to deep clean your dishwasher.

Steam Clean Your Microwave

The vinegar-microwave trick is one that we are all familiar with now, but no matter how often we hear about it the truth is that it works!!!! Mix 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 3 minutes. Once the time is finished, leave the bowl inside untouched for 2 minutes and let the steam do the work. Remove the bowl carefully with oven mitts (it is very hot) and wipe down the inside with a microfiber cloth. Little tip: I put a little bit of the mixture on the cloth to help everything slide off smoothly.

Bathroom Cleaning Tips:

Soak Your Shower Heads

Cleaning the shower heads is the last thing you would consider when cleaning the bathroom, but hard water stains and rust can deteriorate any showerhead, not to mention the water coming out of the showerhead is landing on you!

To clean a showerhead, it is very simple. You will need a Ziploc bag, rubber band, hot water, and white vinegar. Mix equal parts of the water and vinegar in the bag and place over the shower head tying off the top with the rubber band. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then remove the bad and use a microfiber cloth to wipe away and loose dirt and particles.

Soap Up Your Glass and Tile showers

For a period of 2 months in my 20’s I worked as a maid and my favorite job was cleaning glass and tile showers! The process can get a little wet, but the outcome is worth the soggy feet.

You will need dish soap (Dawn in highly recommended), a scrub sponge, a QT or Circle K Cup, and a Squeegee. Start by rinsing off the walls of the water, then take the dish soap and apply to the walls. Using the sponge scrub in the dish soap in a circular motion. If you have a tile shower with grout be sure to scrub in the seams. Once the entire shower is a circular soapy mess, rinse the soap off by using the QT cup. Fill the cup with water and at the top of the wall let the water cascade down. Follow up with the squeegee to squeeze off the water. As a finishing touch on glass showers, I do use a window cleaner on the outside of the glass to add a shine!

The Key to Streak less Mirrors and Windows

You know you’re an adult when you have a favorite window cleaner, mine just happens to be Sprayway Glass Cleaner, which you can find in any grocery store. The key to a streak less mirror is a two-part system! First spray down the mirror or window with the solution and then using a Newspaper wipe in circular motions. Then spray the window down again with the solution and using the microfiber cloth wipe horizontally and then finish up by using the dry side of the cloth to wipe vertically.

Mouthwash is a toilet cleaner?

In Arizona we experience hard water and the stains that are left on the toilet bowl are hard to remove. Instead of turning to harsh chemicals and scratchy SOS pads, grab your mouthwash! That’s right your mouthwash doubles as a great toilet bowl cleaner!

Pour approximately 1 cup of mouthwash into the toilet bowl and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Once the time is up scrub the bowl down with a toilet brush and flush. Its as easy as that!

Scrub Away the Years on Your Tile Flooring/Grout

The last thing you want to do while cleaning is getting down on your hands and knees and scrubbing grout, I feel you! However, if you have an area where the grout is horrendous or that white grout you thought was a good idea is now as grey as your grout alternative here is the best homemade grout cleaner recipe that I have found. You will need 1 cup of Dawn and 1 Cup of Vinegar mixed in a spray bottle. Disclaimer: the smell is a little overwhelming. If you are pregnant or have a hard time with harsh smells, I highly recommend using a mask or opening as many windows as possible.

Once you have your mixture spray on the grout and leave for about 5 minutes. Then using a small scrub brush scrub through the grout seams and rinse off with a wet microfiber cloth. You will be surprised the difference it can make on your floors, standing showers, and even backsplashes.

We all love the look of a new kitchen! The cabinets are clean, the appliances are smudge-less, and the countertops shine. However, we all know that life happens, and new clean kitchens and bathrooms are a hot spot for dirt, dust, and messes. If you are looking to spruce up your current kitchen or bath be sure to contact us and schedule a private consultation to go over what you are looking for. Our talented design team will wow you with their designs and ideas.