5 Must-Haves for Your Luxury Bathroom Remodel

What is luxury? A condition of abundance or great ease and comfort. When designing a luxury home, one of the key factors to keep in mind is functionality, so everything is easily accessible and your comfort comes first! The great thing is, if you’re doing a complete remodel of your bathroom, with careful planning and a little forethought, you can create a luxury bathroom for yourself. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you get that upscale spa experience in your own home! 

If you follow along on our Instagram you may have already seen these, but here’s a round up of five must-haves that we love to include in our luxury bathroom remodels. Click the link for each to see it in action. And don’t forget to write these down on your list of bathroom must-haves, or better yet, pin them to your “Luxury Bathroom Remodel” pinterest board so you can save the photos and come back for the details later.

1. Toe-Kick Lighting on a Motion Sensor

Toe-kick lighting on a motion sensor is something we always recommend. Our clients absolutely love this feature when their project is done and it comes time to live in their new space. To have that little dim light kick on as you walk in for a late-night bathroom visit is such an awesome little luxury in your bathroom remodel. All you need to do is put it on your lighting and electrical plan, or tell your electrician, and you can add this to any vanity that has that recessed toe-kick space. No more fumbling for the light switch or tripping over your own feet in the dark! 

2. A Pull-Out with Electrical Outlets for Your Hot Tools

This luxury bathroom remodel must-have is one the ladies absolutely love and, no surprise, it became one of our most liked instagram reels as a result. When we layout a custom bathroom vanity design, we love to add a drawer with electrical outlets at the back and canisters built-in for your hair-dryer, flat iron, curling iron, or whatever hot tools you may have. That way your hot tools are ready to go without having to unwind it from a messy drawer and plug it in. With safety in mind, docking drawer outlets even offer a function to turn off the power when the temperature gets too hot. 

Pro tip: make sure to consider which hand you use to blow dry your hair so you can place it on the correct side and avoid getting tangled up in chords. 

3. Good Lighting at Eye-Level

Good lighting is one of the biggest factors in designing a luxury bathroom. While downlighting is great over kitchen counters or workspaces, it’s less-than-ideal lighting for  putting on makeup or getting ready for the day. Good lighting that illuminates your face is crucial for a luxury experience. You can accomplish this by adding sconces flanking a mirror at eye level or above the mirror. Adding statement pendants is another fun option, but make sure the light is diffused and bright enough, or add an additional light source like LED back-lighting around your mirror. For a clean minimalistic look, consider a lighted mirror. 

4. Additional Hidden Electrical outlets 

These days we have so many gadgets to plug in—from electric toothbrushes and razors to skincare products and more. And while all these gadgets may mean a luxurious self-care routine, having everything plugged in and on display on your countertop does not give the feel of a luxury bathroom. Tip number four on our list of must-haves for your luxury bathroom remodel is to take stock of what you need in terms of electrical outlets and find creative ways to hide them! 

Pro tip: Inside your medicine cabinet is the perfect place to hide an outlet for an electric toothbrush. You could also tuck an outlet behind an appliance garage cabinet or add another docking drawer.

5. Hidden Laundry Hampers

To truly achieve that luxury spa experience in your newly remodeled bathroom, make sure to include a cabinet that will hide your laundry hamper full of dirty clothes. That way you can step into your new luxury bathroom, throw in the day's attire (forget about laundry until laundry day) and climb into a soothing bath to relax in your new oasis.

For more tips on how to remodel your home like a pro, download our FREE, comprehensive home remodel planning guide for remodeling success! 

10 of the Hottest Trends in Interior Design in Orange County in 2022

10 of the Hottest Trends in Interior Design in Orange County in 2022

A fresh start to the new year, better energy flow, increased endorphins, more time spent at home, the deep need for more harmony and serenity—it’s a long list of reasons why Orange County homes are receiving revamps in 2022. From minor uplifts to major remodels, we’ve put together our predictions of the hottest trends in interior design in Orange County in 2022. 

1. Sustainability Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

It’s no surprise that sustainability is one of the top interior design trends in Orange County, California this year. With more people taking ownership in the fight for a sustainable future, you are guaranteed to see an increase in recycled furniture (like vintage rugs), upcycled pieces (think unique artwork), locally made decor from reusable and/or eco-friendly sources, and rapidly renewable natural materials like cork and bamboo. 

Another benefit of decorating with sustainability in mind is decreased maintenance costs, reduced utility expenses, and higher returns on your investment. Drought-resistant landscaping and energy-efficient lighting will continue to be in high demand for these exact reasons. Fun fact: the greatest ROI you can receive on your home is switching all your light bulbs to LED lights! 

2. Bold Pattern Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

We talk about bold patterns a lot! Why? We love them. Choosing a bold pattern for your wallpaper, tile flooring, accent wall, shower wall, accent rug, or even your headboard or bedding, can change the entire look of your home. This year, we expect to see a lot of bold patterns in black and white. If you’re on a tighter budget, this should be the one area where you splurge! 

3. Texture Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

The texture trends in Orange County are as vast as the types of textures around the world–from soft and nubby boucle and velvet to hard and sleek stone and metal. We’ll talk about a few texture trends we expect to see in 2022, but the biggest takeaway is this: adding texture makes a room more dynamic and interesting and is what gives your home that cozy, warm feeling. 

The biggest texture trends we expect to see is reeded, fluted, or slatted wood.  This ornamental millwork can be used in more modern applications to walls or cabinets to add interest and repetition in a design.

Using naturally woven textures for seating, lighting, small decor items, and tables is also a hot trend that will continue in 2022. And, these naturally woven textures incorporate a lot of other design trends we plan to see in 2022, like earth tones, nature, and sustainability. 

Incorporating delicate black metal has been, and continues to be, very popular for window frames, stair railing, and even furniture details. It can add a contrast to an otherwise bright white space and gives a modern minimalistic style. 

Plastered wall finishes are an excellent way to add texture throughout your entire home. Bonus: plaster wall finishes generally last longer than paint jobs or wallpaper because once it dries, it hardens to a stone-like finish.  

4. Neutral Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

Classic and in-demand: white and warmer neutrals (with a pop of color). This design style never goes out of style—and, it's perfect for the beach towns in Orange County. Start with a white, clean space (white walls, countertops, sinks, furniture, bedding) and add in natural woods (doors, bed and other furniture frames, fixtures, etc.), and finish off with light neutral colors for decor (pillows, lighting, artwork, curtains, rugs). But, don’t forget to add a pop of color with an accent pillow or art or even a funky chair to liven and cozy-up your home.  

5. Nature and Earth Tone Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

Bringing the outdoors into your home using vibrant plant life and earth tones will continue to be a trend in 2022. Aside from looking beautiful, incorporating live plants and fresh flowers into your home can have a significant impact on your mood, improves memory retention and concentration, and reduces stress! If you don’t have a green thumb, consider decorating with floral patterns or photos of plant and animal life as an alternative way to incorporate nature. And, as we mentioned earlier, other natural elements can also be incorporated into your home, like real wood, stone, and naturally woven materials. 

As for color, cool colors continue to trend out and the use of warm earth tone colors (deep greens, warm browns, terracotta oranges, blues) continues to trend up. These colors do exactly what it sounds like—they warm up your home while also adding a level of sophistication. To tie everything together, use brass, gold or black fixtures and frames. 

6. Alternative Countertop Material Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

White marble countertops are always a classic winner, but other more durable countertop materials continue to be sought after particularly in high use places like the kitchen. Other natural stones like quartzite or dolomite are more durable than marble but still give a gorgeous organic look while porcelain countertops copy the look of marble almost identically. Other alternative materials that are trending include concrete, terrazzo, or the most popular quartz. Quartz is extremely dense and impermeable, so it makes a great kitchen counter surface.  We like the look of simple solid or textural quartz that isn’t trying too hard to look like another stone, but instead honors its own man-made quality.

7. Minimalist Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

Minimalist designs can mean a few different things: Marie Kondo-ing your space, using only a few colors in your design pallet, or incorporating thoughtful negative space to make a home feel clean and uncluttered, etc.  We also love that this is a great way to incorporate some of those sustainable materials and a minimal amount of unique hand-made functional decor instead of filling your space with many manufactured items. A few ideas: locally made kitchen table, hand-made ceramic dishes, wall art, or organic linen pillowcases. The possibilities are endless. 

8. Multifunctional Space Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

Going on year three of a pandemic means we continue to work-from-home and school-from-home. We believe the need for multifunctional spaces is here to stay. If you haven’t already, it’s time to create a space for yourself, or for the kiddos, that’s both functional and enjoyable. To do this, here are a few tips to consider: 

• Make sure the decor you purchase meets your needs

• Consider multifunctional furniture

• Opt for an efficient layout

• Skip oversized furniture

• Make smart choices for storage

• If the room is crowded, go for clean colors so it doesn’t feel cluttered 

• Consider hiring a professional designer to help

9. Bathroom Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

One way to give your Orange County home a new look and feel this year is to zhoosh up the bathroom! Transforming your bathroom can make a huge difference in how you start and end your day. For all our best tips to decorate your bathroom, visit our blog! 

10. Curve Trends in Interior Design in Orange County

A way to add charm and character to your home is to incorporate curves and arches. Along with arched entryways and windows, we are seeing more and more curved furniture and decor items. Couches, end tables, accent chairs, bed frames, area rugs, mirrors, and lighting fixtures are just some of the ways you can add curvature to your home.

To see how we can incorporate the hottest trends in interior design into your Orange County home, book a discovery call. At Viève Interiors, it is our mission to help homeowners love where they live because happy homes are the most beautiful homes!

Interior Design: Best Tips to Update Your Bathroom

A quick Google search for the best bathroom interior design tips will return ideas and suggestions to make your bathroom appear bigger (‘opt for larger mirrors’ and ‘let in a lot of natural light’ being a couple of our favorites), to tips for designing a bathroom that is both stylish and functional (we find that the best spaces are both beautiful and practical, would you agree?), and, of course, everything in between.

We’ve put together our best interior design tips to decorate your bathroom, whether you want to spruce it up a bit, or change the look all together. 

SWAP OUT YOUR PLUMBING FIXTURES & CABINET HARDWARE

Changing up your cabinet knobs, faucets, towel racks, and toilet paper holders will make a world of difference for the aesthetics of your bathroom as it’s one of the quickest ways to change the overall look of your bathroom.

We suggest taking photos of the space and each fixture before taking everything off.  This way you can reference your photos to know if you need a single hole, widespread, or center-set faucet.  To switch out your shower head or on/off valve you’ll need to note the brand and type (or better yet, bring the old one with you) to make sure your new faucet fits the rough plumbing in the wall.  If you're replacing the tile and rough plumbing, you don’t need to worry about this and can select a whole new brand and type throughout.  We also highly suggest bringing old cabinet hardware (one of each) with you when shopping so you know what size pulls you need.  But feel free to select a completely different finish and style to really change things up!  You can choose a brand new set in brass, gold, copper, bronze, nickel, chrome, or stainless steel.

Pro tip

Use a good mix of metal finishes in the bathroom.  Just keep all plumbing fixtures the same while selecting a different finish for cabinet hardware or light fixtures.  Here we used glossy chrome plumbing fixtures and hardware, coupled with a matte black metal shower frame and matte black metal fixtures on the towel rack.

Upgrading your tub, shower and sink can also change the entire look of your bathroom, if you’re up for a little more work. You may need to replace countertops or tile, but this update can give you a really relaxing, peaceful place for you to unwind when you need it most.

Choose a freestanding tub

with wall-mounted fixtures to create a luxurious spa feeling while providing a modern and classy look like we did in this bathroom remodel.

TILES, TILES AND MORE TILES

Our next interior design tip to renovate your bathroom is to upgrade your tile.  Select coordinating tiles for the floor, your shower walls, shower pan, and an accent wall or detail.  Pro Tip: one way to add simple, yet effective detail that will tie your design together is to use your accent tile or shower-pan tile on the back of your shower niche. 

Cut costs

by using an Ikea vanity with a sink/countertop combo like we did here, we were able to splurge on this beautiful blue tile floor. Choosing a patterned tile floor is one way to add some fun pizzazz in a small space.

Make a bold statement

by tiling one of your bathroom walls. Here we chose a neutral-colored, matte tile to go with glossy fixtures to add interest and draw you into this spa-feeling dream space.

Create a unique pattern

using untraditional tiles or mix up the direction of a simple subway tile like we did in this shower. Instead of laying tile in straight rows, mixing up the orientation will give you a fresh take.

GO MINIMALIST

If you’re eager to change the look of your bathroom but not quite ready to commit to a full upgrade, go for a white, clean, minimalist style. Clean white lines and a few organic touches to your bathroom can change the entire look. First step: declutter your space. Decluttering is especially helpful if you have a small bathroom—minimal decor can make any space look larger, sleeker, and cleaner.

Next: Create a place for everything. 

Hide any toiletries and items that you want unseen in cabinets and decorative baskets, or on shelves. In this modern bathroom we designed, custom cabinets create a storage space for everything you need.  You can also shop for baskets at places like Target and HomeGoods to corral your products and keep things feeling tidy. 

ADD A POP OF COLOR

The ways in which you can add a pop of color to your bathroom are endless. You can easily, and cost effectively, add some color to your bathroom by changing out your towels and bath mat (try draping a modern, colorful bath mat over a white standalone tub), or incorporating a few succulents or houseplants.

If you love a white or neutral bathroom

try adding a little color with sheer drapes like this design by Kate Walker. We appreciate what a difference the drapes make while still feeling subtle and cohesive with the warmth of the wood tone.

To change the look of your bathroom décor,

consider a bold ceiling paint, creating an accent wall, or changing the color of your current vanity.  In fact, a simple coat in a fresh shade can make the bathroom feel new. We selected this cabinetry in a soft blue-grey to accentuate the cool relaxing vibe.

Play with color

by painting your bathroom door like this Oakland bath by Katie Martinez. With plenty of white to go around, the door adds welcome contrast.

Another way to add a pop of color

to your bathroom is to opt for a stained glass window. While this is not usually our go-to interior design style, we love the way it ties this bathroom all together.

DETAILS, PATTERS & TEXTURES

Sometimes a fresh bathroom design can come from paying close attention to the small details. For example, incorporating a variety of textures into your bathroom can be all you need to see a drastic change. 

We used fluted white cabinetry

and a distinctly-shaped mirror to create that ‘wow factor’ in this clean space.

Add texture to an all-white bathroom

by covering the walls in classic shiplap. 

Here we tied together various details

when we designed a powder room with a simple black and white color palate. We used intricate detail, patterns and different textures like the arched backsplash with unique curves, wallpaper for an accent wall, and gold wall-mounted fixtures and lighting. 

Interested in giving your bathroom a full makeover, minor facelift, or just a little extra pizzazz? We’d love to help. Set up a free consultation with Viève Interiors today. 

Save this blog post for later on your Pinterest Bathroom Ideas Board!