Space planning is an important step when designing any new room, but it is seen as especially critical when laying out tight spaces like bathrooms and offices.
According to V-Create LLC owner Varsha Lafargue, whose Houston-based company offers bathroom remodeling services to clients, new space planning computer programs allow designers to create three-dimensional models of what redesigned rooms will look like once they are complete, before any construction or remodeling takes place.
Being able to visually see what a room is going to look like upon completion is a major benefit to homeowners, many of whom say they have difficulty envisioning how the finished space will look. At Lafargue’s office in Houston, space-planning technology allows her designers to get on the same page as clients before moving forward with projects.
In addition to making it easier for people to visualize spaces prior to construction, space planning also makes it easier for clients to select key materials like fixtures, tiles, and paint colors prior to the start of their bathroom remodeling projects. For clients who utilize the service in Houston, Lafargue says that can end up saving them hundreds of dollars by making the right choices on fixtures and color palates the first time around.
Of course, not every design consultancy firm offers this service for bathroom remodeling projects. In Houston, Lafargue’s company is one of the few that offers actual three-dimensional planning models. Although other firms may offer two-dimension space plans, Lafargue explains that 3-D plans allow homeowners to virtually walk through their spaces before actually committing to changes. Because of this, Lafargue says that space-planning programs have become an absolutely important tool for anyone working in her field.
For bathrooms in particular, Lafargue says that space planning is critical because space is almost always an issue. More so than in nearly any other room in the house, bathrooms are the one place where people want to cram as many fixtures and amenities into one small room as possible.
With proper space planning, Lafargue says that it is almost always possible for people to create spacious, comfortable bathrooms without needing to have tons of space. When rooms are laid out correctly and properly planned, Lafargue explains that everyday life will just be easier for those living in the home.
A few of the key components that always need to be accounted for in the space plan for a bathroom remodeling project include the placement of the bathtub and the shower along with the placement of the toilet and the sink. Increasingly, the homeowners Lafargue works with are foregoing bathtubs in lieu of larger showers.
For a bathroom remodeling project to go off without a hitch, Lafargue recommends that homeowners learn to prioritize in terms of the amenities they want-especially when working with tighter budgets. Fortunately, space planning can make the process, from start to finish, all the more streamlined and simple.