Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

February 10, 2025 by Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

sleek grey marble bathroom with LED lighting, double vanity, and freestanding tub

The vanity is often considered the centerpiece of the bathroom. Functionally, it is the single feature that most visitors will use, and its quality determines the capacity, function, and even style of the space as a whole. Talented designers can wield modern design techniques to create vanities with the perfect size, style, and storage capacity for your bathroom remodel.

However, choosing the best designs for the right vanity can be difficult. We created this guide to choosing vanities to help homeowners and designers avoid a second bathroom remodel due to unoptimized design decisions.

How to Choose a Size

Vanities are available standard or customized in a host of sizes, from those going wall-to-wall in smaller spaces to freestanding island models in more spacious bathrooms. To pursue minimalism, some designers even remodel existing vanities to free up as much space as possible by opting for simple slab-style outcropping on the wall with wall-mounted faucets.

Whether your room is more appropriate for a pedestal sink, a full wall-mounted vanity with in-built cabinet storage, or anything in between will depend entirely on your vision for the space and your square footage restrictions.

Freestanding vanities offer the most versatility in size but, the expected number of users should factor heavily into your ultimate design. In larger bathrooms, twin vanities on opposite walls can be used to accommodate simultaneous users. The right size will utilize the space’s economy while providing maximum functionality to meet the needs of the users.

How to Choose a Style

There are many varieties of vanity models to choose from depending on your space, users, and decor. Here are some basic vanity types to help you get started choosing the perfect one for your remodel:

modern bathroom vanity with black faucet and white vessel sink

Vessel Sink: This type of vanity has a freestanding sink basin that sits on top of the counter. The basin is usually ceramic but can be customized to evoke any material or architectural style, from ornate decorative pieces to minimalist stone bowls. When considering the reach of the end user, be sure to factor in the height of the bowl, in addition to the height of the vanity.
Buffet: A buffet-style vanity may seem vintage, but bathroom remodelers can give them a modern twist. By upcycling an antique wooden vanity and adding a modern marble countertop and hardware to match the surrounding decor, freestanding buffet-style vanities can add style and storage to the room.
Marbled: Marbled vanities evoke high-end spaces with glamor and elegance. Veined marble doesn’t fit every space, but those that accommodate its size and budget can create luxurious, durable vanities.
Island: Freestanding central islands can accommodate multiple sinks. Master bathrooms that are airy enough to accommodate them can maximize storage with these fixtures. The sinks can be separated by a wall and mirror, allowing two users privacy while using the sink.
Wall-mounted: Wall-mounted or “floating” vanities can provide extra storage and floor space while capturing the room’s modern elegance. When remodeling historic homes, many designers turn vintage furniture into wall-mounted vanities, preserving yet updating the home’s decor.

Regardless of the style you and your designers choose, the vanity is central to the bathroom remodel’s functionality and aesthetic.

How to Incorporate Storage

Storage space is an essential concern when designing a vanity in a bathroom remodel. With upcycled vintage furniture, designers can utilize roomy cabinet space beneath the vanity. If more space is needed, floating, pedestal, and wall-mounted vanities can be replaced with roomier pieces.

The goal is to maximize storage space without adding bulk to the room. Depending on the layout, this can be a challenge. However, island and buffet-style vanities represent design possibilities that create opportunities for valuable storage space.

Custom cabinets and drawers can use the space from sink to floor for anything the homeowner needs to store in their bathroom. Even small freestanding pieces can be designed or chosen with maximum storage in mind.

Speak with your designer about the storage constraints in your space and how you can utilize the vanity for better coverage. Modern bathroom remodels should consider the full scope of the room’s functionality, including using the vanity for secondary functions such as storage.

Start Your Luxury Bathroom Remodel Today

contemporary bathroom is designed with a stylish glass shower, warm wooden accents

Many homeowners have a vision for their bathroom vanity but lack the knowledge to execute their remodel accurately. An experienced and certified interior designer can help you choose the right size, style, and storage that makes sense for your situation. Additionally, many interior designers need experienced tradesmen and suppliers to work with them on executing their designs.

Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath can provide the design expertise to create the ideal vanity for your bathroom remodel. Contact our experienced team today to learn how we can supply the designs, materials, and skill to customize your bathroom remodel and achieve your vision.

February 3, 2025 by Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

Maryland bathroom remodel with minimalist design, including a floating vanity, a walk-in rain shower, and elegant fixtures

When properly conceived and installed, walk-in showers can give a premium feel to any bathroom remodel. They can make cramped spaces feel more spacious by adding functionality and modernity to an antiquated space. Though they can work alongside a traditional soaking tub, space permitting, they can also replace it entirely.

For interior designers and homeowners, walk-in showers present an opportunity to add luxury and functionality. Yet, a walk-in shower can also become a burden without experienced installers and tradesmen capable of customizing the design to the specific bathroom space.

These design ideas will help you conceptualize a modernized bathroom remodel with a walk-in shower. However, certified bathroom designers and installers remain the best resource for refining your ideas and creating the right designs for your space.

Creative Layouts

Walk-in showers are a blank canvas for experienced bathroom designers; however, the room’s layout may create certain limitations. Trained designers can use those limits to make creative layouts that complement the space; even with irregular placements, it is possible to incorporate those elements to create a unified space.

Small vs Large Wet Rooms

Wet rooms’ open-concept design makes it easier to incorporate walk-in showers, even in small apartment-sized bathrooms. The designer may use a minimalistic layout in a larger space to take advantage of a large tub, skylight, and open floor space.

Bench Seating

Bench seating in walk-in showers can be a safety precaution and stylish utilization of wall space. Instead of relying on clunky add-ons, integrated bench seating that matches the texture of the adjoining wall can make a walk-in shower feel like a spa, even in a small bathroom.

sleek modern bathroom features geometric tile flooring, white sink basin, chrome faucet, soap dispenser, toilet, and spacious walk-in shower, exuding style

Unified Tiling

Tiling that crosses between the two halves can create the illusion of a more spacious room. Wall or floor tiles can be coordinated in the walk-in shower to create a sleek, more integrated look. This is particularly useful in modernist or industrial-style architecture with stone and metal accents that can give the space a grander scale.

Unifying the tile patterns is not the only possible option. Many designers create distinct yet complementary designs that showcase the division between the floor and walls. This creates a unique look capable of making specific spaces stand out.

Half-Walls

Half-walls or “pony walls” give the walk-in shower partial privacy and can be integrated with bench seating. At the same time, they don’t cut off light from the shower area or make the room feel cramped by reducing visibility. Designers often integrate half walls with glass to keep the room from getting wet while providing visibility.

Bathtubs

While many homeowners and designers use walk-in showers to replace their bathtubs, they can be combined into one space to add functionality to the shower. Tubs can be placed next to natural light with a full view of the shower or even inside the wet room to create more cohesion.

elegant and contemporary ambiance in a spacious bathroom with a walk-in shower adorned with marble tiles and black fixtures

Glass Walls

In addition to half-walls that incorporate both glass and tile, walk-in showers can be enclosed by full glass walls to create a more seamless look while protecting the room from splashes. Given its open layout, the transparency also creates a space that feels larger.

Double Showers

Double showers facing each other from opposite walls can make better use of a larger bathroom space. Glass walls, sliding doors, or half-wall partitions give designers the freedom to make the most of the space with a spacious, luxurious design.

Rain Showerheads

Rain shower heads mounted close to the ceiling, especially in compact shower spaces, give walk-in showers a minimalist, modern feel.

Lighting provides designers a versatile way to create an illusion of space in a cramped walk-in shower or enhance the luxury of a spacious one. Backlighting can also add functionality and mood, particularly in bathrooms without transparent natural lighting sources.

Schedule a Consultation with Maryland’s Top Bathroom Remodelers

modern minimalist bathroom with large format tiles, walk-in shower with frameless glass doors, wall-mounted sink

A walk-in shower can add modern luxury to a bathroom, regardless of the size constraints. Experienced designers can work within limitations to create luxurious walk-in shower designs personalized to your vision for your bathroom, the natural light available, the best materials available for your specific space, and more.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, we provide high-quality designs through our ADA-certified designer (the only one in the area) and professional installers and material suppliers. Contact our team today to learn how we can use your space to create a one-of-a-kind fixture that exceeds your expectations.

January 27, 2025 by Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

kitchen design sketch with wooden cabinets and island

Kitchen redesigns require successful collaborations between homeowners and interior designers. The secret ingredient in this relationship is efficient and honest communication, which helps designers turn their clients’ dream kitchens into reality and avoid the nightmare of a second remodel.

Though the benefits of clear project communication are clear, maintaining effective communication may be easier said than done. Follow these tips to communicate clearly with your designer and achieve the kitchen of your dreams. Designing and executing a vision is a team effort. Though not every aspect of the project is within your control, these strategies will start you off on the right foot.

1. Plan Your Project

Before designers quote you with their methods, timelines, and estimated costs, you should already have a clear idea of the scope of your kitchen design project. This will allow you to create a basic budget plan based on the specific needs of your project before hiring anyone.

This serves two purposes, the first of which is to ensure you get a good deal on your dream kitchen. The other is to edit this “rough draft” of the project before contacting a designer to ensure the project is what you envisioned.

Plan your project to the best of your ability but leave room for compromise in case your designer has any ideas for improvement you may want to incorporate. If you have clearly planned the project’s scope beforehand, you’ll have an easier time negotiating your dream vision with the designer.

2. Look for Experienced Kitchen Redesigners

While you should always look for kitchen designers who offer the services you need to complete your design, you should also prioritize their credentials and past projects. In an internet-driven age, most designers have a large online footprint that includes customer testimonials, photos of past projects, and a list of brands they frequently use.

By including this public profile in your research, you can assess the designer’s qualifications to take on your project, as well as their availability. By getting a picture of their general process beforehand, you can prepare for their initial assessment better-informed of what you can expect from them.

3. Budget Honestly

Extensive kitchen projects can easily get out of hand. While not everything is predictable, homeowners should try to budget their projects honestly. However, if your dream kitchen includes certain luxury materials or appliances, you can speak with your designer about your financial priorities.

It’s important to communicate the aspects that are most important to you, especially if they involve premium items. If you have a realistic estimate of your total budget for the project and a willingness to compromise on certain aspects, your designer can work with you to execute your vision within your means.

4. Trust Their Experience

Homeowners should not be afraid to ask their kitchen designers about their experience with similar projects. At the same time, they should trust their designer’s expertise in making decisions they may not have considered.

As a homeowner with a vision, it’s tempting to set your heart on a luxury material or a certain layout, even if they may not be feasible. Thankfully, your designer may have a different idea for how the space could be better utilized, and homeowners should be open to these suggestions.

Designers have far more experience with similar projects, so they will be better prepared to match the project’s scope to your financial means. Above all, designers want to avoid leaving remodeling projects half-finished due to insufficient funds. They will suggest ways to get as close to your vision as possible within your timeline and budget.

5. Check-in Frequently

Just like in business, good communication in kitchen remodeling is frequent communication. After receiving the designer’s plan, you should frequently check back with them to discuss the project further. If they hit an unexpected setback that impacts the project’s budget or timeline, you should know about it as soon as possible.

luxurious kitchen with a large island, gold faucet and sputnik chandelier, stainless steel appliances

In many cases, the project’s vision may need to shift to accommodate these setbacks. So long as you remain in touch with your designer, you can voice your concerns and ask for alternative options, if needed, to achieve your vision.

In many cases, the project’s scope may have to change. However, experienced designers can renegotiate the aesthetic vision with their clients to stay as close as possible to the original intent.

Start Your Custom Kitchen Redesign Today

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, we understand the difficulties you may face in communicating your vision for your dream kitchen to an experienced designer. Clear client communication is our top priority.

Contact our experienced team today to learn how our experience with similar projects can make your dream kitchen a reality. Even when the project hits a snag, our team will make sure you’re well informed about any issues and solutions as soon as possible.

January 20, 2025 by Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

modern kitchen remodeling project in Maryland home

As kitchens have become central hubs for work and socializing, designing them for accessibility has become even more important. Inclusive kitchen remodel designs that accommodate residents of varying ages and abilities improve the comfort and flow of both the kitchen and the home as a whole.

Yet, accessibility is more than an accommodation for people with disabilities. Today, accessibility is a message that communicates comfort and multifunctionality to potential buyers. It defines a homeowner’s priorities, including their devotion to multifunctionality, and how comfortable the kitchen is to use on a daily basis.

When planning a kitchen remodel or even an initial construction, modern homeowners and designers should make accessibility a main priority in their designs. This guide to designing for accessibility will help you create a balanced kitchen that offers multipurpose functions in a modern space while remaining user-friendly to anyone who visits it.

What is Accessibility?

Accessibility implies safety and accommodation. People with variances in mobility, balance, and sight abilities should be able to use a kitchen space comfortably. However, modern kitchen designers also focus on another key area of accessible design: flexibility. Flexible kitchen designers consider every aspect of the space, including the layout, counter height, the location of appliances, and more to create a user-friendly space for everyone, accommodating multiple types of abilities.

Notably, accessibility does not have to come at the expense of style. Professional kitchen remodelers can help you realize your vision for your ideal kitchen while upholding standards of accessibility. They do this by considering the consequences of each design choice in detail.

For example, moving an appliance to a more convenient location changes the way people move through the kitchen. Lowering the height of the countertops may impact the available storage space which may need to be added elsewhere, and so on.

In other words, designers have taken accessibility to new levels in modern kitchen designs. As kitchens have become more multifunctional, accessibility itself has become more flexible, accounting for more design factors in each decision and making important accommodations for users of all abilities.

Key Accessibility Factors to Consider

Modern designers consider key accessibility factors when creating user-friendly kitchens, including:

modern gray kitchen features dark gray flat front cabinets paired with white quartz countertops and a glossy gray linear tile backsplash

Navigation: Navigation, including entryways and throughways, should be adjusted to accommodate different types of users. Modern user-friendly kitchens include enough space to allow wheelchairs to turn, where applicable, and multiple people to enter, use, and exit the kitchen at the same time.
Floorspace: Adequate floor space is key to allowing enough room to use appliances and cabinets while keeping the kitchen throughway open. If the kitchen includes an island, there should be at least 3 feet of space around the edge on all sides.
Countertop and storage space: Countertop and storage space are critical to making kitchens more user-friendly. Pantry shelves should not be placed higher than 3.5 feet to accommodate most users.
Appliance, sink, and stove location: Appliances should be arranged to encourage ease of use. For example, microwaves should be placed at counter height to make transporting food easier. Stoves should have front controls that are easy to reach and counter space on either side.

Professional designers can go into even greater detail with modern kitchen designs. They consider the locations of outlets, the most likely routes from the sink to the stove, the location of trash cans, and more to create spaces with maximum accessibility.

How to Design a More Accessible Kitchen Remodel

To think like a professional kitchen remodeler, consider these steps to designing a more user-friendly kitchen:

Assess Needs: Residents with specific needs should have those needs addressed in their kitchen designs. However, the needs of average users can also be accommodated with user-friendly design choices, such as the locations of appliances, sinks, and outlets.
Create a User-Friendly Layout: Floorspace, counter space, shelf height, and flow contribute to the kitchen’s usability. A user-friendly layout has clear paths between key points such as the sink and oven, enough floor space to accommodate multiple users, and room to open and close cabinets and doors without obstructing throughways.
Prioritize Safety Features: Professional designers prioritize safety features to make kitchens more user-friendly. Ovens should have forward or side-facing burner controls with clear counter space on either side. Microwaves should be placed at counter height. There should be enough floor space to allow multiple people to use the kitchen without crowding each other.
Innovate Storage: Maximizing storage space is a key concern for modern kitchen functionality. Designers can innovate on storage with toe drawers, built-in appliance storage, vertical shelving, and more to make everything easier to store and find.

Book a Consultation with Our Professional Maryland Kitchen Remodelers

Accessibility is a significant factor in the quality of a modern kitchen design. Modern designers can accommodate users of all ability levels and ages, increase the resale value of the house, and improve the comfort of the current residents by prioritizing accessibility.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our team prioritizes usability in kitchen remodels and designs to create spaces that are centerpieces for sociability, usability, and functionality. Contact our experienced team today to learn how our team can bring your dream kitchen to life with user-friendly, multifunctional designs.

January 13, 2025 by Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

Kitchen remodels can be intricate processes that require careful consideration. Relying on a professional for the remodel, allows homeowners to benefit from expertise, especially in identifying red flags and initiating repairs before proceeding with the project. Structural integrity is non-negotiable for any remodeling project, not only to maintain safety and regulatory compliance but also to prevent costly mistakes.

To help you avoid common structural constraints in kitchen remodeling, consider the following factors before beginning your project, including frame assessments, building code compliance, permit approval, and more.

Kitchen Remodel vs Kitchen Renovation

A kitchen renovation is usually smaller in scale when compared to a kitchen remodel. Renovations typically make minor upgrades to the kitchen’s aesthetics without changing its structure. Popular renovations include getting new cabinet finishes such as knobs and pulls, or replacing external hinges for internal hinges. Upgrading one or more appliances, modernizing lighting fixtures, or repainting the walls are other common renovations.

Conversely, a kitchen remodel alters the structure of the room with a new layout or addition, or blending two rooms to create more space. This distinction is important for homeowners to understand because while a renovation is often a good match for a DIY project, a remodel usually requires the experience of a professional interior designer to maintain structural integrity throughout each step of the process.

Steps to Assess Structural Constraints

These steps can help you prioritize safety and compliance in your kitchen remodeling project. While color, millwork, and other details often preoccupy DIY home designers, professional home remodelers know that structural foundation should be the priority.

1. Assess Foundation

The first step is to look at the room’s structural foundation and ensure it can withstand the remodeling process. The walls, beams, and supports hold up the weight of the room while the floor joists support its load. These structures should be reviewed for safety compliance and condition before proceeding.

2. Assess Capacity

As part of the foundation assessment, make sure the frame and joists are capable of bearing the load of any add-ons you might be planning. It’s not enough to assess the foundation’s current condition if new cabinets, appliances, kitchen islands, counters, and more will be added during the remodeling process.

Always plan ahead to incorporate the new predicted weight capacity of the room when testing its structures.

3. Inspect for Damage

While checking the capacity and integrity of the room, inspect for damage to the foundational supports, beams, and floor joists. Any signs of damage such as wood dust or cracks should be a red flag to inspect the foundation further. The root cause of any wood rot, infestations, or sagging should be addressed before proceeding with the remodel.

Benefits of Professional Structural Assessments

A professional structural assessment offloads a complex regulatory task from the homeowner to skilled kitchen remodelers. When hiring a professional remodel team, they should have experience conducting inspections, making load-bearing calculations, and more. Consider how a professional remodeling team can help complete your project with these key benefits:

Knowledge and Experience: Professional remodelers understand the permit process in the local area as well as building code and regulatory requirements. They have experience conducting damage assessments and are more likely to notice key details missed in a homeowner’s DIY assessment.
Safety Assurance: Professional remodelers ensure stability in their new constructions while assessing the condition of existing ones. During their assessment, they will check for damage and code violations to ensure your foundation is compliant and safe.
Financial Savings: Professional assessments help homeowners future-proof their homes against damage and code changes by modernizing the structure during the remodeling process.
Regulatory Compliance: Professional remodelers understand the regulations in your area, keeping your project compliant. If you need permits for the remodel, they typically apply for these.

Where structural integrity is concerned, early detection is key for a smooth remodel. This will help in maintaining compliance with building codes and permits, and avoid costly setbacks. While homeowners can research local regulations, structural issues, and code violations independently, a professional kitchen remodeler is better positioned to help you realize your ideal kitchen without sacrificing safety in the process.

Start Your Maryland Custom Kitchen Remodel with Professional Guidance

Homeowners often confront unforeseen challenges during kitchen remodels. Structural integrity is a major concern since inaccurate damage assessments can lead to code violations, costly equipment failures, and unsafe additions.

To keep themselves and their families safe, homeowners turn to experienced remodelers to guarantee safety and maintain regulatory compliance throughout the remodeling process.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, we prioritize structural integrity when remodeling and designing kitchens. Contact our experienced team today to learn how our history with kitchen remodeling projects will help us bring your dream kitchen to life while accounting for your unique constraints. Avoid the costly inconvenience of a second kitchen remodel by hiring well-informed designers to do it right the first time.

January 6, 2025 by Southern Maryland Kitchen Bath Floors & Design

modern kitchen island remodel in MD home

In recent years, islands have become essential focal points of the modern multi-functional kitchen remodel. This is partly due to the rise of remote and hybrid workers, who use open-concept kitchen spaces for work, entertainment, and more.

Regardless of the cause, purposeful kitchen islands have become extremely desirable and now serve multiple functions incorporating seating, sinks, storage, workspaces, and even appliances. Depending on the available space, a kitchen island can become a social and functional extension of the kitchen to enhance the flow of the entire open-concept area.

In this article, we break down three key considerations for designing a multi-functional kitchen island for a modern kitchen space. Homeowners should not rely on one-size-fits-all kitchen island designs. Making a purposeful addition to your open-concept space requires the right layout, design elements, and professional guidance.

1. Size Selection

The size of the kitchen island impacts the look and functionality of the entire kitchen. If it’s too big, the kitchen can become cramped, blocking full access to appliances and storage. Yet, an island can be short-changed on size, limiting its usefulness.

A good rule of thumb used by kitchen designers is to make sure that kitchen islands have at least four feet of floor space around each side. This should quickly identify the right size, providing enough room for cabinets and appliances to be used comfortably.

When following this rule, an island can become too small to be useful. If it has to be 3-4 feet in length or less than 3 feet wide to fit comfortably, homeowners and designers should consider alternatives to kitchen islands, such as tables. If your kitchen is suited for an island, don’t despair; a kitchen remodeling company will be able to provide other exciting design ideas to match your space and goals.

2. Maximizing Storage

Kitchens of all sizes should be designed to maximize storage without sacrificing key functionality. Therefore, the new island should be optimized for storage utility depending on the available space in your kitchen.

For example, extra amenities like a mini fridge, rinse sink, or breakfast bar can be enticing, but they also take up space that could be reserved for storage. Despite being less exciting, extra cabinets and drawers, customized to the height of the island, may be a more functional addition to the design, as well as end cap shelving.

white theme kitchen with island and cabinets

Although a breakfast bar may be a superior priority over storage, it should be reconsidered. The need for alternate eating areas may change over time, but seldom does the need for storage decrease in a kitchen! Expert home designers help homeowners maintain the right priorities when designing their islands.

3. Maintaining the Workflow

In the post-pandemic workplace, demand for remote and hybrid work options is higher than ever. As a result, kitchen islands have become useful additions to the home’s workflow, both in terms of the movement between spaces and the tasks that residents hope to accomplish.

For example, consider the “kitchen work triangle,” a rule often used by professional designers to keep the three key workspaces: the sink, stove, and fridge, between 4 and 9 feet apart. According to the rule, this spacing results in proportions that maximize functionality, allowing the workspaces to function in tandem without overlapping.

In theory, a kitchen island can disrupt this workflow if it blocks easy access to the stove from the fridge, or any other side of the “triangle.” However, islands can also be designed with this workflow in mind to maintain the natural rhythm of the kitchen, such as by incorporating a sink, fridge, or cabinet into the island itself.

When designing multipurpose islands, designers should consider how key points in the workflow interact and how the island can disrupt or encourage a better workspace. Even lighting can factor in. When sufficiently lit, an island can double as a cutting board, cooktop, breakfast bar, table, desk, and more.

When designing a multipurpose kitchen island, professional designers consider both how the island impacts the existing functions and how it can add new ones.

Trust the Experts at Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath With Your Multifunctional Kitchen Remodel

While DIY kitchen designs can work, they often lead homeowners to unnecessary and costly second renovations. The temptation to include a large central island is too much for some homeowners, who don’t recognize the limitations of their floorplans.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our team helps homeowners design ideal kitchens by incorporating their visions without sacrificing functionality. When properly designed, kitchen islands can become multi-purpose focal points of modern kitchens, providing homeowners with a better workflow in their home’s most important and central space.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you focus on functionality when designing a beautiful new kitchen island. We can help you balance your stylistic goals with the basics of good design to execute your ideal kitchen and avoid costly mistakes along the way.