From Retro to Radiant: Modernizing a 90s Bathroom and Laundry Room for 2023 in Lake Oswego

Why renovations were needed

This beautiful home, located in Lake Oswego was built in the early 2000’s, and the homeowners wanted to update their master bathroom along with the laundry room. The style pre-renovation was very 90’s and dated. This project was very design-driven, a lot of thought was given to the overall look and feel of the space, and resulted in a very comprehensive search for the right tile and plumbing fixtures. Once the design was finalized, the plan in place, and all necessary permits obtained, the renovation began! 

The Refresh team first started with the demo stage of the bathroom and laundry room. As some aspects of the rooms were being re-used, only a partial demo was necessary, which included removing the bathroom and laundry floor (entirely), cabinet countertops, and the fireplace/tub surround. 

Radiant Floor Heating

Next, radiant floor heat was installed. Radiant heating is the transfer of heat from a hot surface. There are different types of radiant heating systems that provide heat to the house through the floors, or panels in the walls or ceilings of a house. In this case study, the floor radiant system was installed, which will provide homeowners with an energy-efficient way to heat their master bath and laundry room during the winter months, but also keep their feet nice and toasty! 

Marble

Marble, being a natural stone, is an excellent conductor of radiant heating, thus was selected not only for the aesthetics but as a material that efficiently transfers heat from the heating cable to the floor surface. The new, and slightly larger shower, also received marble, with a mosaic insert and marble herringbone pan tile. With a consistent aesthetic in mind, the homeowners also chose marble for the countertops for both rooms. 

Painting existing cabinets

As the cabinets were in great condition, the Refresh team painted and installed new cabinet hardware, giving them a fresh and updated look. Painting cabinets in good condition is a great way to save on a renovation budget. Though, there is a great deal that goes into painting cabinets:

• Prep work, removing existing hardware 
• Clean, ensure the cabinets are thoroughly cleaned and degreased 
• Prime, to establish a good bonding/adhesion
• Sand, to smooth out the primer coat, 
• Paint first coat 
• Paint second coat 
• Install new hardware

Final touches

The plumbing fixtures were precisely chosen by the homeowners, especially the soaker tub. Mostly sought out for their elegant, and ergonomic designs, soaker tubs make a spa-like bathing experience in your own bathroom a reality. They not only provide a comfortable and relaxing environment, but they are also an attractive focal point of the bathroom. The rest of the plumbing fixtures were chosen with the modern, and spa-like flair. 

While the master bathroom and laundry room were Refresh Renovations major renovation spaces, the homeowners also had the team install new flooring in the mud room and upstairs hallway, as well as install the living room fireplace surround and kitchen backsplash. 

Refresh Renovations took this retro-styled master bathroom and laundry room and brought it back to a radiant, modern spa-like atmosphere. Chris, Managing Director/Renovation Consultant of Refresh Renovations, Portland had to say this… 

“Overall, the project turned out great! The primary objective was to get these spaces out of the 90’s and give a much more contemporary and sophisticated look, and I think we achieved this.” 

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