Client Interview: Laura
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How This Retired Homeowner Took her Retro Guest Bathroom from “Dated” to “Elevated” with Downy Home Remodeling
Post-Project Interview with Chautauqua Neighborhood Resident Laura, by Downy Home Remodeling - April 2026
Hi Laura, can you start by describing your bathroom before the remodel?
Laura: I would describe it as a very 70’s-inspired bathroom. It had a lot of the original elements from that time. There was kind of a Southwest-style tile border, and lots of that bisque color that was really popular then. I did change the toilet at one point, but overall it was still mainly bisque.
There were built-in cabinets that were very old. They still looked okay because someone had cleaned them up somewhere along the line, but they were definitely dated. The shower was very small, the bathtub was really small, and there was a soffit overhead that made the tub feel even smaller. Overall it just wasn’t a very inviting place.
Did you use that bathroom?
Laura: My daughter used it, and guests used it too since it’s in the middle of the house. But nobody ever really took baths in there, except maybe the dog.
Was the bathtub one of those where your knees stick out no matter what?
Laura: Yes! It was very short. Some part of you was always sticking up out of the water. I added a half sliding glass door over the tub at one point, but the original tile was still there from when I moved in ten years ago. Little square bisque tiles. The grout was old and everything looked worn. So it definitely needed an upgrade! I had been thinking about remodeling it ever since I moved in.
“Wayne was highly competent and communicated really clearly. He plainly explained what would work and what wouldn’t.”
What finally made you decide to pull the trigger on the remodel?
Laura: After I retired I finally had the time! I started looking at ideas for what I really wanted before finding someone to do the work. Once I had a general vision, I hired a designer. The bathroom doesn’t actually resemble that design very much now. Some aspects stayed, but there were also things I didn’t like.
After that, I found Wayne. I had spoken with a couple other people before him, but when Wayne came over he was highly competent and communicated really clearly. He plainly explained what would work and what wouldn’t. He explained which of my ideas weren’t practical, and had great ideas of his own, which proved to be incredibly helpful. For example the designer had the shower laid out in a different direction, but Wayne suggested turning the layout so you could reach in and turn the water on before stepping into the shower without getting wet. That small detail makes a huge difference! I wouldn’t have thought of that level of functionality until it was too late. That would have ended up being an expensive fix over a small annoyance.
He also suggested things like the heated floor and the heated toilet seat. Those are small touches that really make a big difference, you very quickly wind up not knowing how you lived without them all these years!
“I very much appreciated the level of cleanliness that was maintained throughout the remodel.”
What features did you already know you wanted? What did the designer help with, and what did Wayne add?
Laura: The designer mainly helped with the layout. She suggested reducing the size of the vanity so there was space on either side, and adding built-in shelves where the closet had been to open up the room. That was helpful. But the color schemes she chose were not something I liked at all. She also selected products from places like Wayfair and IKEA, and when I saw them in person they just weren’t very good quality.
When Wayne came in, he reviewed the design and said he could lay it out with his design software and create renderings so I could visualize it, which made me feel much more confident about making my own changes to the design.
We knew from the start that the bathroom would be completely gutted. The demolition happened very fast! The walls, floor, everything was gone in two days without a trace. And I will say I very much appreciated the level of cleanliness that was maintained throughout the remodel. My floors were protected and everything was clean and organized at the end of each day. It never felt like I was living in a construction zone.
“From beginning to end it was a really positive experience. Communication was great, the craftsmanship was impeccable, and everyone I worked with was wonderful to have around.”
Do you have a favorite design feature of the finished bathroom?
Laura: I have a few! I love the heated floors and toilet seat, and the LED mirror. I love the design of the shower with the separate rain showerhead and the handheld showerhead next to the bench. I also love how the quartz pulls everything together- the bench top, shelving, and vanity all match. And I love the tile. The color combination really works for me.
I love the shower tile! Did you select that first and design around that?
Laura: Yes! I saw it on the Daltile website before I even went to the showroom. I walked in and said, “That’s the one I want.”
The way it’s installed vertically is called “soldiering.” The designer at the showroom helped match the rest of the tile and flooring.
Did anything turn out differently than you imagined?
Laura: Everything turned out better than I imagined.
At first I was trying to keep costs very low. But when I saw some of the cheaper materials in person, I realized it was worth spending a little more to get things that would last and look good. In the end I’m really glad I did. Those little luxuries make a huge difference.
There was an issue with the original vanity I bought. It looked beautiful online but the quality wasn’t good. Wayne had already run the plumbing and installed it when I realized I couldn’t live with it.
Wayne patiently removed all the plumbing, took the vanity out, and I resold it on Facebook Marketplace. That set the project back a few months because the new custom vanity I went with had to be built before the quartz countertop could be measured and cut, which meant I had to wait to cut the quartz for the shower bench and the shelving as well. And then once the vanity was built, the drawers, doors, and hardware had to be ordered separately, and then the painter had to paint the vanity and matching open shelving. The sequencing of that vanity was what really took time, which I wasn’t expecting. But once I decided what I wanted, Wayne knew who to work with and helped organize the process to streamline operations.
“Wayne knew who to work with and helped organize the process to streamline operations.”
I love that you went with an LED mirror over the vanity. Was that something you knew you wanted?
Laura: That was Wayne’s idea too. He brought it over one day and said, “here it is, we can order it.”
And at first I thought, I don’t know if I can live with this. For people in my generation, LED lighting is still something we’re getting used to. But now I absolutely love it! It gives off so much light and you can dim it and change the color temperature as well. The lighting in the shower and throughout the room is wonderful. I love the ambiance it creates. I’m so happy he suggested it.
What was it like working with Downy Home?
Laura: It was fun! From beginning to end it was a really positive experience. Communication was great, the craftsmanship was impeccable, and everyone I worked with was wonderful to have around.
Honestly, it was more fun than any other experience I’ve had working with a contractor.
Wayne even brought his smoker over here!
Laura: Yes! We all had a Labor Day barbecue. I had never even seen a smoker before. I thought it would be this little thing, but it was huge.
He taught me how to smoke pulled pork and chicken. He’s a great teacher too.
“Honestly, it was more fun than any other experience I’ve had working with a contractor.”
What advice would you give someone thinking about remodeling?
Laura: First, call Downy Home!
But more seriously, there are a lot of decisions involved. You need to work with someone flexible and knowledgeable who can guide you through the process.
You also need patience with yourself because you’ll be making hundreds of small decisions—tile orientation, faucets, colors, lighting, and more.
And choose colors you love! Don’t pick something just because you think someone else might like it. It’s you who is going to live with it!
How has the remodel impacted your life?
Laura: When I walk into that bathroom, I feel so much better than I used to. Now instead of always thinking about how to improve it, I can relax and enjoy how it’s exactly what I want. It’s just a really beautiful, comfortable space that makes a huge difference in my quality of life. I’m so glad I finally went through with it!
“Now instead of always thinking of how to improve it, I can relax and enjoy how it’s exactly what I want.”
Read more about Laura’s kitchen remodel project on her dedicated project portfolio page.
For more client interviews, click here.