Planning a Bathroom Remodel in San Jose

Short answer: Plan a bathroom remodel in this order: list what does not work today and measure the room, settle the layout and where the storage goes, choose the vanity and any other cabinetry, then pick finishes. Layout and storage are the hardest decisions to change once work starts; finishes are the easiest. Excelle Kitchen & Bath is a cabinet and storage design studio, not a general contractor: it plans the space and designs and supplies the vanity and cabinetry from its San Jose showroom at 1350 Ridder Park Dr, Suite B, and licensed contractors (partners Excelle works with, or your own) handle demolition, plumbing, electrical and installation.

Start with what does not work today

Before looking at a single vanity, write down what the bathroom gets wrong now. A drawer that hits the toilet. Two people who cannot use the sink at the same time. Towels with nowhere to go. A door that swings into the vanity. That list decides the plan.

Then measure the room: wall lengths, ceiling height, and where the door, window, toilet and existing plumbing sit. Photos from each corner help a designer see what the measurements miss.

Settle the layout and the storage

A bathroom that only looks dated may need new cabinetry and finishes and nothing more. One that does not work may need a layout change, and in a bathroom that can mean moving plumbing or walls, which brings permits and a licensed contractor into the plan; the City of San Jose publishes guidance on when residential remodels need a building permit. Excelle plans the layout and the cabinetry around what the contractor confirms can move.

Size the vanity to what the room needs to hold, then check it against the walkway and the door swing; choosing a bathroom vanity lists common widths, depths and heights and what to measure. If the vanity cannot hold everything, a tall linen cabinet or a medicine cabinet can take the overflow. Decide that while the plan is still open, because a cabinet added late has to fit around what is already there.

Choose the vanity

Excelle's vanities come in three directions, traditional cabinet-style, modern floating and furniture-style, and the bathroom vanities page compares them. In a remodel, let the plan choose: a floating vanity keeps the floor visible but needs a wall that can carry the cabinet, top and sink, which is a question for your contractor before the wall is closed up.

Match the rest of the house

Vanities come from the same brands and construction methods as Excelle's kitchen cabinetry, so a bathroom can carry the same door style and finish as the kitchen. If the kitchen will be redone later, choosing the vanity finish alongside the kitchen's helps the wood tones and paint colors work together.

Leave finishes for last

Door color is the most visible decision and the least consequential one. Fix the layout, the storage plan and the vanity construction first; the finish can change late without touching the plan. At the showroom, door styles, finishes and hardware are on display, so you compare them in person rather than from a catalog.

Who does what

Excelle follows the same four steps on a bathroom as on any project: a consultation about the room, what it needs to store and the look you want; space planning before any cabinet is chosen; design and selection of the vanity, cabinetry, door styles, finishes and hardware; and delivery and support, coordinating the order and connecting trusted partners for the rest of the project. Excelle does not pull permits, run plumbing or electrical, or install; a licensed contractor does, whether one Excelle works with or your own. Our team works in English and Chinese.

Visit the showroom at 1350 Ridder Park Dr, Suite B, San Jose, Monday to Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, book a design consultation or call 650-285-0888. Remodeling the kitchen too? See kitchen remodel design in San Jose.