If you’ve ever wondered what it means to hire a designer for a bathroom remodel — versus just calling a contractor and figuring it out as you go — this post is for you.
A lot of homeowners assume that design is mostly about picking pretty tiles. And while material selection is definitely part of it, the real value of a full design package is something most people don’t see until they’re in the middle of a remodel without one.
I’m Yifat, founder of Jifa Planning & Design, a residential planning and design studio based in Kirkland, WA. Here’s exactly what goes into a full bathroom design package — and why each piece of it matters.
It Starts With a Floor Plan Before anything else, we need to understand the space we’re working with.
A measured floor plan shows the exact dimensions of your bathroom — where the walls are, where the plumbing is, where the door swings, where the window sits. It sounds basic, but you’d be surprised how many remodels run into problems because someone assumed measurements rather than confirmed them.
The floor plan is also where the big decisions get made: Can we fit a freestanding tub AND a walk-in shower? Where does the double vanity go? Is there room for a towel warmer without blocking the door? These questions get answered on paper — before anyone picks up a tool.
Then Come the Elevations
Elevations are drawings of each wall in your bathroom, as if you’re standing in front of it and looking straight at it.
This is where the real detail lives. An elevation shows exactly where the shower head mounts, how high the niche is, where the medicine cabinet goes, what height the wall sconces sit at, and how the vanity looks against that wall.
For a bathroom remodel, I typically draw 4–6 elevations- one for each wall that has fixtures, tile, or built-in elements. Each elevation is drawn to scale and annotated with dimensions, so your contractor knows exactly what to build.
This is also where we coordinate everything visually. A 3D render can show you how it will look, but the elevation is what tells the contractor how to build it.
One detail that makes a big difference- and that most homeowners would never think to ask about- is how fixture heights and pony wall heights are calculated in relation to the tile. If a light fixture lands in the middle of a tile, or a pony wall cuts a tile awkwardly in half, the result looks unintentional even if everything else is beautifully designed. I plan these heights deliberately so that tiles land cleanly, cuts are minimized, and every element looks like it belongs exactly where it is.
It’s a small thing on the drawing- and a very visible thing on the finished wall.
3D Views — So You Can Actually See It Before It’s Built
One of the things clients appreciate most is being able to see their bathroom before a single tile is laid.
I create 3D views of the space so you can walk through the design before it’s built- see how the freestanding tub sits next to the shower, understand how the light will feel, confirm that the finishes work together the way you imagined.
This step saves a lot of heartache. It’s much easier to change the direction of a shower door on a drawing than after it’s been framed and tiled.
A Full Materials and Fixtures Mood Board
Once the layout is locked, we move to materials and fixtures — and this is where the space really comes to life.
I prepare a complete mood board showing every selected element: tile, vanity, countertop, fixtures, mirrors, lighting, hardware. Everything is chosen to work together — not piece by piece over weeks of browsing, but as a complete, cohesive design.
This matters more than it might seem. It’s easy to fall in love with a vanity online and then realize it doesn’t work with the tile you already ordered. The mood board ensures that every decision is made in context, so the finished space looks intentional and pulled together.
Permit-Ready Drawings
Here’s the piece that often surprises people: all of this design work also becomes the basis for your building permit.
In most cities in King County and the Eastside, a bathroom remodel that involves moving walls, relocating plumbing, or changing the layout requires a building permit. The city needs to see drawings — a floor plan, elevations, and specifications — before they’ll approve the work.
The design package I create is drawn to meet city requirements. That means by the time your design is finalized, you already have most of what you need to submit for permits. We don’t have to start over or pay someone else to redraw everything.
What This Means for You as a Homeowner
When you work with a designer on a full package, you’re not just getting a pretty mood board. You’re getting:
- A layout that actually works for how you live
- Drawings your contractor can price accurately — no surprises mid-project
- Permit documents ready to submit
- Material selections that work together as a complete design
- The ability to see your bathroom before it’s built and make changes while it’s still easy
The homeowners who skip this step often spend more in the end — on change orders, on materials that don’t fit, on decisions made under pressure during construction.
The ones who invest in a full design package upfront tend to have smoother projects, fewer surprises, and bathrooms they’re genuinely proud of.
Curious What a Design Package Would Look Like for Your Bathroom?
Every bathroom is different — and so is every design package. If you’re thinking about a bathroom remodel in Kirkland, Seattle, Bellevue, or anywhere on the Eastside, I’d love to talk through what your project involves.
A free discovery call is a great place to start. No commitment- just a conversation about your space, your goals, and what the process would look like for you.
Jifa Planning & Design is a Kirkland-based residential planning and design studio serving King, Snohomish, Kitsap and Pierce County WA.
