Creating your zen bathroom

Honing a responsiveness to what people in Lake County want, since 1957 the Guhde family has evolved from offering only flooring to becoming a full-service home remodeling studio. Back in the 1990s, when demand for wider selection and value pricing rose, the company chose to join a nationwide co-op brand of independent retailers and became Guhde Flooring America.

This affiliation opened the doors to staying ahead of trends by offering all the latest products to meet any budget.

“It’s always a surprise to us when people say they think they can’t afford our pricing,” says Kitchen and Bath Designer Jillian Brickman.

Time for a Dazzling Update

“This Mentor primary bath was stuck in the 1980s and badly in need of an update,” she says. “The homeowner had picked out her vanity—she took advantage of a sale we were having—then decided to put the project temporarily on hold, so we stored it until she was ready. When she came back to us in the spring, we were ready to roll.”

What they 86’ed: dark wood vanity, large (rarely used) soaking tub, tiny, prefabbed fiberglass shower and dated overhead lighting.

What brings the new space to life: a relocated large tiled shower with a dramatic ledge running along the wall, a frameless glass shower door to put a spotlight on the 12-by-24-inch porcelain marble-look Malta Oro tile, Calacatta Elysio quartz with white base and warm shades of veining for counters, updated canless lighting in the ceiling and modern fixtures over the two vanity sinks.

“We went with small hexagon-shaped tiles on the shower floor to break up the space,” she adds. “To finish the Zen esthetic, the homeowner chose a soothing, barely there spring green for the walls. It’s a transitional feel with luxurious touches, all at an affordable price point.”

Room with a View

“It can be challenging for homeowners to visualize what a selection of flooring will look like in their living spaces,” says Jillian. “No worries. With our Room Visualizer tool, they simply upload a photo of their room and we can bring to life how it will appear. It also gives us the freedom to play around with different cabinet, countertop and paint colors to coordinate with the flooring. Clients tell us the visualizer takes the fear factor away from shopping while making the experience more fun.”

Jillian’s design services are complimentary. She says seeing her clients’ joy after a renovation is complete, with transformed living spaces that reflect their unique design personality, is her favorite part of the job.

“I enjoy creatively coming up with ways to work savings into a design,” she says. “There are always elevated options to achieve the look someone wants for less.”

Guhde Flooring America & Design Studio is located on the terrace level of the Platinum Center, at 7200 Center Street, Suite 100, in Mentor. Access and parking are in the rear of the building. Backed by the buying power of a 500-store nationwide retail flooring group, Guhde Flooring America offers its clients some of the lowest prices, best warranties, and widest selection in the industry. Exclusive financing plans give you the financial freedom to renovate your home whenever you choose. Call 440-639-1990 or visit GuhdeFlooringAmerica.com for more information.