Kenmore's housing stock — mid-century ramblers, 1970s split-levels, and lakeside builds along the north end of Lake Washington — produces a consistent bathroom profile: small footprints, original tilework, limited ventilation, and layouts that made sense decades ago but fight against how households use bathrooms today. Armada Design & Build has been remodeling bathrooms in Kenmore since 2011. We've worked in Inglewood, Arrowhead Point, and Kenlake and know exactly what these spaces can become.
What Kenmore Bathrooms Actually Need
The mid-century ramblers that make up a large part of Kenmore's residential stock have bathrooms built around a 5x8 or 5x9 standard — the minimum code allowed at the time. Original cast-iron tubs, pink or avocado tile, single-light vanity fixtures over a pedestal sink, and no storage because storage wasn't considered part of bathroom design in 1962. These are the bathrooms where a full gut renovation delivers the most dramatic return — not because the footprint changes dramatically, but because absolutely everything in it improves.
The 1970s split-levels in neighborhoods like Arrowhead Point often have bathrooms on multiple levels — a full bath upstairs and a half bath at the entry. Upper baths are usually larger but suffer from the same dated materials: cultured marble surrounds, lifted vinyl flooring, vanity lighting that creates shadows rather than illuminating faces. The half baths are cramped enough that fixture efficiency and material selection matter more than layout changes.
Lake Washington proximity is a material consideration specific to Kenmore. Humidity is real year-round, and bathrooms without proper ventilation — which is most original Kenmore bathrooms — develop moisture problems behind walls and under floors that have to be addressed before new finishes go in. We scope for this at every project and don't tile over moisture damage.
Every Kind of Bathroom, Done Right
Master Bathrooms
Walk-in showers with frameless glass, freestanding or built-in soaking tubs, double vanities where the footprint allows, heated tile floors, and proper exhaust ventilation. Kenmore's older homes often have the square footage for a genuine master bathroom — it just hasn't been used well yet.
Hall & Family Bathrooms
The shared family bath in most Kenmore homes is a 5x8 with a tub/shower combo. The goal here is efficiency: large-format tile replacing the old surround, an upgraded vanity, proper ventilation, and quality lighting — the space feels significantly larger without touching its footprint.
Guest Bathrooms
Compact spaces where material quality matters more than scale. A well-tiled guest bath with a quality vanity and decent lighting reads as a finished, deliberate space. We help you make smart material decisions for tight budgets in secondary bathrooms.
Powder Rooms
Half baths are high-visibility, low-square-footage opportunities. A statement vanity, interesting tile, and good lighting can make a 30 sq ft powder room into something genuinely memorable. Kenmore's entry-level half baths in split-levels are often the highest-impact per dollar spent.
Bathroom Remodeling Services in Kenmore
Full Gut Renovations
Demo to studs, moisture assessment, new waterproofing membrane, tile backer, and completely rebuilt from scratch. The right approach for any Kenmore bathroom with original 1950s-70s construction.
Shower & Tub Conversions
Tub-to-shower conversions for master baths where the tub is never used. Frameless glass enclosure replacements. New tub surrounds in large-format tile that eliminate grout-line maintenance.
Vanity & Storage
Custom and semi-custom vanity cabinets sized for your actual bathroom. Recessed medicine cabinets. Floating vanities that make small bathrooms read as larger than they are.
Tile & Flooring
Large-format floor tile, mosaic accents, wall tile to ceiling height, and heated floor systems. In-house tile installation — no subcontracted setter who doesn't know the rest of the project.
Ventilation & Moisture Control
Properly sized exhaust fans, moisture-resistant drywall, and waterproof membrane systems behind all wet areas. Non-negotiable given Kenmore's lake-adjacent humidity conditions.
Lighting & Fixtures
Vanity lighting that actually illuminates faces, shower lighting on separate circuits, and fixture selections that work together as a cohesive design rather than a collection of individual purchases.
Moisture Management Comes Before Everything Else in Kenmore
We've opened walls in dozens of Kenmore bathrooms and found moisture damage that previous contractors tiled over rather than fixed. New tile on a rotted substrate lasts 2-3 years before cracking, lifting, and molding. We assess every wet area before new materials go in — and don't close up walls until the substrate is sound. In a lakeside community like Kenmore, this isn't optional. It's the difference between a bathroom that lasts 20 years and one that's back on the schedule in five.
Our design-build model means the same team that assesses moisture conditions designs and builds the repair. No finger-pointing between a demo crew and a tile contractor when something gets found — we own the whole project from first visit to final caulk line.
From First Visit to Final Walkthrough
Site Visit
Moisture inspection, ventilation evaluation, layout review, and structural assessment.
Design
Full tile plans, fixture selections, 3D renderings, and complete material schedule before anything is ordered.
Permits
Permit package submitted to City of Kenmore for plumbing or structural changes.
Construction
Demo, moisture remediation if needed, waterproofing, tile, fixtures, and finish work — one crew, one PM.
Walkthrough
Every grout line, every caulk joint, every fixture checked before project close.
What You Get When You Work With Armada
- 14+ years remodeling bathrooms in Kenmore and the Northshore
- Moisture assessment on every project before new materials go in
- In-house tile installation — no subcontracted tile setters
- Single project manager from first visit to final walkthrough
- Itemized estimates with no mid-project surprises
- Written change orders on every scope change
- 3D renderings and complete tile plans before construction begins
- References from completed Kenmore bathroom projects on request
Kenmore Neighborhoods We Serve
We've remodeled bathrooms throughout Kenmore. Call us if your neighborhood isn't listed.
Ready to talk about your Kenmore bathroom?
(425) 491-4734How can we help?
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