More On Renovations & Remodels
What We Build
Designed Around You, Not a Floor Plan
There is usually a moment when it becomes clear that the bathroom is no longer working. A layout that felt fine when you bought the house but has not aged well. A shower that was never really a shower. A primary suite that stops short of what it should feel like. Most DC homeowners have been tolerating their bathroom longer than they realize.
The question is always some version of the same thing: how do you create something that feels genuinely luxurious without losing the character of a home you love? And in Washington DC specifically, how do you do that inside the constraints of a historic rowhome, a condo with its own approval process, or a property that has not been touched structurally in decades?
The answer is a team that understands both sides of that equation. Design that starts with the space you want to live in, not just the space you have. Construction that executes that vision without the gap that opens when a designer hands off to a separate contractor. One team, one process, one bathroom that looks and feels exactly like what you agreed to at the start.
How It Works
What a Well-Design Bathroom Takes
The details that separate a well-designed bathroom from one that just photographs well are not always visible until you are living in the finished space.
Does the shower feel like a retreat or like a box with tile? Is the lighting doing what it needs to do at six in the morning, not just in the showroom? Is the layout logical or did someone move things around without thinking about how they actually get used? Does the room feel intentional, or does it feel like a collection of nice finishes that never quite came together?
We think about all of it:
- Steam showers, curbless wet rooms, and freestanding tubs designed for how you actually want to use them
- Natural stone, large-format tile, and custom finishes selected for the specific proportions of your space
- Frameless glass enclosures and wall-mounted fixtures that hold up as well as they look
- Lighting plans that layer task, ambient, and accent light rather than relying on one overhead
- Heated floors, digital valves, and integrated technology where they add genuine value
- Structural waterproofing done correctly from the inside out, not layered over an existing problem
- Proper sequencing: permits first, then demolition, rough-in, waterproofing, tile, and finishes
Washington DC bathrooms require an extra layer of thinking. Rowhomes present structural conditions that differ from home to home even on the same block. Condo buildings have life-safety systems, sprinkler locations, and building rules that govern what can move and what cannot. Historic districts add preservation review on top of everything else. We work regularly in Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, and across the District, and we know how to design beautiful bathrooms inside all of it.
Why Blue Star
The Right Team Makes All the Difference
A luxury bathroom renovation involves more decisions than most homeowners expect. Layout, plumbing, tile, fixtures, lighting, ventilation, and storage all have to work together before a single surface gets touched. Getting it right requires a team that resolves all of it before construction starts.
We are an Architect-Led Design Build firm, and on a bathroom renovation that distinction matters. When the architect and builder are the same team, the design is shaped by what is actually buildable within your existing footprint and budget. Our process is built around three things: Lifestyle Driven Design, Craftsmanship with Architectural Details, and a Transparent Process.
Lifestyle Driven Design
A bathroom should work around how you actually use it, not the other way around. We start by understanding your daily routine, your storage needs, and what you want the space to feel like, then design around that before anything gets specified or priced.
Craftsmanship & Quality Details
The materials and finishes in a bathroom take more wear than almost anywhere else in the house. We are deliberate about every selection, from tile and stone to fixtures and hardware, choosing for how things perform over time as much as how they look on day one.
A Transparent Process
Bathroom renovations can involve plumbing relocations, ventilation upgrades, and in older DC homes, surprises inside the walls. We assess what you have before design is finalized and keep you informed at every step so the budget and timeline reflect reality from the start.
Let’s Talk About What Your Bathroom Could Be
We do not do high-pressure consultations. Honestly, they are mostly us asking a lot of questions and being upfront about what is realistic for your specific bathroom, your home, and your budget.
Some clients arrive with a clear vision and just need a team that will execute it without cutting corners. Others are not sure what is possible given the layout and the structure they are working with. Either way, you leave with a clearer picture than you came in with, including an honest read on what is inside your walls and what the right scope of work actually looks like.
If you are thinking about a custom bathroom renovation in Washington DC, that is exactly the right time to call.
Recognized by the Industry, Trusted by Our Clients
Thank you to our wonderful clients, exceptional employees, trusted partners and all those who help us produce wonderful work! We’re proud to be a multiple PRO MidAtlantic awards winner again in 2026 – 8 years in a row.
- Dream
- Design
- Build
- Enjoy
A bathroom remodel is one of the most intimate projects a homeowner can take on. It is the first room you walk into in the morning and the last one you use at night. When it is not working, you feel it every single day. When it is designed well, it changes how you experience your home entirely. Blue Star Design Build brings award-winning design and construction expertise to custom bathroom remodels across Washington DC, with one team managing everything from the first conversation to the final tile.
We serve Washington DC exclusively. That focus matters because bathrooms in this city carry a layer of complexity that projects elsewhere simply do not. Historic rowhomes with pre-1970 plumbing. Condos with concrete structures and building restrictions. Properties in historic districts where even a window change can trigger a review. We have been navigating all of it for a long time. Not just remodeling bathrooms. Designing them.
Happy Clients
Blue Star’s best trait is their attitude. Everyone is unfailing polite, even when things got hard. And when things went wrong, which I fully anticipated would happen, you guys did the right thing every single time.
When you buy from Eric and his team, you can rest assured that they will address problems your inspectors couldn’t see.
The craftsmen used were excellent. We were impressed with their work and attitude and ability to creatively work around issues. The addition seamlessly integrates into the rest of the house and it’s hard to believe that the new spaces haven’t always existed as part of the original home.
Blue Star loved the architectural and design challenges I handed them, and each time I came up with a new idea, they were driven to figure out the best way to deliver.
I was very pleased with my experience with Blue Star. The reason for the top 5-star rating is three fold- the quality of the work, the prices they obtained for materials and the design elements. I did a large renovation (kitchen, 3 bathrooms, HVAC, plus knocked down some walls) which took about 4 months.
Blue Star came in on budget and ahead of a very, very tight and critical schedule. We highly recommend them to anyone considering a renovation.