Bathroom Before & After

Deciding on a Design Style

Getting the chance to renovate a bathroom for my husband and I was like the “shoemaker’s children finally getting shoes.”  I spent years as an editor styling, designing and building bathrooms for other people, while I did the best job I could with my own less-than-stellar rental bathrooms.  If I were living by myself, I would have some wallpaper, a myriad of framed art, and aromatherapy strewn throughout - everything that makes my husband stark crazy.  He prefers what I call the “no possessions” look, or in other words, minimal minimalist.  I took it as a challenge to come up with something we both wouldn’t hate every morning.  I like modern too, and doggone it, I can be open-minded.

From Cramp to Bigger

I don’t offer a floorplan but the toilet couldn’t be moved, and you can see how the glass shower took the place of the tub.  From there, we pushed two walls out, and stole square footage from adjoining rooms.

Getting the Look

The look I was going after was hotel modern, and the decorating would be key in giving it a softer, more feminine side.  After a lot of research, I chose the sink vanity as my “Do-or-die-I-have-to-have-this-piece”, and all subsequent design decisions would work around it.  This vanity took three months to arrive from Germany but I trust the Duravit brand for its design and quality.  Even though the Ketho collection was their most affordable line, it was still a little expensive.  I made up for it by finding a neutral modern white carrara marble from Home Depot.  I played out this balancing act throughout the renovation.  

When it comes to showers, I prefer they just be plain invisible.  I immediately loved Vigo’s clean, modern shower door designs with its industrial door rollers.  I was wary of purchasing something this substantial and homebuilder-y from the internet but PlumberSurplus.com was fantastic, and as you could see, a glass enclosure visually enlarges your space, and looks just gorg!

My goal with choosing shower tile was to envision the experience I wanted, which was a sense of calm and serenity.  I found this taupe glass subway tile at a local tile shop, and the light reflecting off it with a shower going is super pretty.  As for the penny tile, I was determined to use it somewhere, anywhere.  

I seem to have this phobia of being wet without a towel within reach, so I put a hook inside the shower far from the water stream, and a hook just outside the shower doors.  I can’t say enough about dimmers, except, “Get them.”  My husband turns it up full volume where heat emanates from the bulbs like a warm hearth fire so he can shave or whatever.  I, on the other hand don’t need to see every pore on my face, and I prefer the low, calm, “spa” level setting.  Kid you not, we have dimmers in EVERY room.

Final thoughts

I haven't started on decorating but this will take time!  If I had to do it over again, I think I would have installed wainscotting on the walls instead of tile.  Wood would have brought in a little more warmth.  Oh well, its always a learning experience! 

{Materials}

Paint on walls and door: Valspar

White marble floor and wall tile; trim: The Home Depot

Vanity and sink: Duravit

Shower system: Hansgrohe

Toilet: Caroma

Shower doors: Vigo, PlumberSurplus.com

Shower wall and floor tiles: Tillary Kitchen & Bath

Hooks, shelf and towel bar: Restoration Hardware

Vanity mirror w light bar: from MedicineCabinetShop.com

Light fixture: Schoolhouse Electric

Hutch: Ikea

Chair: vintage

 

Comments

[Susan P.]

I thought the before was a joke after I saw the after! Great job.

[Merianne]

Nicely done!

[Rosa Sotto]

I can't imagine the work that went into this renovation but thanks for the inspriation.

[Ellie]

Very pretty, I'm liking modern more too! I agree with the glass doors - so industrial but delicate too.

[Jessie]

Gorgeous bathroom! My husband and I also have pretty different tastes when it comes to bathroom design, but I love the spa feel of this room!

I am also in love with the vintage chair. Fits in that space nicely.

[Barb M]

Beautiful job! Also love the pocket door.
You definitely achieved the look you wanted - hotel modern. All very sleek and tasteful.

[T. H.]

looks amazing!!!! I need to send over pics of what we did to our bathroom - I so wish we had glossy non porous tile in our shower tub wet room because I did not get the sealed foo life marble and now we have to scrub water stains off it all the time and reseal it - total pain - it is much better how you did it - place the marble in the sink area/floor where there is little to water splashing

[Alicia]

Thought you did such a wonderful job that I wanted to share it with my readers todayhttp://thingstocherishblog.com/2013/03/08/renovation-bathroom-inspiration/ in my bathroom inspiration post. Thanks for all the great tips!

[Tisha@TISLstyle]

Thanks for sharing Alicia!