Sunday, August 21, 2011

Welcome to My Home: Master Bath Makeover

One of the biggest projects we tackled in this house was our master bath.  When we moved in, the master bathroom still boasted its 1984 decor: shiny peach floor tiles, three competing patterns of mauve/gray/peach/green/maroon wallpaper, popcorn ceilings, fluorescent lighting, an art-deco-style frosted glass window, two-toned faucets, cultured marble countertops, gray and teal painted cabinets, and a cave-like shower stall.  Aside from the bathroom's overall spaciousness, it was a disaster, and these "before" pictures don't do the horrors justice:


It was so sad, wasn't it?

For budget reasons, we initially planned only a cosmetic update, but as luck would have it, a shower leak forced us to remodel completely.  :-)

The renovation took much longer than expected because of contractor issues, but ultimately, we got (most of) what we wanted: a streamlined bathroom with a simple layout, luxurious finishes, modern amenities, and a warm, traditional style consistent with the house's architecture.  We didn't over-personalize or do anything too trendy, because we know we'll upgrade from this home within the foreseeable future and wanted to maximize re-sale value. To that money-saving end, we left most of the plumbing and electrical in place.

So, welcome, to the improved master bath:



We punted the 80s-style jetted tub that no one ever used in favor of a double shower with Turkish travertine, oil-rubbed bronze Grohe fixtures (including three shower sprays: traditional, rain, and handheld), and frameless glass.  The window has rain glass to permit privacy while still allowing light.  A long bench provides ample seating, and two niches house all of our toiletries.  The shower now measures 6' x 6.5' and is the centerpiece of the room.







His-and-her-vanities flank the right and left ends of the bathroom and adjoin his-and-hers closets.  We also have a full wall of extra-deep linen cabinets, which add the equivalent of extra closet space.  All of the locally made custom cabinets are solid cherry and stained a dark espresso to complement our bedroom furniture.  The cabinet knobs are from Restoration Hardware, as are all of the linens and accessories.












The countertops are Madura Gold granite; the floor is Italian travertine; the oil-rubbed bronze vanity faucets are from Delta; the wall paint color is Sherwin-Williams Netsuke.  A combination of recessed, pin, directional, and ball lighting replaced the old fluorescents; the ceiling was lifted; an oil-rubbed-bronze ceiling fan helps keep things cool.  And framed photographs of the ocean at Carmel and a river in Aspen are apropos for the water closet.







Much better now, right?

For more of my "home tour," please click on Nest in the navigation bar.

(Sharing with Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch)






(Also sharing with Homemaker on a Dime's RoomspirationSavvy Southern StyleOn Sutton Place, and The Shabby Creek Cottage)

22 comments:

  1. Love the black vanity and cabinetry - simply stunning. The tile-work is gorgeous as well. Such a fantastic space - I bet you are pleased! Hope you have a wonderful week. ~ Stephanie Lynn

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  2. Thanks for stopping by, Stephanie, and for your compliments! The cabinetry is actually a very dark espresso brown, but it reads darker during certain times of day. We are so happy with the space now!

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  3. What a transformation! My favorite part is the spacious shower. Awesome! I see you use Pureology products. I do, too! Don't you love them? Anyway, back to the bathroom. I didn't think your old one was so bad, but the new one is wonderful!

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  4. Thanks for stopping by, Maria. Yep, I love Pureology hair products; it's like a little spa experience every time I wash my hair. They smell wonderful!

    And thanks for the compliments on the bathroom. It not only looks better, but functions better, too. Showering in a leaky cave was no fun!

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  5. Thanks for stopping by, HM-CW! I'm happy to discover your fantastic blog!

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  6. GORGEOUS! Everything looks wonderful, and all of your storage space??? You are so lucky! :)
    Best,
    Gloria

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  7. Wow it looks so awesome! All those cabinets! wowza. I'm just thinking about all the awesome things you could keep in a wall full of cabinetry in the bathroom. Great job.

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  8. Much better! Love it! Great idea to get rid of the tub. I don't know why builders put these huge things in, especially when they are used so infrequently or not at all. The shower looks wonderful. We kept our tub, but when we remodeled our bathroom we got extra room and did a really large, walk-in, glass shower. Best thing we ever did in a bathroom remodel!

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  9. This is just stunning. I love the hardware and all the storage. It was totally worth the time, effort and expense! Thank you for linking up to Open House Party. I appreciate it...try to come back next week!

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  10. Lara: The storage does come in handy -- we store lots of very big towels, pillows, bed linens, extra toiletries, blankets, etc.

    Kathy: I know it's a risk taking a tub out of a master bath, but as busy working parents, we never have time to "soak" in a tub, and we took a calculated risk that most people buying into our neighborhood would have similar lifestyles. And we do have another bathroom on this floor with a tub....aren't big showers marvelous?

    Ann: Thanks for visiting! I love your blog and appreciated your hosting!

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  11. WOW!! It looks amazing!! Love the shower and the tile throughout!

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  12. Looks great and I love the shower!

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  13. Oh, my goodness! Such a beautiful transformation :) Thanks for linking up this totally rocking bath post at Roomspiration blog party :)

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  14. This is absolutely gorgeous!! I love your made over bathroom!! The shower is just stunning!! Would love if you would come share at Feathered Nest Friday sometime! :)

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  15. Beautiful! Lucky for the leak, right? Maybe I have a leak too--I'd better check :)

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  16. Hi,

    I have a quick question about your blog, do you think you could e-mail me?

    Brian

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  17. Just saw this post on Pinterest and I LOVE the double shower. I really want to take our tub out and do the same thing. Do you mind telling me how much it cost? Even a range would be good. Thanks!

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    1. Hi Mindy! Feel free to email me at theculdesacblog AT gmail.com and I'll share more detail with you! Thanks for stopping by!

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