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 Roomspiration, Savvy Southern Style, On Sutton Place, and The Shabby Creek Cottage)