This Bathroom’s Story

Brandon and Anna, a sweet young couple in Grottoes, called us to help them design and remodel their master bathroom.  When they purchased the home almost two years ago, they were really excited about the idea of their very own private bathroom with its large jacuzzi tub. However, looks can be deceiving, and upon moving in, they discovered that the tub was overrated (“we’ve used it maybe once- it just takes up space”) and the shower’s questionable plumbing left it unused (we later discovered the pipes were backgraded, which means waste from the bathroom was draining into the shower waste line- yuck!).  After resigning themselves to use the guest bathroom, the couple decided to save up so they could invest in a new and improved master bathroom- and, wanting to make the most of that investment, they called on Modern Renovations to make their dream bathroom a reality!

Before: Looks can be deceiving

“We’ve never actually used the shower in our Master Bathroom- we’ve been showering in the hall bath since we moved in.”

Assessing the existing bathroom, the things they liked were the large double-sink vanity and Anna’s walk-in closet. They determined a separate tub was unnecessary, and in fact, replacing the jacuzzi tub and stall shower with a single, larger tiled shower stall was a much more functional use of the space. This option allowed for the addition of a large linen closet right in the bathroom, occupying the former shower stall area, keeping towels and toiletries nearby but out of sight.

After reviewing preliminary designs, Brandon and Anna selected a furniture style vanity with a beautiful marble top and a travertine mosaic tile as the shower field tiles.  We selected a smaller mosaic tile with stone and glass for a decorative border as well as metal deco tiles in a rubbed bronze finish. We also utilized Schluter Systems decorative edge profiles in an antique brushed bronze finish to compliment the fixtures and add a nice design element that also functions to protect tiles from chipping and damage where they are most vulnerable.

Since this young couple likes traveling and the beach in particular, we selected a pale sea-colored paint for the walls (Sherwin Williams “Escape Gray”) that has subtle color shifts from blue to green to gray depending on the lighting elements and is the perfect compliment to the warm beige tones in the shower and floor tiles.  The round vanity mirrors in a rubbed bronze finish add a classical element with a hint of a nautical vibe, evoking the idea of a porthole.

This remodel also included a special feature just for him-

Brandon’s one big request was to include a mirror in the shower for shaving. Frustrated with the “fog-free” mirrors he had tried, he was thrilled when Rachael told him we could install a heated shower mirror that would stay fog-free with the flip of a switch- a little touch of luxury that makes this project extra special.