Bathroom renovations are one of the smartest updates to make to your home and we were delighted to be a part of this update. Our clients reached out wisely knowing they would need to update their bathroom for eventual resale, but wanting to enjoy it for the intervening years.

The space was of a reasonable size, but inefficient, with dated finishes.

Master Bath Before

Master Bath Wish List

Our clients wanted a calm, peaceful and airy retreat with luxury finishes and plenty of storage. Their current bathroom was none of those things.

They were happy with just one sink, but they wanted

• a large mirror so they could both get ready at the same time,

• plenty of counter space,

• and plenty of storage.

They also wanted a major upgrade to their builder-basic shower while mindful of the radical height difference between them.

We identified several issues with the current layout:

• an inefficient closet located behind the entry door

• unneeded vanity seating space,

• a shower near the door that was small, dark, and cramped feeling,

• and a lot of wasted space next to the toilet.

Master Bath Design Options

Keeping the shower, sink and toilet in the same positions to save on plumbing costs, we recommended removing the closet, building in tall cabinetry for storage flanking the vanity, and expanding the shower to make use of the extra space. If budget allowed, we would recommend moving the plumbing wall of the shower so that we could create a more open feel and access more light from the window.

We offered several options for an expanded shower with and without a built-in seat, and with and without moving the plumbing wall.

In the end, we opted to move the plumbing wall and expand the shower, but not do a built-in seat. Reversing the swing on the bathroom door easily solved the issue of congestion at the entry.

Master Bath Finishes

The clients wanted an updated, streamlined style and a calm feel for the space. Choosing finishes in taupe neutrals gave us the calm feel, and selecting taupe stained cabinets injected the warmth of wood and a bit of contrast. We paired a pebble tile with a large format strié tile and a quartz appropriately called Aria for our opera singer client - could there be any other choice? Long skinny sconces with glass shades flank the sink and are mounted directly on the plate mirror that spans the entire wall. Mounting fixtures on the mirror effectively doubles the light. Recessed floods in the ceiling supplement the sconces. Lighting at eye level is important to evenly light your face in a bathroom mirror, and these sconces do the job handsomely!

Mater Bath After

The shower and niches were designed to serve our clients who are very disparate heights and wanted very different showerheads - a rainhead shower is mounted extra high for the Mr., and a handheld on an adjustable bar serves the Mrs. Wall niches were also designed to accommodate his and her heights. The shower drain is a tile-in Infinity drain that virtually disappears, and a frameless shower door and glass half wall keeps the shower feeling open and flooded with light from the window.

The project finished just as the pandemic hit and we have not been able to get back for a photo shoot, but we were fortunate that our clients sent us some photos of the finished space! They are delighted with their new bathroom and will be able to enjoy it for years to come and know they have added value to their home as well.