before
& after
Chocolate Dream Layers of coffee and cocoa take a dated bath from ho-hum to so yum! BY JOETTA MOULDEN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANET LENZEN AFTER: Installing new diagonally placed large floor tiles, adding tiles from the tub to the window, editing accessories to just a few large-scale items, and creating a custom glass shower enclosure instantly updated this bath. The quirky ledge above the shower was removed, which made the shower feel larger.
When Laura and John Green called me, their basic builder bath was large, but dated. They had purchased an already-built spec home and did not get to pick out any surfaces or fixtures. Without expanding the footprint of the bath, we resurfaced it on a budget, changing nearly every surface. To save money, the couple chose to paint the vanities with Sherwin-Williams’ “Rice Grain” (an oil-based alkyd paint), leave the kneehole area in her long vanity and keep both the tub and tub deck. “We wanted something new and different and were looking for ways to visually open up the room and add space to the shower. Storage for small toiletry items was a real problem, as was the small size of the shower,” Laura explained. The couple added more storage and closed in the existing small medicine cabinets and added extra-large mirrored cabinets on the new, updated mosaic tile walls. In order to add more space to the shower, a long ledge was 18
BEFORE: The old bath was dated with small floor tiles, white vanities, small-scale accessories and a brass shower enclosure. It also had a quirky, dust-collecting ledge over the shower. (See "Before" photo of ledge, page 19).
removed from the back of the shower and the solid, side wall of the old shower was removed, replacing it with see-through glass surround atop a tiled pony (half-height) wall. The ledge above the shower was also removed. In just one visit I developed a plan for remodeling their master bath. “I liked the fact that you were so thorough in making sure that all aspects of the project were addressed and that nothing was left out. You never pushed your vision but rather found ways to bring out our ideas, making them workable. You are good about directing your attention to the choices that needed to be made in order for us to get underway. This meant fewer problems during the implementation phase,” Laura smiled. I suggested the couple continue their color palette from the bedroom into the bath. The walls are painted Sherwin Williams “Ramie”, which coordinates with the dark brown Marron Cohiba granite from Shenoy Stone that was installed by Stone Art Works. The couple chose Dal-Tile’s Mosaic
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BEFORE
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AFTER: A larger tiled shower with pony wall and a frameless shower enclosure by Mirror Gallery Inc., matched brushed nickel metal finishes, painted existing vanity and matching mosaic tile, countertop and mirrored medicine cabinet added functional style to the husband’s side of the bath. The under-mount sink is by Kohler. BEFORE: A small brass shower, mismatched metal finishes and a basic builder vanity and mirror were killing the potential in the husband’s side of bath.
BEFORE
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TRADE SECRETS • Think green—keeping an existing whirlpool tub and painting existing vanities repurposes them, keeps them out of the landfill and saves money, too. • To dress up existing builder vanities, paint them, add granite tops, new sinks, faucets and matching hardware. • Remove dated sheet mirrors and lighting to totally change your bathroom. AFTER: Adding inset mirrored medicine cabinets from Bath & Kitchen Showplace added lots of storage to eliminate the mess on the countertop. New modern mosaic tile up to the ceiling, darker granite countertop and stool, matching brushed nickel hardware from Home Depot, double-glass sconce lights from Carol’s Lighting and Luxart brushed nickel plumbing fixtures from Bath & Kitchen Showplace brought this bath into the 20th century.
Bronze CPAC 9999-413976LUM wall tile, and 16”-square Café Tobacco marble was installed on the floor on the diagonal. The matching tub backsplash tile was cut into 5” squares and the shower tile was cut to 16”x8” and laid in a brick pattern. The same cut tile was used on the floor of the shower in a smaller 3-3/4” square grid pattern. One of the hardest decisions the couple made was deciding which way to go with the existing whirlpool tub. I gave them the option of keeping it and sent them several design photos and offered advice based on budget. “In the end, we kept it simple and left the tub deck as is and tiled the wall behind it with cut 16” long by 8” tall tiles, up and over the deep window sills with 16” square tiles,” Laura explained. The result ties in with the shower tiles and makes the tub look like a more expensive freestanding tub, Laura said. The couple had budgeted $18K for the project and ended up spending $23 K. The items that sent them over their budget were the oversized mirrored medicine cabinets and the granite. “We really didn’t have a specific idea of what we wanted until we walked the granite yard. The Marron Cohiba
• Sometimes the most effective strategy is not to gut your bathroom, but to first rethink the pieces that are already paid for.
granite was not a basic-level granite, but it was definitely worth it to pay a little more,” Laura explained. “The granite could not upstage the dramatic tile we chose and it needed to bring together all the elements in the room. We chose it because it had a more subtle pattern, less veining and it was a dark (chocolate) color which you had recommended to contrast with the floor,” she said. Laura advises anyone to seek professional guidance when taking on a remodeling project. “I think it would have taken longer and we would have encountered many more ‘uh-oh’ moments without the expertise and planning that you were able to offer,” Laura said. As with most of my clients that remodel, the couple admits that at one point it was very difficult to keep the end result in mind. “We think the finished bathroom really did exceed our expectations,” Laura noted. She said the bath was a showstopper when they showed guests around the house and everyone told them it looks like it came from the pages of a style magazine. What a compliment!” she beamed.
Joetta Moulden offers home makeovers using your own home furnishings. See more makeovers on her Web site at www.shelterstyle.com, e-mail her at joetta@shelterstyle.com or call 713.461.2063. Appointments or referrals booked by January 31, 2012 will receive a 15 percent first meeting discount. Shelterstyle.com holds a "Pages of Happiness" rating and, for the fifth consecutive year, a “Super Service Award” presented to 5 percent of companies that achieve and maintain a superior rating on www.angieslist.com. 20
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