Vanities are 24" wide not 42" (I swear I typed in 24!!!).

Beautiful and creative!

cat_mom, how beautiful! What an ENORMOUS difference from before :) I especially love the tile in the master bathroom, and how it goes with the art over the toilet.... and that FAB Anthropologie shower curtain. That is so gorgeous! Like a Spanish Flamenco dancer's skirt :)

Lovely bathrooms! love the circular patterns in one. i love hansgrohe faucetry.

turned out really nice. tell me more about the radiant floor heating. i experienced it recently at a hotel and fell in love!

Don't take this negatively, but what was the reasoning for the shower curtains instead of glass enclosure to go with the rest of the gorgeousness...(i ask this of everyone). I must be a squeegee manufacturer ;)

Thank you gingerjars, stacyneil and my old friend pharaoh!

Yes, definitely an enormous difference!!! We waited 'til we could do them how we wanted, which meant waiting 11 years after we moved in, much to my parents' chagrin.

DH calls that shower curtain a prom dress!

pharaoh--what would you like to know about the floor heat? We went with Nu-Heat for a few reasons. Biggie was the fact that our tile guy really likes/prefers installing it (vs others). Their mat is fabric-like and therefore easier for him to work with and lay-out flat. DH, as I'd mentioned, was very impressed with the support they offered him during his initial phone calls inquiring about the products they offer, and later during the measuring and ordering process.

We absolutely love having it! There was no question we'd use it in the MB--that bathroom (and our bedroom) is over the garage and the floor is like ice in the winter. I had to convince DH to get it for the hall bathroom as well. Although that bathroom is directly over the utility room, and therefore warmer by default, I knew DH would kick himself and be wishing we'd installed floor heat there as well.

I don't think the mat/wiring runs under the saddles, so those are noticeably colder than the floors themselves. Had we known about this, we might have inquired if it was possible or requested that they be heated as well. We did opt to get their custom mats given the small sizes and configurations of our bathrooms.

As for the shower curtains, we deliberately planned NOT to have glass in either bathroom (that to the chagrin of our tile guy!). We did use glass in our Guest Bathroom if you recall--that bathroom has a shower stall. For the other bathrooms, we planned on having bathtubs, and we didn't want tubs with doors, or a track for the doors....

Another factor was cost (Guest Bathroom enclosure came to ~$2700, and that's with 3/8" thick glass, not 1/2"). We really didn't want to lay-out the $$$ for two more glass enclosures. I also don't like people seeing right into the tub when they are using the bathroom. Of course, nice new bathrooms means we wipe the tubs and tile after showering (no hair left in the tub please!), and we are keeping soap and all shampoo and other bottles nice and neat in the niches, but I just don't like having all that on display at all times.

Plus, even with Clear Shield (which we have on our glass enclosure in the Guest Bathroom), we worried that over time the glass would not remain clean and clear.

We wouldn't mind a good squeegee for wiping the tub walls though, so if you really were a manufacturer, I'd hit you up for a few squeegees! (Hate the ones on the market at the moment)

cat-mom, thanks for the nu-heat info. When i redo our master bath, i want to use radiant heating. So it is good to hear other people's experience with it.

those glass showers are pricey, aren't they? Especially when one shatters in your hands as you are installing it (been there one that)!

If you need or want any more detailed info, don't hesitate to email me and I'll hook you up w/DH--he knows more of the specifics, technical stuff, etc.

Heck yeah re: expense (BTW, floor heat was cheaper than the glass! LOL). OUCH--I hope you weren't hurt!

Beautiful ! I have had the pleasure of seeing both baths up close and they truly are works of art. cat_mom and her DH have exquisite taste and their whole home shows it to perfection. c

thanks catmom, i will email you when we get closer.I definitely need advice about doing this.

It is going to be a japanese wabi-sabi master bathroom with dark (probably slate or soapstone floor). radiant heating, japanese lanterns, curbless shower with teak floor and a trench drain, tansu vanity, and a tokonoma.

I already have all the lanterns purchased - 10 of them!

Thanks trailrunner! See you again soon!

pharaoh, anytime!

Having seen your bling bathroom, I already know that your wabi-sabi bathroom will be nothing less than a masterpiece!

pharaoh, are you specifically interested in the Nu-Heat or in radiant floor heat in general? I used the wire type (DIY) myself in 2 recent bath renos, so I have some tips I can pass along if you're considering that type. (It was less expensive than the matts.)

I have to say, it's probably the best bang-for-the-buck thing we did in the bathroom renos. Those warm floor tiles are sooooo luxurious-feeling. I think it was about $225 for the materials for our smaller bathroom. SO worth it!!! :)

stacey, thanks for the info. I am open to everything. The most important is that it last a long time. I have heard on this forum how the darn thing stops working and then it is too expensive to rip out the tile.

The second is price and yours is very very affordable!

cat_mom, they turned out so nice!!!! I love the before and afters! Love the tile in the MB. And your vanities and faucets! And I'm really loving the built in shelf nook in each shower! And the backsplash in the hall bath is beautiful! And that shower curtain ;)

Well I just love it all. Congratulations on being done! Now you can relax with a nice hot bath. Get yourself some bathbombs from LUSH and go nutty!

pharaoh- I remember reading somewhere on line (not sure where, maybe here!) that the part most likely to fail was the temperature probe/sensor. That's a cheap part, so we simnply ran two of them, and left the second one's wires loose in the junction box. That way, if the first fails, we have a backup. Coming from a marine/boat repair background, we're all about redundancy in systems :)

Otherwise, my understanding, and experience after installing 2, is that the other likely way for one of these systems to fail is installation error. Like if a wire gets nicked during tile installation or whatever. So- you have to be really careful about that.

The systems are composed of three basic parts:
1) The wires that deliver the heat, whether in a matt or loose.
2) The temperature probe
3) The thermostat (which is easily replaceable should it fail.)

But, yeah, it IS sort of scary to spend the big$$ and then cement the parts under the floor, topped with expensive tile. If the actual wire fails, well, that's just too d*%n bad! In my house, at least, that floor ain't coming up! (One of the reasons I like the lower-priced wire!!!)

VERY smart--we wish we'd thought of that!!!!!!! DH just said, "that's almost embarrassing" (that we hadn't thought of doing that) and that Nu-Heat should have suggested that perhaps.

Maybe you could post a separate thread about doing that and/or add that to an FAQ page.

We had an issue with the MB floor heat sensor/probe when we first started using the heat--luckily it turned out to be a loose wire and not a faulty probe. We were sweatin' it out for awhile until we figured that out (Nu-Heat did send a new probe out free of charge in the meantime). No way did we want to rip up ANY of our new tile....

Just gorgeous for both! I love that round tile in the MB, and the "prom dress" shower curtain is super cool!

I am so so so excited for you! Those transformations are jaw-dropping. If that's not the idiom then hopefully you'll know what I mean because WOW! What a super way to start the new year. Love seeing you here! xo

hellonasty--nothing like soaking in the tub in a pretty new bathroom with a trashy novel in one hand and a glass of wine in the other! Bathbombs huh? Will look for those!

gsciencechick--thank you! Once I saw the circle mosaic, I was hooked!

rmkitchen--I've missed you! Love seeing you here, too! Hope all is well with you, DH, your boys, and furry pals. :-)

Thank you for the compliments, and yes, the idiom is very much appreciated!

Email me when you can and catch me up on what's new in your world.

Don't know how I forgot this; the switchplates were made for us by Columbia Gorge Stoneworks. We found out about them from another former Kitchen Forum member, Cloud Swift (finished her kitchen shortly before we finished ours, so I'll say ~4yrs ago).

The company is owned and run by a husband and wife (David and Jamie), and they were a pleasure to deal with. Jamie very patiently walked us through the entire ordering and shipping process. We requested somewhat "custom" edges (straight, rather than the normal bevel), and they did a wonderful job.

We sent them a piece of our marble tile and a "specially"-selected (by us) travertine tile (we chose one that seemed to most resemble the split face tile in coloration). We then made clear templates (cut up a ziploc baggie!) and taped them to the travertine tile to show where we wanted each switchplate cut (we had to indicate our A and B choices for both the single and double plates).

The switchplates were a little pricey, but were nice finishing touches, so we decided to splurge (still a lot cheaper than the glass enclosure pharaoh--lol!).

Here is a link that might be useful: Columbia Gorge Stoneworks

ok, you have out done us all! real stone switchplates!! I have seen those faux painted ones (and you know what I feel about faux painting)...

but these are other worldly. I HAVE to get them for my japanese bath when the time comes.

What other gems are you hiding?

Now YOU would know about "gems" oh, blingy one! Ha!

Hmm, let me think....

The switchplates are "attached" with super strong magnets (they supply steel shims to use with dimmer switches)--does that count?

What else....

Nobody believes the floor tile in the MB is porcelain. The texture makes it look like fabric:

If I think of more, I'll let you know!

What fun bathrooms! You must smile every time you walk into one of them.

cat_mom that MB floor tile is sososososo nice! And the grout color is perfect for it!!!

:-) :-) :-) (lots of smiles!)

Super strong magnets, absolutely yummy porcelain tiles.

show me more close ups!

I'll try to take more shots and upload, them but for now, here are a couple close-ups of the Hall Bathroom floor--I can't remember which one is with and which is without the flash (or which is more accurate color):

MB backsplash close-ups:

You do realize, with bathrooms as small as ours, there isn't much more we could have fit!

Love the circular tiles. So how do you grout it! Looks like a lot of work.

We didn't grout it, the tile guy(s) did! The circle tile was a PITA to install (sheets not "square" and though there was a repeating pattern, it wasn't an easy one to follow). Grouting it didn't seem to prove troublesome for them.

The split face mosaic gave the guys headaches, both during install (mostly the backsplash) and grouting. Grout joints/spaces were tight at best.

BTW, I took more pics for you last night pharaoh. I'll try to get them uploaded to computer and to photobucket over the weekend.

Looks great! I love the built in shower cady. I regret not doing that for my kid's shower/tub combo. It is a nicer look than the shelves and soap dish that I have. I am not sure, if I had the extra room, though.

Both niches were a bit tricky to do. DH did the work, and had to work around "stuff" in the walls (MB tub wall abuts the kitchen). MB tub niche depth was limited by the size of the studs between the two rooms--2x4's, though we did gain a little extra depth when adding in the thickness of the Hardibacker, thinset, and tile.

The Hall Bathroom niche had the similar constraints, but was somewhat less problematic if I recall (except when our tile guy asked DH to adjust the opening of the already Hydro-ban'd niche in order to line up the niche opening/tile with the tub wall tile--which he did; working until 3 AM so it would be ready for them when they returned the next morning! We knew our tile guy had our best interest at heart, and knew if he was proposing this, it would look great, better than if we had left it as it was, but poor DH....!).

cat mom you did a wonderful job, both bathrooms look beautiful!!! You were sooo helpful this past summer when I asked about radiant heat. You gave me all the information about Nuheat and that is what we went with. Bathroom, hall, laundry room all tiled and Nuheat installed in our basement and we just love it. It feels so nice and warm on our feet. It used to be so cold. Thank you for all your info. The wait paid off for you as you now have bathrooms that you love and were able to do all the extras by taking your time with your remodel. Great job!!!

You are very welcome marilyn234! I've learned so much here, and elsewhere while doing research for the bathrooms (kitchen, etc.). I like to pay it forward when I can.

I'm so glad you are enjoying your Nu-Heat! We really love ours, too.

It's taking a long time to get this house renovated, but we are happy that this allows us to do it how we want it (staying within budgetary constraints, of course).

Wow what beautiful bathrooms! I'm sure in their day the "before" bathrooms were pretty darn awesome too. You did a fabulous job of updating them both though. Kudos.

Wooo!!! Cat, I am stuck at home because of the snow storm so wandered around here not looking at anything in particular and came upon your thread.

I totally agree with you on the shower curtain choice. Regardless of whether I have the money to spare or not, keeping those suckers clean is a nuisance over time. We have a glass shower door that was installed back in 2003 and I can't tell you how much I hate cleaning it. Not that the door is all that dirty, but a shower curtain is way easier, and you can change the look/style whenever you feel like it. Can't do that with a pricey shower door.

Anyway, everything looks lovely as usual, including the "prom" dress :-)

Love, love those circular tiles, and the floor tiles that look like fabric. Gorgeous. What colour is that again? It looks greyish on my monitor.

justgotabme--hard to imagine the old bathrooms ever being awesome in any day, though our plumber insists that the yellow tub and toilet were very popular (and his favorite Ameircan Standard color!).

mari-you are such a dear! Be sure to tell your DH how well-received that shower curtain was/is here! LOL

The floor tile in the MB is Glow tile by Atlas Concorde, the color is called Cosmos. It's a charcoal-y black. The textured "striations" have a somewhat reflective or metallic quality. Makes getting the tile's true color in photographs a bit difficult.

I linked a site below that has a pic with a pretty decent color representation.

Here is a link that might be useful: Glow tile in Cosmos

Beautiful! Amazing work - enjoy!

Bonnie

Love your bathrooms! Can you tell me the name and color of the porcelain tile in the MB? Also the name and color of paint on the walls? Thank you!

Thank you bonniee and Ginger25!

Ginger25, the field tile on the tub walls in the MB is Bari Blanco from Porcelanosa. The floor tile is Glow by Atlas Concorde, the color is called Cosmos. There's a link to a web pic of the Glow tile a few posts above.

The wall color in the MB is called Constellation. It's an Affinity color from BM. We used their Aura Bath and Spa paint, matte finish on the walls. The base molding is BM's regular Aura paint in satin finish (Bath and Spa is or was only available in matte finish).

I love the creative use of tile on the back splashes and in the showers, you added just the right amount of accent to make the bathrooms look stylish with out going overboard.

What a huge difference you have made. Really, really nice job!

After seeing your shower pics in my recess thread, I just had to dig up your fnished post- wow! I love the way you've really played up the accent tiles by incorporating the same material by the vanities and in the flooring.

I saw some tile like the gray you have in your master bath in the store, but installed with the white tile and marble it is just stunning.

Thank you alku! I know (from pics of your kitchen) that you are going to be putting together gorgeous bathrooms! I can't wait to see pics. :-)

The floor tile in the MB is darker IRL, more of a charcoal-y black (the striations/texture has a reflective quality that appears silvery in the light. The other colors in that line were beautiful, too.

It really is so nice to "see" you here again!!!