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salem1772

Happy Dance! Bathroom Finished! many pics

salem1772
11 years ago

I am so happy to announce the completion of our 1952 master bathroom renovation! I owe huge thanks to the GW community for all the ideas, encouragement, leads, advice and inspiration. Truly, this is YOUR bathroom . . . but my DH and I get to use it! Thank you ;-)

Particular inspiration came from two GW posters whose names I cannot recall, but whose posts are entitled "From Mid-Century Ugly to Dream Bathroom" and "Finished Master Bath and Bedroom." I drooled over these bathrooms way too many hours in addition to many others plus Houzz. While my bathroom does not perfectly resemble these inspiration rooms, I did incorporate many favorite elements and wound up with something that suits us to a T!

Our bathroom is 8x9.5. Renovation included all new plumbing and electrics, and demo began late January. We were 95% finished by Easter. Our GC did the entire project by himself and could not have been better. In addition to the new bathroom, we also created a pseudo-master suite by adding a wall and french doors across a hall outside the bathroom/bedroom. It is hard to describe the space, but suffice it to say, we can now go between the bedroom and bathroom buck nekkid and have complete privacy. The project came in at around $22K, and while I choke on that number, the utter joy at finally having a bathroom with form and function is worth every cent. Why did we wait so long to do this?

BEFORE

AFTER

Nearly every decision that had to be made was agonizing, and there are hundreds of little decisions in a bathroom!! Absolutely nothing went exactly according to plan. However, in the end, as DH says, "it looks so good you'd think we planned it this way!"

Are there one or two things I wish had turned out differently? Sure, but I'm not stressed about them. I just keep looking at what we started from! And as I was reminded during a mid-project meltdown, most people on the planet don't even HAVE a bathroom. This gives perspective, and I hope encourages those who are in the middle of a renovation themselves. Good luck to all!

Comments (16)

  • treasuretheday
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's absolutely gorgeous! Congratulations on creating a beautiful space for yourselves. I know what you mean about things not going according to plan but it all working out in the end. (That thought should give hope to all those who are mid-project!)

    BTW, your upper cabinet configuration is just like mine... I hope you enjoy it too because I LOVE mine!

  • williamsem
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow, what a transformation! Congrats on finishing!

    I would suggest finding a new home for you medicine, the worst place to store it is in a bathroom that has a tub or shower due to heat and moisture.

    I love the tile in the shower! The chair rail accent is great.

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It looks great! (although i do like your old fabric, too)

    What are the dimensions of the shower?

  • salem1772
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Writersblock: shower dimensions are 40 x 74. If I had it to do over, I would maybe reduce the length a tad, build a deep narrow slide out shelf in wall between toilet nook and back wall of shower. I thought of that idea too late. It would have been a good place to stash extra toiletries, though I am not hurting for space. Just thought it was a cool idea. However, we are enjoying the large shower more than we thought.

    Also after living with shower a bit, I think I would put handheld on slide bar on wall opposite fixed shower. This would facilitate better ease of showering while seated on fold down teak bench yet to be mounted near that side of shower. During construction this was a decision that vexed me, and I opted to avoid cluttering an empty wall with a fixture. Handheld has long enough hose, but positioning unit closer to seat might have been smart.

    Shower has its own ventilation fan and two recessed lights. Also tiled the ceiling. Wasn't sure that would work, but it looks fine.

    Lastly, we bought fixtures piecemeal so nothing matches perfectly except everything is chrome. If you are particular about this, do your homework and plan ahead.

  • cat_mom
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It looks terrific!!!

    Isn't it amazing how wonderful it is using a new bathroom, one that you planned and love? Enjoy!!!

  • pharaoh
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lovely. nice choices, beautifully executed.

  • enduring
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lizb, It looks great. I really like how you finished your old bath (before the remodel) too. The new one BR is so slick, and easy looking. It is calming. I like that hall door idea too, and the privacy you where able to add. The shot into the new bathroom and a peak into the bedroom is pretty, the two rooms blend nicely.

    Questions - as I am planning my current BR project and another BR project next year:
    1) How do you like the towel bars mounted to the door?
    2) Looks like a grab bar in the shower, how did you prep the wall to mount that bar?
    3) Could you imagine not having the mounted shower head and just going with a handheld on a slide bar.

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks so much for a such a detailed reply, lizb.

  • salem1772
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    enduring: thanks --- the bedroom and bathroom walls are painted same color (as is newly created suite area between them) and this goes a very long way toward harmonious feel. Antique headboard is about same the finish as the bathroom vanity and this helps too.

    I did the best I could to make the original bathroom attractive, but it was a losing battle. I did not post the photos of mold, cracked tile, rusty hinges, broken tiles and fixtures, and the hated hollow core door. The room never felt clean no matter what I did. Ugh, it just wore me down.

    Towel bars on door were my only option as I wanted to eliminate clutter on walls. Original idea was to mount towel bar on half-wall, but the resulting clutter and narrowed walkway weren't worth it. Since the bathroom door is closed during showering anyway, it isn't a big deal for me to reach over to the door for my towel. DH takes his towel from door and hangs on shower door towel bar for easier access. Normally the bathmat hangs on shower door towel bar. This process is still not ingrained in our "muscle memory" but we are trying.

    We mounted the hand towel ring on the wall of the toilet nook, so to dry hands at the sink, I make a half turn behind me to reach hand towel --- or take the towel over to counter and rehang it after drying. Again, hiding towel ring there cuts out clutter. It would make more sense to hang towel ring on a tower beside sink, but I worried about the water droplets hitting the wood tower and making a mess over time. If the vanity were painted instead of stained, this probably would not have been an issue. See the tiny details that must be considered from the very beginning stages of planning?!?!

    We have two grab bars (Moen) in the shower. GC blocked the studs during build-out to accommodate these bars.

    Jury still out on whether we could have gotten by with handheld shower head only. During the weeks we were without a shower door (fabricator cut the door too tall; what frustration!), I carefully showered with handheld and grew to love it. Full-time though? I am not sure. Possibly so.

    Good luck with your plans.

  • enduring
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks so much for your reply Lizb.

    I will have a stand alone vanity and I think I will mount a towel bar on the side of the vanity, for hand drying. I think I might have room at the foot of my tub to mount a bar. I have one (expensive though) hook for my door. I don't know if one hook will be enough and I REALLY don't want to buy another one :( I might just mount a bar on the door like you did. My room is 6.5x9.5'. I will have a tub against the far wall, sort of like your far wall, with window about at the same location.

    No shower in this BR, the shower update will be next year in our other BR.

    Your completed BR has given me hope and inspiration, I am very glad you posted.

  • williamsem
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Every time I look at those pics I see more great details! I really like the vent cover under the window. And the idea to add some doors to make a suite was very inspired!

  • dianne47
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I especially like the electrical outlet in your cupboard for your hair dryer, very practical and makes the vanity area very "clean" looking with no outlets. You did a great job in a limited space.

  • countrygal_905
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I can see why you are doing a happy dance. Very, very nice! Congratulations!

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You look to have used the moen commercial shower head/setup. Do you like it? Can you use the main shower head and the handheld at the same time?

  • sofla
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    wow , you win transformation of the year. well done.

  • salem1772
    Original Author
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    kirkhall: We like the Moen shower package just fine. DH uses the wall mount shower head almost all the time. I prefer the handheld. Both shower heads cannot operate at the same time. Good luck with your project!

    Thanks, sofla. We DO love our new bathroom! It has been a pleasure every day!