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Master Bathroom Makeover

My home remodeling journey started a long time ago but I really started seeing the big picture of DIY when my husband and I decided to do everything ourselves in our current town home. You might have heard it before but DIY is really addictive. Yes, I confirm it!

We started with small projects first, learned a lot about home improvement, made many costly mistakes along the way and we got to the next big challenge – a complete master bathroom remodel. No wonder why kitchen and master bath are the priciest investments in your home – they are a lot of work!

When we talk master bathroom, I always envision soaking tub, double sink vanity and big shower.

In our 50-year-old town home that was not the case. There were: the smallest shower you can imagine, a single vanity, a toilet and two big closets. Claustrophobic disaster!

My biggest dilemma when starting on this project was storage vs free standing soaking tub. We couldn’t have both plus we had to keep into consideration resale value so we went with free standing bath tub. That immediately meant that one of the big closets had to go down to make room for the tub. The only thing we were absolutely certain about from the very beginning was the black and white color scheme.

Then there was a second big dilemma whether to keep the second big closet or bust half of it and add a double sink vanity. We decided in favor of a double sink vanity. A lot of girls’ best friends are clothes and shoes and ample closets but mine are experiences, something that will make me happy long term and every time I look at it there will be memories attached. Also, I know for a fact that if in the future I needed extra closet I’ll find a way to make up for it. In my world of projects there is always a way!

Now with the final plan in mind it was time to start the demo work. My husband was in charge of almost all heavy-duty work which in a bathroom project is almost everything. Closet went down and it was time to call a Plummer for the tub piping. Since it was not previously existing in the house we had to go by the book and call a licensed professional.

Then tiling job began which took almost 9 months for my husband to finish since he has a full-time job and this was his weekend geek. He also changed the regular 3’x 40” shower into a 42”x42” neo shower. In our case gaining an extra inch in this tiny shower was a big bonus.

Since the space wasn’t planned for a soaking tub, we came upon the next challenge. The regular 22” deep vanities were a bit too deep and didn’t leave enough space to pass comfortably. So, IKEA came to the rescue with their 18” deep double vanities. We were very happy with the results so far.

Having a less deep vanity didn’t allow for any medicine cabinet on the wall for storage. We barely managed to fit our faucets and vessel sinks. As I said earlier, I always find solutions to almost impossible problems. That’s how I came up with the hidden storage idea. Again, IKEA was my solution. I purchased 2 display cabinets earlier for the wet bar in our basement but I ended up using in my storage since they were the perfect dimensions. That saved me a lot of work since I didn’t have to build the boxes from scratch. With only $60 investment I turned an ordinary small closet into a double duty storage space. Now I had everything necessary that a well-planned and functional master bath needs.

Of course, adding some personal touches is a must. I choose and open shelving ladder to add extra storage and intertest to the space. Also, when it comes to artwork, I chose to use some family photos and energy art that I do myself.

The master bathroom is a very private space that is meant to be more like a relaxing, peaceful spa retreat. A place to escape the daily noise and enjoy some alone time. That’s why adding paintings of energy symbols on the wall not only compliment perfectly the space but also support us on energy and mental level. Especially when I know the story behind my paintings makes them even more special to me.

design by B Positive Studio.