Revamping a Nanny's Retreat: Bathroom Renovation Success Story
Client had some previous water damage in their downstairs around the bathroom that needed addressing. Upon first looking things didn’t look too bad just some staining on the corner bead of a closet in the bathroom and some light mold under the laminate flooring in the hallway.
As I started removing baseboard and flooring, I could see that the damage and mold were more extensive that it appeared. I ended up having to remove all the flooring, drywall and lumber from the closet in the bathroom, the closet in the hallway outside the bathroom and part of the hallway.
Once remediation was done, I could see the perfect spot and set up for a nice tile shower instead of a closet in the bathroom. I’m not a fan of having closets in bathrooms. It seems like a good place for moisture to get in and just cause issues.
The bathroom originally had the typical builder grade shower/bath combo with cheap hard to clean sliding glass doors. I spoke with the client, and they agreed that a nice shower with separate tub would be nicer for the Nanny. So, they consulted with their interior designer and a plan was hatched.
The bathroom was Dumo’d down to the studs, the first thing was plumbing and that was a little work because the slab had to be jackhammered up to increase the drain plumbing from 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch and the venting improved. I like to ensure that up to date codes and needs are met whenever things are opened. The electrical rough in was done to add some pot lights and wall sconces at the vanity as well as moving the fan from over the toilet in the corner to the center of the room. Just to be clear we moved the fan to the center of the room, not the toilet.
Drywall was installed, the tub put in place then the Schluter water proofing was installed around the tub enclosure as well as the shower area. The hard part with tubs is they are easily damaged and go in first so protecting them is critical. If you are having a reno done, ensure your contractor puts lots of protection on the bathtub. Once you tile there is no changing the tub without recking the tile and waterproofing.
I like to use Schluter products for my bathrooms because its easy to use, a really good product, has excellent customer service and comes with a lifetime warranty. A Schluter shower pan with linear drain was installed and a curb. The interior designer asked me to put in a lady’s shaving niche. This was a new one on me and I had to do a little google work for that one. I have to say in a small shower where a bench isn’t practical its really a neat idea.
When it came to tile the customer had a large amount of plank tile from a previous project and wanted to use it. It was excellent quality tile and gave me a chance to do my first herringbone layout. I decided to have the layout continue into the shower so had to do some serious thinking and math to get it exactly right, so the lines and pattern all matched perfectly. I was happy with how it turned out as was my client.
The colors chosen were bold and the drops in the ceiling incorporated into the overall design which I really liked. The dark green took some work to get looking good as dark colors can be challenging to get looking smooth and uniform. The dark green vanity came from Wayfair and was shockingly heavy as it had a steel frame, and the quartz countertop was built in so had to be moved as one unit. Lots of grunting and groaning on that one.
From there it was just a matter of finishing touches, finishing the plumbing, installing lights and mirror. Baseboards, and painting the inside of the door.
I think this bathroom turned out very nice and gave the nanny a beautiful place to relax and take a break. It also improves the homes value, as kitchen and bathroom renovations give the best bang for your buck on returnable investments in your home.
If you have a vision for a space in your home that you would like to improve, please feel free to contact me and we can bring your dream to reality.
