Project of the Month: A Master Bathroom Renovation

A bathroom in a classic colonial home built in 1921 was completely renovated to become a comfortable, updated master bathroom retreat.

The bathroom was expanded by incorporating space from an adjacent linen closet into the room. The bathroom was stripped to the original framing. Old blue fixtures that date back to the 1980s were replaced with a double vanity, a sleek new toilet and a spacious walk-in shower. New flooring, lighting, ventilation and cabinets were installed. The project took about ten weeks to complete.

The walk-in shower in this bathroom features a glass block window that provides light and privacy for the bathroom. Porcelain tile was used for the shower surround and base. Two showerheads and a matching grab bar are stylish and functional. The Craftsman-style double vanity and two tall wardrobe cabinets with pullout hampers provide ample storage. Gold and green colored art glass light fixtures add a touch of elegance.

Homeowners’ Objectives

The homeowners wanted a master bathroom that would be a retreat and for the design to reflect their personal style. Their objectives were to:

1. Enlarge the bathroom. The size of the original bathroom was approximately 7-by-10 feet (70 square feet). The homeowners wanted to combine two areas (the original bathroom and an adjacent linen closet) to create a larger bathroom that would accommodate two people and provide more storage space.
2. Update and modernize the room. The home has been in the family for generations and the last renovation was about 30 years ago. The homeowners had selected art glass light fixtures that served as their inspiration for the décor of the room. They wanted the room to have Craftsman-style details.

BEFORE: The bathroom was a very small space with an outdated tub-shower combination, single bowl vanity and vinyl wallpaper.

BEFORE: This is the adjacent linen closet space with a window that would later serve as the space for the walk-in shower.

AS BUILT DRAWING: The original layout showing the location of bathroom fixtures, the adjacent linen closet and doors to be changed.

McClurg’s Solutions

The age of the home presented some challenges for this master bathroom renovation project:

• The plumbing was outdated and mechanicals needed to be replaced.
• The bathroom was located on the second floor and it was the only bathroom in the house.
• The staircase leading to the bathroom was very small so all materials for the project needed to be brought up through a window on the roof.

Each of these issues were considered and addressed in the planning process.

One doorway was eliminated and the space for the old linen closet was used to create a more private entrance.

To replace the lost closet space, two tall wardrobe cabinets, each with two Rev-a-Shelf laundry hampers, were included for expanded storage.

Stained oak flooring was installed in the second floor hallway, where previously there was only the original subfloor. New doors and hardware were added to the attic and three bedrooms.

The dimensions of the new master bathroom are now 12-by-11 feet (132 square feet), which provides nearly twice as much space as the original bathroom.

PLAN DRAWING: The new plan incorporated space from the adjacent closet. That space was used for the new walk-in shower as well as the new entrance to the bathroom. More storage was added by including base cabinets for the double sink vanity and two tall cabinet units with roll-out hampers.

One of the main features of the project is the large mud-based tile walk-in shower with a glass block window, art glass mosaic tile accents, recessed wall niches, a wall cap and a built-in granite shower seat.

The walk-in shower has a glass block window that brings natural light into the space. Universal design features include two showerheads, a grab bar and lever handle faucet fixture.

The double sink vanity adds more storage space to the bathroom. The mirrors above the vanity and a framed towel hook accessory were custom crafted by our lead carpenter to match the custom frames of decorative tiles and wall clock purchased by the homeowners.

Mission-style oak cabinets were used for the vanity. Additional storage was gained by adding cabinet units with deep drawers. The counter is granite with a leathered finish. The under-mounted rectangular sinks complement the stone. The wall clock and framed tiles inspired the custom built mirrors.

Products used for this project include:

• Cabinets: Mission-style oak cabinets with a “Pinot Noir” stained finish from Bishop Cabinets.
• Counters, wall cap and shower seat: Graphite granite with a leathered finish for the countertops and a matte finish for the wall cap and shower seat.
• Bathroom floor tile: “Roman Travertine Classico” Glazed Porcelain tile, made to replicate natural limestone, from Best Tile. A pinwheel pattern design of 12-by-12 inch and 6-by-6 inch tiles was used for the floor.
• Shower floor tile: “Roman Travertine Classico” Glazed Porcelain 2-by-2 inch tile.
• Shower wall tile: “Roman Travertine Classico” Mosaic Glazed Porcelain tile. A brick pattern was used with 12-by-12 inch tile on the lower walls and 6-by-6 inch tile on the upper walls.
• Art glass mosaic accent tile used on the shower walls: "Gendai Mila" from Best Tile.
• Sinks and toilet: American Standard “Cadet” in Linen.
• Glass block window in the shower: Delphi pattern.
• Shower heads and faucets: Delta “Ashlyn” in Venetian Bronze.
• Ventilation: Panasonic Fan Light Nite Light combo.
• Cabinet hardware: Zinc alloy Mission Pull and Backplate with a rust finish from Top Knobs.

One of the two tall wardrobe cabinets, from Bishop Cabinets, is shown in this photo along with the stunning graphite granite vanity counter in a leather finish. Art glass vanity lights were installed above the mirror and a ceiling fixture with four pendants provides general lighting in the room. The custom-built Craftsman-style mirrors were made from red oak.