finished bathroom remodel

I embarked on this bathroom remodel earlier this summer in a cute, 1930’s bungalow here in Missoula.  The homeowner was new to the process of renovation construction and it was one of those experiences where it seemed the world was against us.  The end result is BEAUTIFUL and I was so pleased to deliver the homeowners the bathroom of their dreams.  Here are the beginning photos, the beginning square footage was about 40 SqFt:

claudia before 2 (Before)

Claudia before (Before)

There were several ‘must-haves’ in this project, which originally started as a Universal Design project.  I re-worked the space so that we stole the closet from the adjacent bedroom (exterior wall corner behind the shower above), made that space a two-person shower, swiveled the toilet 90 degrees, and moved the sink from the middle of the room to the immediate left of the entrance, on the same wall as the shower.  The musts were natural stone, in-floor radiant heat, towel warmers, and a complete aesthetic overhaul.

Here’s a look at my initial brainstorming sketches, working out the space plan.  I was so happy to take over that closet.  That opened things up immensely and got us to 49 square feet total.

sketches

There was no good way to get the drain slope right for a universal, barrier-free shower and line drain.  The space was too small and we were faced with cutting 4″ into the floor joists.  It was a consideration because a shop teacher built the house and there were huge joists and about five times more of them than needed.  However, it wasn’t a sound solution, so we put a low curb at the entrance of the shower with a frameless, Euro door.  Take a look at the finished outcome:

Claudia3

Claudia2

claudia5

claudia6

claudia7

Claudia bath1

No details were overlooked.  Careful consideration went into my light plan and all finishes are in oil rubbed bronze. I loved the warmth but crispness of this marble against the rich natural walnut vanity.  The homeowners love blue, so I integrated some sparkle into the glass accent tile and blue pearl granite countertop, curb cap, and shelf on the half wall.  We had some fun with custom glass on the shower door, vanity light, and we obscured the bottom half of the window for privacy.  It all came together for an organic, fresh, luxurious and WARM (literally, via the floor and towel warmers) environment.

A project like this requires precise coordination, especially due to the size of the work space.  Construction always has a few hiccups which can be frustrating at the time, but it’s all in the delicate balance of patience and pushing forward.  I’m glad to have been able to design, advocate and assist in this spectacular remodel!

BB