Out of style, builder-grade tile can ruin a perfectly nice home. And when it is mass-produced porcelain tile in a dated neutral? Well, that’s just not a quick fix.
This Mt. Pleasant master bed and bath remodel is a PERFECT example of hiring a master level designer to get it right.
When we started the project the owners simply wanted the tile cleaned. It was in good shape, but dirty, and definitely not a color or style they were excited about: PINK BEIGE. However, they also didn’t want to deal with a full remodel. I evaluated the tile and the other fixed elements in the bathroom, and recommended a partial remodel, keeping the tile floor and shower. Yep, that’s me in the mirror, taking before shots:
As you can see, the before photos are brutal. This room was brown and dreary. The lighting was inadequate and oddly placed. The decorative items were cheap and lacked any connection to our clients. In fact, these clients are sooo interesting! He is an aviation executive and she designed airplane wings! They are so smart and so well read and so friendly and approachable; it was hard to imagine them at all connected to this boring BEFORE photo:
First, we had the tile professionally cleaned and regrouted. It refreshed the color and lightened the grout. After removing the tub tile, we replaced the tub surround with painted wood panels. Getting rid of the tub tile allowed us to upgrade the tub faucets. It also created an opportunity to add an access panel to the jacuzzi wiring and plumbing. A functional, easy maintenance solution that’s beautiful, too.
We upgraded the existing cabinet base by adding an end panel, paint, and hardware. The new panel is the perfect spot for a small towel bar, directly across from the shower door.
The whole design centers around the fabulous new performance wallpaper from Thibaut. It’s washable which is a must in a bathroom. I am ALWAYS practical before pretty! But the paper is also SO PRETTY! I chose this Thibaut because the large Palm Frond pattern helps distract from the smaller, busy pattern of the porcelain tile. The pink beige and greige fronds combine with the gray background to pull together a modern neutral with a dated one. That gray background is actually a metallic silver grasscloth-textured field which really reflects light.
Speaking of light, I added a lot more recessed and upgraded it to LED. I also switched the over mirror wall mounted strip lights (oh, they were so awful!) to side sconces in an arrow design. My client loves hunting, so the sconces really hit a home run with him. Notice the mirrors also have an “armor” look to them. Again, a good designer keeps the client the CENTER of the design. The new knobs take the weaponry theme even further.
Right now, everyone wants quartz and marble. I’m not completely sold on quartz and let’s be honest, who wants to maintain marble? No, I think about practicality first. THEN, I search for a beautiful option. With stone, that usually means granite. The medium gray Sea Pearl granite I chose for this Lowcountry bath remodel is a perfect solution. We added 2 extra inches of height on the splash to complement the tall sink faucets we added.
Don’t forget bath accessories! A bold zebra print rug adds some punch, and canisters have added seashell bling! The towel bars don’t match the faucet set or hardware or mirror or lighting. In fact, none of it matches! Yep, I purposefully carefully selected finishes and styles to create a space specific to the client. And the result is as beautiful as they are!
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