Room of the Day: Ditching the Tub for a Spacious Shower
A Georgia designer transforms her master bathroom to create a more efficient and stylish space for 2
To tub or not to tub? It’s a modern-day question many homeowners must face. For designer Lori May and husband Eric, the answer was easy. They’d hardly used their bathtub during the 11 years they had been living in their 1986 suburban home in Marietta, Georgia. So when it came time for a remodel, they chose to skip the soak and rip out their bathtub to create a spacious glass-enclosed shower, more storage and updated double vanities.
AFTER: Designer and homeowner Lori May had the bathroom torn down to the studs and all drywall removed. She added new insulation and recessed can lights for improved lighting, and a new ventilation fan over the toilet. A wall of built-in poplar cabinets painted gray and wired for electricity replaced the shower and toilet closet, giving the couple storage for medications, personal-care products and an iron with a full-size ironing board.
The tall gray cabinet to the left of May’s vanity has open shelves for folded clean towels with shallow felt-lined drawers below for jewelry. A clear chair provides a spot to sit without taking up too much visual space. Artwork the couple found at a local gallery placed above adds color. “We were looking for something colorful because the bathroom is so neutral,” May says. “The texture of this original artwork makes a huge difference in the bathroom.”
Paint by Sherwin-Williams: Snowbound SW7004 (wall and trim) and Mindful Gray SW7016 (cabinet); artwork: dk Gallery; clear chair: Design Within Reach
The tall gray cabinet to the left of May’s vanity has open shelves for folded clean towels with shallow felt-lined drawers below for jewelry. A clear chair provides a spot to sit without taking up too much visual space. Artwork the couple found at a local gallery placed above adds color. “We were looking for something colorful because the bathroom is so neutral,” May says. “The texture of this original artwork makes a huge difference in the bathroom.”
Paint by Sherwin-Williams: Snowbound SW7004 (wall and trim) and Mindful Gray SW7016 (cabinet); artwork: dk Gallery; clear chair: Design Within Reach
BEFORE: A hard-to-clean garden window once hung above the large bathtub.
AFTER: A spacious walk-in shower lined with 6-by-12-inch Carrara marble tiles replaced the old tub. May saved on the tile by buying 12-by-12-foot tiles at a discount and cutting them to size.
The shower includes two shower heads (one wall-mounted, one handheld) and a teak bench with modern lines that adds a natural element to the transitional room. A new fixed window inside the shower allows in natural light and offers views of the backyard.
Plumbing fixtures: Kohler; teak bench: VivaTerra
The shower includes two shower heads (one wall-mounted, one handheld) and a teak bench with modern lines that adds a natural element to the transitional room. A new fixed window inside the shower allows in natural light and offers views of the backyard.
Plumbing fixtures: Kohler; teak bench: VivaTerra
Small mosaic tiles cover the shower floor, adding pattern and contrasting the larger marble tiles on the shower walls. The enclosure has a header that was used because of the shape of the shower and to support the glass panels.
Tile by Floor & Decor: Carrara marble (shower) and Athens silver-cream marble (floor)
Tile by Floor & Decor: Carrara marble (shower) and Athens silver-cream marble (floor)
Each quartz-topped vanity includes drawers for user-friendly storage. Pullouts mimicking cabinets are used for personal-care products, and the middle top “drawers” are actually face fronts that hide plumbing for the rectangular sinks.
May raised the height of the vanities above standard and hung the polished nickel-framed mirrors a bit lower than normal. “Eric is 6-foot-3 and I’m 5-foot-3, and he had to really bend down when we had our old vanities,” May says. “We worked to find a good height for the vanities and mirrors that would work for the both of us.”
Vanity counters: Britannica collection, Cambria; mirrors and rugs: Restoration Hardware; sinks: Kohler
May raised the height of the vanities above standard and hung the polished nickel-framed mirrors a bit lower than normal. “Eric is 6-foot-3 and I’m 5-foot-3, and he had to really bend down when we had our old vanities,” May says. “We worked to find a good height for the vanities and mirrors that would work for the both of us.”
Vanity counters: Britannica collection, Cambria; mirrors and rugs: Restoration Hardware; sinks: Kohler
The polished nickel sconces on each side of the vanity mirrors have linen shades with Lucite on the bottom to coordinate with the pulls on the vanity.
In place of drywall, primed shiplap boards were installed directly over the new insulation batting and adhered to the studs. The boards overlap so there’s no chance of moisture penetration. The wall treatment offers a clean, contemporary look. “It gave a very sleek line in the bathroom, but also gave some texture to the walls,” May says.
Sconces: Visual Comfort
In place of drywall, primed shiplap boards were installed directly over the new insulation batting and adhered to the studs. The boards overlap so there’s no chance of moisture penetration. The wall treatment offers a clean, contemporary look. “It gave a very sleek line in the bathroom, but also gave some texture to the walls,” May says.
Sconces: Visual Comfort
The pulls on the new his-and-her vanities combine polished nickel with glass, adding a touch of sparkle to the room.
Hardware: Restoration Hardware
Hardware: Restoration Hardware
Polished nickel towel hooks hang on the wall across from the tall storage cabinet.
A pair of double doors separates the bathroom from the master bedroom. “Honestly, we really didn’t like spending time in our old master bath,” May says. “It was the only room in our house we hadn’t remodeled, and it was time. It’s great because there’s a place for everything now, making the bathroom very stress-free.”
More
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More
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
5 Ways With an 8-by-5-Foot Bathroom
Master Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Eric and Lori May
Location: Marietta, Georgia
Size: About 180 square feet (16.7 square meters)
Designer: Lori May Interiors
BEFORE: The existing master bathroom had a neutral tile floor, outdated his-and-her vanities and a space-hogging step-up cultured marble tub the couple never used. A shower (not shown) stood in a separate closet with the toilet. Plus, despite the amount of space, the room lacked adequate storage. There was no linen closet, for example. What’s more, outdated insulation made the room feel too hot or too cold, depending on the time of year.