Condo Bathroom Renovation: Before and After

We’re loving our new condo in Naples, Florida, but the master bath was dark needed some updates.

The Bathroom “Before”:

The bathroom was spacious, with good cabinets and a nice separate shower.  It also had green floral wallpaper, dated flooring and a giant dated tub enshrined in a big platform.  The process of getting into the tub reminded me of mounting a horse.  For those of you who are not rednecks like me, you mount a horse by swinging one leg waaaayyyyy over the horse. Not the most elegant move when entering a soaking tub. . .

Despite some recessed lighting and a chandelier, the bathroom was dark.  There is no window in the bathroom, so no natural light.  It was going to take a lot of light colors and good lighting to get around the feeling of being inside a closet.

The Renovations:

We knew we wanted an updated tub, and one that is easier to get in and out of.  Replacing the tub would then necessitate new flooring, as the old tub took up more flooring space than the new, streamlined tub would.

Therefore, as with our Condo Kitchen Renovation,  one of the first decisions was flooring.  We decided to match the new flooring to the existing shower marble, which is crema marfil marble.  (We originally planned to change the tile in the shower, but that became cost-prohibitive.)

Our plan was to change the plumbing fixtures (and cabinet hardware), but not change the shower tile.  That presented a problem, as we couldn’t get the old shower fixtures out, or the new ones installed, without destroying part of the tile.  Our contractor, Dustin Poore of REP Construction, cleverly found a way to replace the removed tile with a decorative strip of similar marble.

The cabinets, which were in fine shape, were a golden brown color.  We painted those white (SW Alabaster) to update and lighten up the room:

I love the new tub!  It is so much easier to access, and it really changed the look of the room.  And Dustin built me a little shelf behind the bathtub, to hold my body wash and razor, and — who knows — maybe a glass of wine!

The final touch was lighting, which was really the driving force behind this renovation.  With no natural light, the bathroom was in great need of good lighting.  Recessed lighting, a new chandelier, and some sconces really helped with the feeling that you were in a cave.

Final Result:  The “After”

We’re so happy with our new, brighter bathroom!

For more about renovations, please see:

• Non-Invasive Facelift for Kitchen and Family Room
• Condo Kitchen Renovation: Cool Shades and Warm Sunshine