Do you remember back in the summer of 2020 when we were working on our ensuite bathroom? Well, I shared the plan and some of the process (you can see the process post HERE), but I wanted to share the final reveal in my book, . It was important to me that some spaces and the majority of the photos felt fresh to even the most regular readers. So, I never shared the final photos of our bathroom makeover. But, now that the book has been out for a few months and the ensuite bathroom is only represented on a couple of pages, I wanted to share the full reveal here on the blog.
The ensuite bathroom makeover was a hybrid of DIY and work that was hired out to pros. And, I did the project management in order to save costs, but I had a great tiler (Matt Grant of Grant Tile in Rochester, MN) who really helped me with coordinating what needed to happen in what order. He also went above and beyond a helped me hang the bathroom mirrors so we didn’t accidentally crack the tile.
The bathroom took a couple of months to complete, which meant having a toilet and bathtub sitting in our bedroom for a few weeks, but it was all definitely worth it in the end.
We had great bones to work within the bathroom and it really didn’t need a complete remodel. We just wanted to give some cosmetic updates and customization, so it felt more like a luxurious ensuite master bathroom. It currently felt like a big bathroom with cheap builder-grade finishes. (with the exception of the vanity cabinets, which were quite nice.)
The big splurge on this bathroom was the tile. The tile was what we had to wait and save for because once you started removing tile in one area, it set off a series of dominoes and it all needed to be done. I also wanted to make the tile a real feature by bringing it around the window behind the tub and on the entire wall behind the vanity. We kept the existing tub because it’s in nice condition, it’s deep, and I love a jetted tub!
A couple of years ago, we replaced the curtains and faux wood blinds with plantation shutters, which gave a much cleaner look.
We replaced the plastic “phone booth shower insert with a custom tile shower a glass door. We were able to gain about 6” of depth and width without having to move any walls. The shower occupies the same space, but it’s much bigger.
Even just bringing the tile all the way to the ceiling made it look and feel larger.
I painted and hung a consignment store shelf (that used to be a little secretary desk) to hang in the niche. I considered tiling and installing marble or glass shelves in that space, but that was going to put me over budget. This was a $30 solution that still looks nice and provides a little storage and display. You can read about that shelf makeover HERE.
Speaking of budget, I took a splurge-and-save approach. I splurged on things like the counters and faucets, but save on things like the sinks, repainting the vanity myself, and going with 6 x 12 marble tiles, which were half the cost of traditional marble subway tiles.
While I love how everything turned out, the tile wall behind the vanity is my favorite. It really makes a feature out of that wall and it looks so fresh and classic. It did require hiring an electrician to move the light boxes, which were too low and not centered on the faucets, but it was important to have those right before the tile went up.
I think bathrooms are my least favorite rooms to work on! They are just so utilitarian and the costs of tiles and fixtures can add up much faster. But, I love how this room turned out. It now matches the house better and feels like the finishes make sense for an ensuite bathroom.
Here are a few other posts about the ensuite bathroom makeover…
Ensuite Bathroom Makeover Plan & Resources
Ensuite Bathroom Makeover Progress
And a few detail shots from around the space…
Where is the rug from?
Hi Marion,
Your en-suite is perfection!
I’m planning on redoing an e suite Bathroom this year and you have given me so many ideas. Beautiful remodel!
Where is the rug from
Beautiful!!
So timeless. This is what I am working towards as well.
Such a calm, relaxing feeling. A lovely place to recoup from a long day. All you need now is peaceful relaxing music.
I don’t think I could have a bathroom like that…I would spend ALL DAY in it and never get anything done.
I only have 2 tiny “water closet” style bathrooms in our modest ranch home and there are nine of us living here. But I still manage to have my home improvement victories! This past weekend I disassembled and cleaned the pop-up drains in both sinks. Now they are functioning smoothly and no leaks! It might be laughable to most people, but I was so pleased and proud of my results. It really felt like an actual home improvement. It was something I had been dreading and didn’t know how to tackle it. Maybe one day we will demo our water closets and create a room more like yours. But for now, my tiny victories will have to do!!
Always love everything you do!
Ha! that’s wonderful. One time I cleaned the hard water line from the toilet bowl with a pumice stone. It was so wonderful I made special trips just to admire the sparkling white bowl.
Victory!!
This is a terrific transformation; up to date, yet classic; I can’t see this ever going out of style. Bravo! The rug goes a long way to warming the space right up and grounding it, and the accessories are all lovely.
Your bathroom looks wonderful. Will we also get an update on your master bedroom. I only remember you working on it at about the same time you were working on your book. Unless you sent it out and I mixed that update. Thanks!
Yes! I will share pictures of that room as well as the sewing room.
What a stunning bathroom! It’s perfection! I notice that you didn’t mix metals, as it seems to be so popular. I chose chrome for our remodeled bathroom too. It’s similar to yours, but I’d call it the budget version! Ha ha!
I really love mixed metals and the trend of natural brass fixtures, but I felt like chrome is timeless and a better option for the style of this house. And yes, more budget-friendly!
Timeless elegance…never out of style.
Ah, I’ve been WAITING for this! The book didn’t have nearly enough photos of this space, so I was hoping you’d do a full post one day. It all turned out SO gorgeous. Elegant and understated. What I love most is the rug, but also that the whole look of the room could be changed with a new rug if you ever get tired of that one or want a cooler look for spring and summer. The whole room is perfection!
Your bathroom makeover turned out beautiful. How much did it cost to do the makeover?
The total was about $14,000 with the bulk of it being spent on tile and the labor to install the tile (floor, shower, vanity wall, & tub surround), which was about $8,000. Another large portion was the counter, which was around $2,000, and the glass shower door. The rest was fixtures, plumbing, electrical, paint, etc.
You did a beautiful job as always ! Love the accessories and all your lovely touches. Those plastic pump bottles for.lotions never work so I am looking for new glass pump bottles to put my lotions in any suggestions ?
It turned out so lovely. You did a great job in designing.
All I can say is ‘Just WOW!’ Love it!!! ❤️
It looks beautiful! I love the marble tile and your $30 shelf. The perfect balance between high and low. Also- the photos are fabulous.
Absolutely beautiful! What paint color did you use on the vanity
I absolutely love the tile. I am not as much a fan of subway tile, though prefer it infinitely more in marble, and prefer this size tile infinitely more than subway. I would choose it in a heartbeat.
It’s amazing what can be done with a bit of a budget, but not an outlandish budget. I think just changing the paint color and getting rid of the curtain did wonders.
I love your bathroom! It is so timeless and classic. I hope to work on a remodel of our master bath this year and I’ve got a lot of good ideas from you.
I remember in one post that you purchased a steamer to keep this room cleaned. I’m curious if that was a good decision and if you have any thoughts of using a steamer in the bathroom. Thank you!
What a beautiful room. Your work is aways amazing. The ensuite bathroom was one of the areas we didn’t get finished before we moved in our current home. I remember the new toilet sitting in the bedroom for too long. Tile showers are so much prettier than fiberglass but a lot colder too. That is the ONLY good thing about them!
Beautiful! We did a bathroom remodel last year with very similar looking Carrara marble tiles. How do you keep them clean in the shower without damaging them? Thanks!