Our master bath remodel was an experience to say the least…luckily in the end we got a beautiful bathroom and I am able to help you by knowing exactly how to tackle your master remodel.
I have to begin this story by mentioning that I was 8 months pregnant with a 11 month old – yes your are reading those number correctly. Our master was much less than I had dreamed for our “new” home. It had blue tile, blue tub, blue toilet and a blue sink. It was screaming 1970’s and I was screaming with my raging hormones to update it. We honestly do not even have any before BUT this bathroom was the closest I could find online.
We are definitely a DIY family BUT this was a huge overhaul and we aren’t that kind of DIY, so we had a to call in a contractor.
Finding a contractor 101 :
- confirm that they have the correct insurance and by confirm make sure to get a copy of their policy
- ask for multiple references
- get a signed contract
- do not pay upfront – 1/3- 1/3- 1/3
- confirm they have all the proper licenses or are subbing to licensed individuals
- set a firm budget BEFORE you begin the project
We missed a few of the steps – so ended up with disaster of a remodel you’ve gotta here this story! My son came a month early and still no bathroom. We were all 4 sleeping in the basement to avoid the dust and then the basement flooded. Onto the main level we go. Trust me all I could think of is- this is OUR real life right now! Someone please come rescue me and my family. Did I mention the black mold that was discovered behind the shower tile?? I fired our first contractor two days after we got home from the hospital. We were so lucky to find Alcat Contracting (if you are in STL call them) They worked so hard to make my bathroom dreams come true and were the friendliest group of guys. Even around a hormonal mom with two babies at home. If you know me I am in between tears and laughter telling this story every time- luckily sparing you a majority of the details!
Back to the remodel details – I am all about finding a great deal, but making everything look like a million-ish bucks. Here are all the areas of the remodel and some tips on how you can save!
Vanity- We had over 300 sq. feet in the bathroom (our master bedroom was oddly huge so we took some of that space) so I wanted a big vanity. I searched EVERYWHERE and couldn’t find anything big enough or exactly what I wanted. Custom it was, we met with 4 cabinet makers searching for the best deal. I was able to customize it and get exactly what I wanted for less than piecing it together from the box stores.
Vanity top- This is my favorite place to save- skip going to the pretty retail stores and head down to the warehouse/yard that they cut the granite. I was able to save hundreds both times I have done this. Depending on the size you can look in their remnant section for smaller pieces that they just want rid of. They also helped me to design the storage bench – I always pictured my boys sitting there as I got ready – ha dream on!
Faucet– I took a chance and ordered our faucets and got these for under $50 – totally win! So many of the others I was finding online were $300 plus for the style I wanted. We have had zero issues! You will need this drain stopper too.
Sink: I loved the look of the vessel sink but needed to find one that didn’t scream modern and wasn’t pricey. I found these for under $100.
Tile: I made my husband go to almost EVERY store and bring home samples of 100 tiles before we I decided on this one. Make sure to specify exactly how thin or thick you want grout lines with your contractor. Do not go into labor and miss the install then make your husband and his friend tear out all the tile. Be sure that your contractor also seals the grout!
Shower tile- Subway tile is just a classic and my love language – so to add a little flare we installed this hexagon marble on the floor and the inset. Another huge savings was ordering the specialty tile online.
Mirror : These were a mega steal at our Pottery Barn outlet store – girls this place is seriously dreamy. If you don’t have an outlet they are still available at PB.
Barn door: Under $100 for this door that is solid wood. I give myself props for painting this during the boys naps!
Barn door hardware : Amazon again for the win- the door is still hanging and has been put to the test by the toddlers.
Shower hardware: I might be slightly embarrassed by this splurge- the hubs never asks for much or care what we put in our house so he made one request. Shower head with a speaker….I thought it was cool too. So I contacted customer service and asked them for a discount- boom the lady on chat gave me 15% off. It was the best customer service and this was after she answered 100 questions.
I hope this helps you with your next remodel.
Also, if you need a new robe for your remodel…
If you want inspiration on a kitchen remodel, see how Carley remodeled hers here.
XO- Lindsay
When we first purchased our home, our bathroom looked very similar to yours. Blue tub, toilet, and sink with black marble counter tops, blue paneled walls, a sliding shower door, and believe it or not RED carpeting! Our first week here we replaced the tub and toilet with white ones, ripped out the sliding door to put a regular shower curtain, replaced the carpeting with neutral colored laminate flooring, replaced the sink, and covered the counter top with some instant granite. We still aren’t finished – still have walls to do, but what a huge difference it made. I hope ours looks as good as your finished product! Great job!
Oh my Amanda, what an added bonus you got with the red carpet! Hope you finish soon!
What a Gorgeous remodel! I absolutelylove it all.
thank you Shirley! Appreciate you taking the time to stop by !
The sitting area is such a great idea and I love the gray!
thanks so much we love the added storage too!
omgeeee i loovvee the remodel! such goals, its so pretty
thank you so much for stopping by and the sweet comment!
Where is the barn door from?
Hi Amanda- Thanks so much for checking out the post! The door was from HOODS by the airport. It was raw wood that we painted white, it was the best deal I could find at $99.
Blogs are very good way of exchanging the information and I love to read post and sometime some blogs give me so much of knowledge and this is one kind of those blogs.
Hi I’m having trouble locating the tag for your master bathroom rug? It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!