The master bathroom in this home was cramped, outdated and had a musty smell that no amount of cleaning could eradicate. It only had one vanity and sink so it was not practical for two people. The wife’s vanity was outside the bathroom in the hallway which was less than ideal. It was time for walls to come down to make room for two vanities, an over-sized shower and a free-standing tub. The wife wanted a rain shower head and she fell in love with a unique granite slab for the counter tops which became the inspiration for all the other material selections. A bold stone choice like this requires restraint in all the other finishes.

The biggest challenge was creating a super-sized shower with no curb given that it was on the second floor of the house. Adding a curb-less shower to an existing home with finished rooms underneath is not easy. There are many pieces that need to fit together including sub-floor framing, plumbing drain lines, the slope of the shower, the size of tile that can be installed on the floor, and questions about how the inspections department is going to sign off on a shower pan without a curb.

Another challenge was that the homeowners originally selected a floor-mounted tub filler which would have required the freestanding tub to be pushed away from the wall - eating up precious floor space in front of the shower and one of the vanities. We were hand-cuffed by the existing framing under the tub which would have been cost-prohibitive to re-frame.

The solution to the shower puzzle was an innovative shower system with two drains by USG. The system, with custom-made pre-sloped trays, makes it possible to create a barrier-free shower in wood-framed construction without cutting the floor joists. Another advantage of this shower system is that you don’t have to build up the surrounding sub-floor in the rest of the bathroom. If you build up the sub-floor you end up with a higher floor in the bathroom than the adjacent room and that means changes to doors, trim and more. It can also become a tripping, toe-stubbing hazard when someone shuffles from bedroom to bathroom in the middle of the night. With the USG system, the bathroom floor is flush with the hardwoods in the hallway.

Unlike the old-school mud beds in showers which never fully dry out and provide a perfect environment for mold to grow on grout, the USG system is a fully bonded waterproofing system designed to control moisture independently of the tile covering while creating a solid base for a long-lasting shower. This means you can kiss mold and that musty smell goodbye. When we demolished the existing shower, it was clear that the old mud bed had been leaking. The sub-floor was wet and moldy – and, of course, we replaced it.

For the homeowner, the benefits of a barrier-free shower include a healthier environment, ease of access and clear sight lines which visually expands the space. “I love the curb-less shower! It’s so nice that the floor tile flows right into the shower. It makes the space feel larger. Water does not get out. It’s just beautiful!” said the homeowner.

To create the new shower, we stole the husband’s closet but we gave him another one in a much more elegant package. We designed and built a custom wardrobe to fit in the space where the wife’s vanity used to be – in the hallway outside the bathroom. We made sure to give the husband lots of bells and whistles like pull-out counters and a valet rod so he doesn’t feel like he got the short end of the stick. “It’s the old house dilemma. We never had enough closets,” said the homeowner. “When we started talking about taking over my husband’s closet to expand the bathroom we were worried about how to replace his storage space. The built-in wardrobe is just beautiful and it worked out way better than we expected.”

The framing under the tub dictated where the drain for the tub could go. Rather than re-framing the floor joists under the tub, which would have been costly, we swapped the floor-mounted tub-filler with a wall-mounted version. This solution required some extra effort from the plumber but we were able to maximize the floor space between the tub and vanity.

The subway tile flows out of the shower and creates a back splash behind the tub. The wall above the tub is the perfect spot for the homeowners’ favorite painting – and is the first thing you see when you walk in the bathroom. The subway tile with quarter-round trim continues as a waterproof baseboard around the rest of the bathroom. The entire bathroom floor has a waterproof membrane under the tile. The grey, over-sized tile on the floor has a subtle pattern and minimal grout lines so the Prada Gold granite counter tops can be the star.
Lighting is improved with layers. There are plenty of recessed lights in the ceiling and vanity lights over each sink. All the lights are zoned for different tasks and are on dimmers so the homeowners can create a relaxing environment. The recessed light in the center of the massive shower is a fan / light combo which whisks away hot, moist air. Another fan / light combo in the enclosed toilet room eliminates odors.

The custom cabinetry with inset doors and drawer fronts, exposed hinges and subtle grey glaze is in keeping with the clean, classic style and compliments the historic home. A shower on a slide bar is the perfect solution for tall and short bathers and it makes cleaning the shower a breeze. The wife now has the rain shower she craved while the husband prefers the fixed shower head.
Our team of designers, carpenters and specialty trades had to think out of the box and collaborate closely to put this complicated puzzle together. We consulted frequently with the manufacturer of the USG shower system during design and installation to ensure that we delivered the best-possible solution for our clients’ wants and needs.