Bathrooms

Within two months of purchasing their 1930-built English Tudor home in Wauwatosa, this young family of five (two adults and three young girls) quickly learned that their existing 1 and ½ bath were not enough. They needed additional bathroom space.

The decision to transform a second floor covered airing porch and unused floor space into a master suite came quickly. Much of the home’s exterior character spills into the home’s interior so the main challenge was to make certain that the renovation looked like it was original. It had to compliment the existing character of the home. The new space also had to include additional storage room and accommodate antique furniture pieces.

The homeowners also requested a custom shower stall; private water closet, so the remainder of the space can be utilized while it was in use; his and hers sinks and vanities; and natural light throughout the suite.

The airing porch was enclosed with traditional wood framing. The exterior was sheathed in plywood, wrapped in Tyvek, and aluminum siding, soffit, fascia and gutters were installed to match the existing. Other preparations for the suite included updating the size of the water line to facilitate new plumbing fixtures to meet local code without disturbing finishes on the first floor.

The original plaster ceiling and wall surfaces were reconditioned by removing wallpaper and glue and smoothing out imperfections. The existing white oak hardwood floors were tied in perfectly to the new flooring, creating a seamless transition from old to new. Existing closet space was redesigned to better fit the homeowners’ needs.

The bathroom included a custom frameless 3/8” clear tempered glass shower door with an inline panel on half of the shower wall. Uninterrupted glass put the emphasis on the newly tiled shower walls. A custom designed recessed shower caddy embellished with 2x4 slate created continuity between the shower walls and the slate floor. Kohler pinstripe polished chrome faucetry throughout the bathroom included multiple shower heads. In addition to the standard shower head, a ceiling and an adjustable hand-held were installed.

A few steps down the hall and across from the shower, a pocket door created a private water closet area. Even while the water closet was in use, the rest of the space remained usable. A Pella Architectural Series double-hung window allowed for natural light into the space.

Flextherm floor warming was installed beneath the tile. A wall register was relocated from a former closet and hidden behind a vanity, vented between the legs. A Broan high-CFM, low sone fan provided proper ventilation. Tumbled 12x12 slate flooring was run in a brick joint pattern to repeat the pattern used on the shower walls and accented with a combination of 3x6 tumbled travertine subway tile and 2x4 tumbled slate.

The smooth uninterrupted texture of Holiday Kitchen’s custom cabinetry in Sandlewood stained maple created a direct contrast with the tumbled flooring and wall tile. Petersburg Square doors and Blumotion hardware were part of the design. The cabinetry also included a window seat with storage space below. Honed travertine vanity tops, shower bench and threshold repeated the Noce color throughout the bathroom. The countertops were balanced with his & her Kohler Boucle Tweed finish undermount basins.

To make certain the renovation fit in with the character of the home; original doors and millwork were reused throughout. When original pieces ran short, additional millwork was manufactured to match the existing.

To accommodate the homeowner’s request for additional storage, a new closet was built on the wall between the entry door of the suite and the bathroom. One of the original doors was modified to a sliding closet door.

Another Pella Architectural Series double-hung window in the bathroom allowed for ample natural light in the bathroom. Recessed cans provided general lighting throughout the bathroom and sconces created task lighting near the vanity areas.

bathroom and bedroom. Not only did this allow for natural light into both areas of the suite, it also matched the first floor entry profile following in character of the original home.

This family of five is pleased with their new living space. We overcame the challenge of keeping the renovation within the character of the original home, created additional storage and accommodated their antiques within their limited budget of $75,000.

The homeowners of this 1920’s built Spanish Mediterranean home in the Washington Highlands of Wauwatosa wanted to update and expand their master bath. An existing entry door from a guest bedroom and an existing one-person shower stall would be transformed into a two-person custom shower, with no door. The challenge was to blend the new space with the existing style of the home while creating a soft and comfortable environment. Structural issues became evident in the beginning and we were faced with additional challenges. Upon demolition, it was discovered that the water and waste pipes ran through the floor/ceiling joists. The original joists had to be re-supported to eliminate potential weight sag due to compromised wood integrity. To comply with current codes, steel L-beams were fastened to one side of each compromised floor/ceiling joist. Water and waste pipes were then rerouted through existing wall cavities and down to the basement. These corrections allowed for the transformation of the one-person shower to a multiperson shower. All wall and floor cavities were insulated to weatherproof and sound-proof the room.

With a now structurally sound floor, the new shower pan was poured and floor self-leveler was used to correct the settled and pitched floor. Large, 18x18 honed travertine tile was laid at a 45- degree angle to eliminate straight lines that could potentially cut off the visual space. A combination of decorative ceramic base and end caps were used in conjunction with marble border pieces and 4x8 subway tile running at belt course height. Tile was carried throughout the bathroom walls and into the shower stall to create continuity in the room.

In the shower stall, separate ceramic corner shelves and a recessed shower caddy with a glass shelf were added to accommodate storage of shampoo bottles and other toiletries. 4x4 honed travertine tile was laid at a 45 degree angle on the floor and on the ceiling. Marble border was placed around the perimeter of the shower floor and repeated at belt course height. Vyara granite was repeated in the shower seat and threshold as well as in the countertops for the linen storage area. Kohler faucetry included three-way body spray, an overhead shower and a personal shower set with a glide rail. Custom built Holiday Kitchens cabinetry was designed around the symmetry of the original circle top windows. Autumn stained cherry cabinetry was constructed with a standard overlay and embellished with a Lancaster Square door style and large crown to add architectural appeal. Blumotion drawer slides added to the functionality of the cabinetry.

The bathroom included a Porcher Sonnet Grande console sink and a Toto Clayton water closet with a soft close seat. The existing electric heater was removed and replaced with an updated model. The original 6’ rounded end tub was removed, stored and reset upon the homeowners request to keep as much of the original character intact as possible.

The electrical was updated to meet current code and wall sconces were mounted around the vanity location to provide task lighting. Recessed cans provide general lighting throughout the shower and storage areas. To remove years of paint, all original millwork was removed and stripped in an environmentally-friendly manner. It was then refinished to achieve a brandnew look while keeping its original architectural profile.

The color and texture of many surfaces were kept soft and smooth including tile, cabinetry and walls to create a serene atmosphere for the homeowners while maintaining the architectural style of the 1920’s home. This was accomplished on a $60,000 budget.

This cramped and dated bathroom was transformed into an open floor plan master suite that included the removal of an unused whirlpool and expansion of an existing shower (with steamer, body sprays, showerhead, hand sprayer).  Walls separating the toilet were eliminated and two sinks were replaced with one to create more storage and more counter area.  A diagonal wall conceals a previously hidden 8” cold air return and serves as additional support for the granite top.  Several types of tile, patterns and designs were used to create room continuity.  Color schemes of gold’s and bronzes accent and soften the bathroom.

Our clients wanted to transform their bathroom into a “friendlier” lavatory for people who are in their “Golden Years”. 

The existing tub was replaced with a large custom shower that features body sprays, a bench seat and recessed shelving for storage of shower items.  An existing heating vent had to be rerouted.

Existing floor tiles were removed and the floor needed to be raised to match the hardwood in the hallway.  A layer of ¾” plywood, a layer of ½” Durock, a layer of Thoro Floor Leveler and Warm Floor were installed, followed by 12” x 12” Everest Blue floor tile.  The same tile was cut to 3” to create a matching base tile.

6” x 6” Bright White tiles covered the walls with a pencil line of Cobalt tile to frame the recessed shelving.  This also formed an accent line throughout the shower.

The shower floor was made up of small Cobalt squares and white octagons.  The bench, walkthrough and half wall top were capped with White Corian.

The existing shower was removed and additional space from an unused closet in the adjacent room was used to gain space for “his and hers” style cabinetry.  A white Corian counter top was installed atop the vanities and drawer bank and two framed mirrors hang above the counter.  A small cabinet separates the mirrors and houses the client’s personal toiletries.