Okay, so the master bathroom. It was just… old. Looked like something from decades ago, honestly. Tiles were dated, grout was gross, the vanity was bulky and took up way too much space. The lighting was terrible. Just felt cramped and dingy. Had to do something about it.
First thing I did was just tear everything out. Demolition day. That was messy. Ripped out the old tub, the toilet, that big ugly vanity. Pulled down the old mirror and light fixtures. Then came the tiles – floor and walls. That was a real chore, dusty and loud. Found some questionable plumbing behind the wall, surprise surprise. Had to get that sorted properly before moving on. You always find something unexpected when you open up walls.
Getting Started with the New Stuff
Once the space was empty and the pipes were fixed up, I could actually start putting the new bathroom together. I wanted something clean, you know? Contemporary, they call it. Less clutter, simple lines.
- Planning: Sketched out a basic layout. Decided to go with a walk-in shower instead of a tub. Floating vanity to make the floor space feel bigger.
- Materials: Spent a while picking tiles. Went with large format porcelain tiles for the floor and shower walls. Less grout lines, looks cleaner. Chose a neutral gray color.
- Fixtures: Picked out a simple, modern toilet. A rectangular vessel sink for the vanity. Brushed nickel faucets and shower head – went for a rainfall type.
Putting it All Together
Next came the actual building part. Put up new backer board in the shower area, made sure it was waterproofed right. Then started laying the floor tiles. Slow work, gotta get them level. Then moved onto the shower walls. Tiling takes patience, lots of cutting, especially around corners and niches. My knees were killing me by the end of it.
After the tiles and grout were done, I painted the remaining walls. Chose a light, off-white color to keep it bright. Then came installing the big stuff.
The vanity was tricky. A floating one looks simple, but you need solid blocking in the wall to hold it securely. Measured about fifty times before drilling those holes. Got the vanity up, then installed the countertop and sink. Hooked up the faucet and drain. That felt like a big step forward.
Installed the new toilet next. That’s usually pretty straightforward, thankfully. Then the shower fixtures – valve, rainfall head, handheld sprayer. Tested everything for leaks. Always test for leaks.
Finishing Touches
Lighting was important. Put in some recessed LED lights in the ceiling for overall brightness, and a sleek light bar above the vanity mirror. Makes a huge difference compared to the old single bulb fixture.
Got the frameless glass shower panel installed. That really opened up the space and showed off the tile work. Hung a large, simple mirror over the vanity. No bulky medicine cabinet this time.
Last bits were installing the towel bars, a robe hook, and the toilet paper holder. Little details, but they matter for function.
And that was pretty much it. Took a while, more effort than I probably expected, especially dealing with the surprises behind the walls. But now it’s done. The bathroom feels way bigger, brighter, and just… clean. Modern look, easy to maintain. Works much better for us. Definitely an upgrade, even if it was a load of work getting there.
