"Add a Little Southwest Flair to Your Life"

Success the Second Time Around 
By Karen Appold - Photos by Frank DeSantis

Although a first remodel resulted in a problematic master bath, it is now a contemporary, southwestern retreat

The remodeled master bathroom has southwestern
and contemporary flair.

A remodel of Jamie and Linda’s master bathroom 10 years ago resulted in inadequate workmanship and a problematic design. “We had stress cracks in the ceiling which a painter attempted to repair only to find there was no support in the ceiling,” says Linda, the wife. “The painter's cost estimate to fix the problem was so exorbitant that we decided rather than spend that much to still have a bathroom design we disliked, we should build our dream bathroom.”

Instead of the small shower, Jamie, the husband, wanted a large luxurious spa shower to relax and enjoy after many long hours at the office. Linda wanted a separate area within the room to apply makeup while standing up. Other project goals included replacing the vanities and putting them at a comfortable height, replacing the standard toilet with a “comfort height” toilet, placing the toilet in a privacy area and recessing the medicine cabinets for a sleeker look.

The couple, whose home was built in 1987, consulted several contractors. They chose Bathrooms Plus, a division of Home Tech Renovations, because Dave Cerami, CKBR, owner, Bathrooms Plus, impressed them with his design ideas, technical expertise and thoughtful, reassuring manner.

Cerami offered several designs based on criteria outlined in the homeowners’ bath surveys. The final design selection was exactly what was desired and included a dramatic ascending curved wall element when entering the room.

Southwestern Flair

The couple wanted a design that was natural and reminiscent of Arizona that contained contemporary elements. “We envisioned an oasis where we could feel as if we were on vacation,” Linda says.

“I had to bridge the two styles by using a copper slate tile with irregular clefting that yielded a more natural stone wall look,” says Cerami. The custom sage green inset cabinet blended with the copper tile to create an earthy dessert feel.”

Detail of the coordinating 1 by 1, 4 by 4 and 12 by 12 tile with marble shower seat used to achieve a Santa Fe feel.

The Grohe body spray and rainshower provides a spa effect.

The homeowners liked the natural color variations of the stone tile

The choice of colors and products was determined by the southwestern theme. “We embraced Cerami’s suggestion to use stone tile in various sizes,” Linda says. “Its natural color variations were appealing. We loved the granite recommended to offset the tile and cabinetry.”

Plumbing fixture education, which included a live showerhead demonstration, was done at Ferguson Supply. Cabinetry was accessorized with polished chrome decorative accents to give the typically traditional look a more transitional contemporary presentation, Cerami says.

The lighting included moisture resistant low-voltage recessed fixtures along with decorative complementary sconces. Custom colored screwless wall plates gave the room a cleaner look. Due to the volume of anticipated steam, two whisper quiet Panasonic exhaust fans were installed. One contains a heating element that provides added warmth in the winter.

The heating vent was moved several inches to accommodate the vanity and spray painted copper to match the floor tile. The vessel sink faucet was too far from the bowl and the granite countertop pushed on the linen cabinet, so a new countertop was cut, delivered and installed within 48 hours.

Overcoming Obstacles

The toilet was problematic because it couldn’t be moved due to infrastructure issues. A curved privacy wall was built at a lower lever to hide it from direct view through the door or while working at the vanity cabinets.

Also, there were inadequate drain and supply lines to support the proposed 54- by 104-inch barrier free body shower environment. A second floor drain was created for the larger shower to allow for more efficient means of evacuating the additional water volume created by the new shower system, Cerami explains.

The existing double doors only opened two-thirds into the room. They were replaced with a newly positioned custom single-frosted glass pine door to allow for the new vessel sink make up area. The new door matches an existing one that leads into the master bedroom.

Midstream Modifications

Changes were made to the plans in the midst of the project. For example, Cerami suggested lowering the half wall between the vessel sink and toilet for a better view of the shower. He also recommended tiling instead of painting it. “We appreciated their flexibility during the project,” Jamie says.

The honed granite shower corner bench came in a triangular shape and had a squared-off look. Cerami suggested curving it when the homeowners thought it appeared too large. “On the fly changes such as this one really made significant improvements,” Jamie says.

High Expectations Met

“All of our objectives were met and exceeded our highest expectations,” says Jamie, who adds that the remodel took just 8 weeks. “All obstacles were overcome and special challenges were resolved to our complete satisfaction. The proportions are perfect including our 9-foot long spa shower that doesn’t feel cramped and crowded. The colors are quite soothing.”

“When I get into the shower, I don’t want to get out. I find it so relaxing,” Jamie says.

“Our son no longer showers in the hall bath, but makes it a point to shower in the master bathroom,” Linda says. “Several people have said it is the nicest bathroom they have ever seen.”

“We are completely pleased with the craftsmanship,” Jamie adds. “The employees made the inconvenience of living with construction and strangers in our home as painless as possible. They were neat, orderly, polite and helpful. We are delighted with the ‘wow’ factor of the finished product.”

For Cerami, highlights of the project included the curved stone tile walls, transitional flush inset cabinets, 9-foot walk-in gym style shower and winning a Contractor of the Year Award (CotY) Award from the Bucks/Mont National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for bathrooms between $30,000 and $60,000.

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