Just 1 week away from starting our master bedroom and bath remodel I suddenly realized what a task it was going to be. Not only did I have to move everything out of the bathroom, closet and bedroom (everything), but I also needed to move us into the guest room for a prolonged stay as we gutted the master suite.
It was long anticipated and even longer needed, but I didn't relish the cramped quarters, the dust, the smell of tar, drywall paste and paint.
These rooms hadn't been touched since the construction of this home in the very early 90's, except for possibly carpet or paint - and neither done by us. We moved here in 2001.
I don't know why this was one of the last rooms in our house to get a new look. I suppose it was because it was more than a face lift - it was a complete remodel - and there were other areas of the house that needed our attention first...(see
Kitchen post).
The plans for this remodel included removing the tub (because we never ever used it) (also because it was ugly) and installing a shower in its place. We removed the outdated vanity and extremely outdated light fixtures and mirror, installed new flooring, new paint, new windows, new tile, a new built-in dresser/bookcase unit, new electrical, new vanity and new plumbing. Still to come is a new ceiling fan, bedding, curtains and accessories. As always seems to be the case, the budget got a little stretched with the discovery of some water damage and dry rot in the sub-flooring and a few other little surprises. Surprises were expected - and we were able to resolve them quickly.
We have a deck off of our master bedroom. It is such a wonderful thing to have with a beautiful view of the golf course and the water hazard... but it is a wonderful thing we have never, ever, used. We recently converted it from a standard style deck (rain, dirt and leaves fall through the decking to the patio below) to a solid surface (rain, dirt and leaves stay on top). It makes the patio below oh so much more livable. The deck; however, remains a project. It's extremely hot there in the mornings and only a little shaded in the afternoon. I plan to carry the tile I used in the bedroom to the outside to make it more livable. I will somehow need to create shade. I would like it to be a lovely retreat in the morning instead of a walk on the sun.... Suggestions appreciated.
The master suite, with the addition of bedding and window coverings, will be a lovely, calm, uncluttered retreat - even though at this point in our lives the only thing we would be retreating from would be the dogs...
I truly love Pinterest - have I mentioned this before? It is a wonderful cache for a creative mind - I so love that they finally have sub-files- so that my Christmas, Halloween, Food and Craft boards aren't so impossibly large and hard to manage. How can you possibly find things when you have to sift through thousands of photos? Instead of 10 different Christmas boards, I can eventually have just one, like a file drawer, that will open and with other 9 boards combined inside in their respective categories. A bit of an organizational curve is involved while transferring everything to sub-files....but worth it.
Anyway, back on subject... I mentioned Pinterest because it is a great place to store your inspiration photos. Often, when working with clients, we start a joint Pinterest board to store ideas and resources. Here is what I posted on my remodel board.
MASTER EN-SUITE INSPIRATION
I wanted wall faucets - So much cleaner around the sink.
More space on the counter -
and it looks cool, too.
I'm having a big built-in unit in the bedroom, opposite the bed.
Like this, but....
with drawers on the bottom for clothing storage.
which eliminates the need for dressers and keeps the room simple and uncluttered
and provides a space for display and the TV.
not as wide - my wall is smaller
I originally thought of these to light the built-in, but decided against sconces.
But they are really cool, right?
I chose an exposed thermostatic fixture for the new shower
such a classic look...
Love how the valve is on the outside and not the inside of the wall...
Not brass though -
although I may live to regret it, I chose chrome...
it's beautiful
Took me a while to figure out vanities. The one we had needed to be replaced, but the space was not a standard size at over 8 feet. I had to go custom. I like the idea of a makeup spot, but decided I needed the storage more.
A Plus created my custom vanity. They are the best.
The new vanity has so much more storage than the old one.
I completely fell in love with brass as my accent metal for knobs and pulls, sconces, etc.
The Hubs and I wanted these Restoration Hardware brass framed mirrors for over the sinks
We were extremely fortunate to find two of the aged brass mirrors from a Restoration Hardware outlet.
I liked this brass vanity lighting but,
the mirrors were 4 feet tall and that left NO room for a vanity light on top.
I settled for recessed lighting over the sinks.
and found sconces to go between the mirrors
One of the problems with this room I wanted to resolve was the open floor plan
that made the sleeping area open to the dressing area.
It was impossible to sleep through the Hubs getting ready for an early morning workout.
Another problem was the tiny toilet room - we practically had to climb onto the toilet to close the door.
I hoped to be able to add doors to the dressing area entrance, and remove the door to the toilet
Something old and amazing would be perfect.
Can't wait to show you what I found...
We chose faux wood tile for the flooring throughout.
I'm particularly fond of the herringbone pattern and decided to use that in the bedroom area.
The herringbone pattern would be too large for the smaller dressing/toilet/closet area - so I ran those tiles straight.
The Hubs wasn't sure about the herringbone.
I added horizontal (shiplap) planking to the vanity wall. I wanted to put it on the wall behind our bed and in the loo - but The Hubs really wasn't sure about shiplap. In fact, he was sure he hated it -
so that project is still to be completed.
Change is difficult for some people....
but I have a feeling he will like it when he sees it completed.
I chose beige with a gray undertone for the wall color.
I originally wanted a color similar to the ceiling here
but because the windows to this room reflect the green of the golf course and all the trees around the house,
all the paint samples turned weirdly green and bright on the walls.
I must have tried 10 different samples and they were all awful - so,
I had to neutralize the paint -
I loved the soothing tones of this room, and the simple bedding and curtains
We found a neutral rug. I wasn't planning on neutral, but the Hubs and I found one we both liked.
....and then there's the deck...
Which is another project entirely - but I LOVE this tile....
Look for the completed project - soon - (I hope).
I look forward to the Spring Celebration at Rogers Gardens, a plant nursery in Corona del Mar, California, each year. They are are a serious nursery, and a large one, but more than that - they also have several gift shops, a restaurant and an on-site florist. 
