Don't make me Blush

Looking for a simpler life and walkability, a retired couple purchased an 'in-town' condominium with lovely views. The condo's floor plan met their needs but a few of the rooms were in desperate need of updating and first on the list was the master bath.

There were three primary 'features' that the homeowners wanted to address:

finishes — replace the floor to ceiling blush pink tile with blush pink grout (which was also applied to the glass block) along with the bright brass fixtures
replace the bathtub with a larger shower
with a desire to be neighborly, the owners wanted to address the downstairs neighbor's ability to 'hear' activities in their master bath.

In an effort to provide a serene low maintenance bathroom with a more appealing color pallet, the shower surround (including the window wrap), the countertops and the vertical wall cap on the end of the full-height glass block wall were replaced with solid surface LG Hi-Macs. The floor in the water closet, shower and make-up area was retiled in large format tiles, effectively minimizing grout. The pink glass block grout was 'painted' with color matched grout sealant.

The jetted bathtub was removed and the entire space was converted to a shower with a built-in bench and strategically placed grab bars. The wood shutters were replaced with wood grain vinyl shutters providing the desired privacy and moisture resistance while keeping in theme with all the window coverings throughout the home. A make-up vanity was installed in the former shower location providing a comfortable height grooming station.

Shoddy original construction was allowing sounds from the master bathroom to transmit to the condo below. All floor penetrations were filled in, sound deadening drywall was applied to the non-shower walls and shock absorbers were installed between the floor tile backer and the framing studs to minimize sound transmission. The neighbor happily reports that the sound abatement efforts were successful.

Elegant and easy to maintain, this bathroom is truly suitable for a simpler life.

Cabinetry: Cherry • Countertops: Solid Surface