Before and After: Follow a Small Bathroom Remodel From Scary to Sophisticated

We're walking you through an entire small bathroom makeover to show exactly what it took to go from dark, dated and dingy to light, bright and airy.

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March 10, 2021

By: Kamron Sanders

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Photo By: Kamron Sanders

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Kamron Sanders

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Kamron Sanders

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Kamron Sanders

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Kamron Sanders

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Kamron Sanders

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Before: Cramped and Nondescript

Before the renovation, this small, windowless bathroom was dark, dingy and overall outdated. The low ceilings and insufficient light fixtures caused the bathroom to feel even smaller than it was, while a long-broken exhaust fan resulted in excess moisture and poor air quality.

After: Pretty With Some Pain Points

When it comes to remodels, the “afters” never tell the entire story. Truth is, in any renovation job, there are a multitude of unknowns that the renovator has to be comfortable with taking on if by chance they become a problem. Though this small bathroom turned out beautiful and just as planned, the renovation journey required a lot of patience and creativity.

BUY IT NOW

Brushed Bronze Faucet

Vessel Sink

Marble Soap Pump

Andy Star Gold Mirror

Sauder Clifford Base Cabinet

Gray Waffle Shower Curtain

Total Gut Job

The owner's big-picture goals for the renovation were to add better lighting, tile the floors and walls and update the bathroom’s overall aesthetic. To check off each wish-list item, the quickest and easiest route was to fully gut the space, which also allowed for a better assessment of the room’s structural health. Once gutted, we determined that the bathroom needed to be totally reframed and structuralized before tile on the floors and walls would be possible.

Keep Moisture Out

Once the walls were framed and the floor system stabilized and leveled, a new tub was installed, and the walls were prepped for tile. In the shower area, cement backer board was installed and sealed with a waterproofing membrane. For further protection from moisture, the entire area behind the backer board was fully covered in plastic sheeting. Special attention was given to the dual shower niches, as these tend to be a prime location for water damage.

Don't Underestimate the Details

Once all coats of the waterproofing membrane were finished and the area had been thoroughly cleaned, it was time to start tiling. To create a seamless visual, the niches were framed in a way that allowed full tiles to be installed both within them and around them. The ceiling was also leveled to allow for full tiles around the top of the tub. This attention to detail may seem like minutiae, but it makes all the difference in the end result.

Bright, Built-In Beauty

The completed niches appear one with the wall when viewed from straight on, which offers the modern look we'd hoped for and is a sleeker alternative to contrasting tile that could feel visually overwhelming in such a tight space. To promote proper draining, each shelf was framed with a slight slope. This is totally invisible to the naked eye but ensures no water sits in the niches.