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

Before the renovation, this small, windowless bathroom was dark, dingy and overall outdated.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.

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.

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.

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.