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Tag: master bathroom makeover

Back-of-the-Door Towel Bar

There are a handful of posts that I receive so many questions about.  One of the most asked-about post is how I hung towel bars on the back of my bathroom door, especially upon me sharing details of the newly renovated master bathroom.

Life could not go on anymore without me addressing this, ha.  Joking aside, this post is going to be short-n-sweet, but will address the question that I’ve been asked 582 times… “How did you hang a towel bar on a hollow core door”

The simple answer… With a screw.

To be honest, since the towel bars have been on the back of the door for over 5 years, I actually forgot how I hung them.  So today, I actually dismanteled them to confirm the process I took.  (sometimes, I’m a do-er, not a thinker, and just go for it without analyzing + strategizing first – sometimes it works and something it doesn’t…).

OVERVIEW

With all towel bars, comes a mounting bracket.  Once you’ve confirmed your placement for the towel bar, the mounting brackets get attached first to the flat surface (in this case, the back of the door), then the towel bar escutcheon is attached and gets secured with a set screw.

DETAILS

Once the placement for the towel bar is determine, place the mounting bracket on the flat surface and use (2) 3/4″ long screw to secure it.  Even though the center of a hollow-core door is hollow, the thickness of the door is almost like wood (unlike sheetrock which crumbles if you screw into it) so it’s dense / hardy enough for the screw to be secure.

And that’s it.  Once the two screws have been installed on each mounting bracket, the escutcheon plates can be attached and secured with a set screw.

How-To mount a TOWEL BAR on a hollow core door to save on space! www.JennaBurger.com

How-To mount a TOWEL BAR on a hollow core door to save on space! www.JennaBurger.com

Being 100% honest, these towel bars have been incredibly secure for 5+ years!  I’ve had towel bars mounted in sheetrock with an anchor and they haven’t held up as well as being mounted on the door.

How-To mount a TOWEL BAR on a hollow core door to save on space! www.JennaBurger.com

Give it a try! You’ll love the wall space it saves.

Serene + Sophisticated Master Bathroom Reveal

It’s been months in the making, but I am excited to share that my master bathroom renovation is complete.  I actually wrapped it up right before the new year hit, but I was awaiting a few accessory items (the finishing layers always make complete a space) + I really wanted to use the space on a daily basis before sharing my thoughts on the outcome.

Without further ado, here is our recently remodeled master bathroom…

Before getting to far ahead of myself and throwing loads of pictures at you (which I can’t wait to share), let’s remember where this bathroom started when I walked into a shell-of-a-house 7 years ago…

I don’t know who in their right mind would find this shade of purple to be pleasant each day, but it wasn’t for me.  If you can believe it, this space ended up being the last of all the rooms to be renovated (why did I wait so long?).

Finally in 2011, we gave the bathroom a DIY overhaul with a new floor (groutable luxury vinyl tile, tutorial here), new paint on the walls, new paint on the cabinet (faux glaze tutorial here), and new accessories (like the shower curtain made using window drapery panels, tutorial here).

DIY Master Bathroom renovation - JENNA BURGER DESIGN

What a huge difference. We loved it.

Fast forward 6 years, and we were in want + need of a total bathroom overhaul.  I envisioned a large shower, a longer + newer vanity + tile!

And voila, this is our new renovated bathroom

This is the vision board that I originally created…

Master Bathroom Renovation mood board - JENNA BURGER DESIGN

3 walls now are floor to ceiling tile and this space feels (and looks) like a high-end hotel bathroom with a serene spa feel.

If you know me, I adore color, but for this space, I stayed with lighter + brighter hues of neutrals and added contrast with a dark gray cabinet + layers of accessories in shades of blue.

 

The paint color for the space was tricky…  I actually had another color chosen but because the tile above the vanity is glossy & reflective, the tile took on an ugly color.  So I went to the light section of the color wheel and choose a soft blue.  It’s called  Sunday Sky by Valspar.

Sunday Sky by Valspar Because of the small amount of wall space, I decided to paint the ceiling a color as well and chose a slightly darker shade of blue (in the same color family as the walls).  It’s called Windblown Blue by Valspar.

The previous vanity was only 36″, but there was plenty of space to install a longer vanity.  We were able to increase the the size to this 48″ wide vanity that has two doors in the center and 3 drawers on each side (it looks like 4 drawers, but the bottom 2 are actually one taller compartment).

The additional 12″+ has been a game changer with the amount of usable counter space.  Yes, a double sink would have been glorious, but I’ll take what I can get!

Having drawers in the bathroom has also has been a welcomed change.  There is now so much room for the smaller bathroom items, as well as taller items like hairspray and nailpolish remover.

I lined the drawers with this cute contact paper that I snagged from Target for $3.  Just a small touch that makes a big difference.

The countertop for this vanity is a beautiful carrara marble.  Never great for the kitchen, but perfect for the bathroom!   This vanity came with the marble top + undermount sink in a square shape.

A 36″ round jute rug placed in the front of the vanity has been such a nice added touch for softness and texture.

The marble countertop arrived with 3 holes to accommodate this widespread sink faucet.  When possible, I always prefer separate holes for the faucet + handles versus being together on one late.  The look is higher end and appears like it was custom cut.

The frameless tile mirror above is a favorite of mine not only because it’s affordable at less than $100, but also because it’s a sophisticated, classic look + it can accommodate people of different heights since it tilts.

I have to talk about the tile…  The tile is what truly sets this bathroom apart and gives the space a custom, unique look!  The tile in the shower space is a 4 x 12 white subway tile and I added a 12″ high band about 3′ high above the floor, which continues to the ceiling on the wall of the vanity.

The accent mosaic tile (which comes on a 12″ x 12″ mesh sheet backing) is made of a variety of ceramic + natural stones in varying shades of neutrals.  It is such a beautiful backdrop to the vanity and is so dramatic, but not in an overwhelming way, when you enter the space.

As you make your way around the space, the window adorns a new roman shade made by my go-to-fabricator Tonic Living.  I work with them a lot on client projects and they create such gorgeous window treatments.  This fabric just truly captures everything that I wanted this bathroom to evoke.

One large component of this bathroom remodel was the removal of the existing tub and creating a shower space in it’s place.

This renovation was part DIY and part highered out to a contractor.  There were areas (mainly plumbing) that was beyond our skillset to take on, so calling in a contractor was a must.  Once he removed the existing shower unit, he installed a new shower pan.  We installed the tile on the walls, and then he returned and installed the new shower enclosure.

>>> Check out more here on how the walls were tiled 

Transitioning from a tub to a shower left us with one challenge.  The shower pan was 2″ narrower than the tub so there was a gap between the floor ended and the shower pan edge.  What to do?  What to do?  Using a few extra mosaic pieces, I filled in the gap, and no one will ever know – wink, wink…

One moment it was a problem, the next a simple resolution was discovered!

I am really loving this shower door because it eliminates the difficulties of a typical swinging shower door (they swing into the shower so the placement for the shower fittings needs to be configured properly) + the design of it is so modern + minimal.

The one panel is stationery (left side in the picture above) and the panel with the handle is operable. The wheels seamlessly roll on the bar above similar to a rolling barn door.

In lieu of a bench or built-in niche for shampoo (something I would have loved, but beyond my skillset + budget), I found a petite teak bench perfect for sitting and/or holding various shower necessities.

To finish off the tile where the tile meets the wall on the shower fittings side, I added a 3×6 bullnose tile in a vertical layout.  With the one side of the tile being curved, it transitions beautifully into the wall.

 

The layout of this space is somewhat tricky because there is an angled wall that is too large to leave bare, but too small to add a piece of furniture that is oversized. When I was scouring for accessories, I knew what I wanted, but couldn’t find anything that was just right + within my budget.  In the end, I found this gorgeous lucite + leather (white) stool.  I just couldn’t leave it.

I knew I had to pair it with a simple + minimal vanity.  Shopping came to a halt because I decided to build the simple vanity that I envisioned.

I used 2 x 3 for the 4 legs + 1 x 4 for the apron surround + 1/4″ thick plywood for the top, then painted it a color similar to the ceiling.  It’s the perfect size + scale for the space and is the ideal spot for perfumes, cotton balls, q tips, etc…

All the beautiful artwork in the bathroom is from Minted.com.  They are a fabulous source for fine art + limited edition prints at an affordable price.

One of the most frequent inquiries I get on the blog is about the towel bars mounted on the back of the door.  The bathroom space is decent, but there is no perfect place for towel bars, so the existing back-of-the-door-towel-bars remained.

>>> Check out this post on How-To Hang a Towel Bar on a Hollow Core Door

Like all renovations, this project came with it’s hurdles + challenges, but nothing that couldn’t be overcome with thinking outside the box and a bit of patience.  As with all projects, there is a first for everything and with each completed endeavour, I take away something new, which builds my skillset + confidence.  At the same time, I know when to turn to others and call in the pros.

If you want to see more on this bathroom remodel, check out this previous posts:

Master Bathroom Renovation: Plan + Mood Board

Master Bathroom Renovation: Demo!

Master Bathroom Renovation: Tile + Grout

Now through March 23, Lowe’s is having a kitchen + bath event with deals up to 40% off. Work with a Lowe’s project specialist to design you dream space…  It’s the perfect opportunity for a refresh!

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWE’S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

Master Bathroom Renovation: DEMO!

Hi All!

Last I left you, I mentioned we were about to undergo a major renovation of the master bathroom. It was a space that got a DIY makeover a few years back, but with wear + tear it was time for an overhaul.

As much as I adore color, I could only image this new bathroom to be soft + serene and clean + calm. The overall aesthetic will be based more on texture rather than color. Plus layers will add an important element to give the overall space contract + depth.

Just to share a reminder of the ‘before’ space…

Master Bathroom 'BEFORE' the renovation, JENNA BURGER DESIGN

The morning of demo day, I snapped the picture above of the bathroom, and in no time the contractors got to work…

Demo Day for the Master Bathroom renovation, JENNA BURGER DESIGN

From the tub to the vanity to the toilet, everything was ripped out!

As I mentioned in my last post, this renovation is a dual endeavour.  Due lack of time + components outside our skill set, we are taking on some areas of the renovation, while other areas will be performed by a contractor.  As I previously said, I don’t want to be without a bathroom for months AND I want to stay sane (somewhat).

The contractors are tackling the major areas including demo + installing the main components – shower pan + fittings, toilet, vanity + faucet.

DAY ONE

On the first day, the three-man crew removed the existing pre-fab tub, the sheetrock above the tub, the toilet, and the vanity.  It’s a small space, but by lunch time, the space was cleared out…

Instead of installing a new tub, we decided to use the 30″ x 60″ outcove for a shower.  After the tub + sheetrock was removed, the space was ready for the new shower pan.  For the new tile to adhere to, hardiboard (also known as cement board or backerboard) was installed.

Sheetrock is still a great product for the walls and ceiling of a bathroom, just not in the tub/shower area. Cement board is made with actual cement + a firberglass mesh exterior, so it’s waterproof and won’t deteriorate over time when/if it comes in contact with water.

Additionally, the new vanity that I chose is 48″ whereas the existing is 36″… I’m gaining 12″ of counterspace – I’m over the moon! Because of this change, the electrical wiring for the light needs to be moved so it will be centered on the new 48″ space.

By days end, this was the result…

Demo Day for the Master Bathroom renovation, JENNA BURGER DESIGN

Demo Day for the Master Bathroom renovation, JENNA BURGER DESIGN

Check out the purple wall color that was behind the toilet…  it was from before we renovated the last bathroom…  Gosh that color is ghastly and I was hoping to never see it again, ha.

DAY TWO

On the second day of renovation, the new shower pan was installed and the remainder of the space got prepped for tile.  After another day’s work, it was my turn to step in to install the tile.

Here’s a peak of how the finished cement board looks upon installation with the new shower pan…

It’s ready for me to tile!

Installing the tile for a master bathroom renovation, JENNA BURGER DESIGN

More details of the master bathroom renovation coming soon.

I gotta get back to tiling…

Oh, and I’m still deciding on the accent tile.  Any suggestions?  What do you like best??

Accent Tile Options

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWE’S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

Master Bathroom Renovation: Plan + Mood Board

It’s been quite some time – about a year – since we tackled a full-on big room renovation.  To put it plain + simple, the kitchen remodel last Fall just wiped me out… and we didn’t even do too much on our own. When it was done, I was desperate for a break.  Then life got busy. Sports. Work. School. Appointments. You know the drill…  But when this past Summer turned into Fall and the kids were back to school and a everyday routine was once again established, I was finally feeling the itch to get my hands dirty… again.

If you remember back about 4-1/2 years ago, one of the last spaces in our home to get attention after moving in was the master bathroom.  The walls were a horrendous purple/pink hue with dated + dusty brass accents.  It all had to go…

Master Bathroom 'before' renovation - JENNA BURGER DESIGN

…but it didn’t all go.

With a few cans of paint, I transformed the walls, the trim, and the cabinet with a whole new color palette. Then to finish it, I laid a new floor using luxury vinyl tile, hung a new mirror, and changed the light. A few hundred dollars later, and the space was completely transformed… for the most part.

DIY Master Bathroom renovation - JENNA BURGER DESIGN

DIY Projects:
How to Paint + Glaze a Cabinet
How to Make a Curtain into a Shower Curtain
How to Install Luxury Vinyl Tile (to look like ceramic tile)

And if you can believe it, the renovated space even ended up in a national publication, Kitchen + Bath makeovers, Fall/Winter 2014 

Better Homes & Garden Kitchen + Bath Makeover magazine - SAS Interiors Kitchen and Master Bath feature

Bathroom Makeover featured in KBMO Fall/Winter 2014, produced by Donna Talley & photographed by John Bessler

But after 4 years of using the bathroom day in + day out, it needed a makeover. A real makeover. The pre-fab tub was drear and the builder-grade cabinet had seen it’s life span.

I envisioned Carrara. White. Clean. Fresh. Fun…

…And created a vision board.

Master Bathroom Renovation mood board - JENNA BURGER DESIGN

eek!  It’s all so pretty and fabulous.

Sophisticated, but casual.

Elegant, but inviting.

I am really excited about this new bathroom. You know me, I adore a striking + bold color, but for this space, I need it to feel tranquil and serene.  With being pulled in 92 directions each day, I want to start off and end each precious day in a calming way.

Thanks to my friends at Lowe’s, who I have worked with for years, for choosing to partner with me on this project to create an inviting and peaceful place.

Here is what I have planned…

> The tub will be changing from a pre-fab bathtub to a shower with a frameless rolling glass door

> New Tile will be added from floor to ceiling in the tub space and will continue on the entire wall of the vanity

> The main tile will be 4 x 12 white subway with an accent glass/natural mosaic tile

> The walls will be painted a light mint green hue

> The 36″ vanity will be replaced with a 48″ vanity in a dark gray finish to give contrast and a white cararra countertop will be added to give a finished luxury look

> To finish the space, artwork and a fabric window valance in hues of blue will add pattern and color

These are the specific items I plan to use (and are shown in the mood board above):

Vanity
Toilet
Shower Door
Main Subway Tile
Glass Mosaic Tile
Sconce
Mirror
Artwork
Fabric Valance

This is the overall layout plan + elevations that I created:

Floor Plan

Bathroom Elevation

DIY + Calling in the PROS!

This bathroom renovation, like the last one I tackled, isn’t going to be a devoted do-it-yourself project.  For 2 reasons.  One, I don’t want to be without a bathroom for months AND I want to stay somewhat sane. Two, other than the basics, the Mister & I don’t know much about plumbing and leave those things to the experts.

As with the previous bathroom renovation, we worked with a contractor to demo the bathroom and install the major components.  What is on our list to tackle for this renovation is: tile installation (there’s A LOT of tile!), paint, baseboard, installing the light, installing the accessories, hanging artwork, etc.

By splitting up a project with tackling some of it on our own and calling in the pros where needed, we’ll save money AND our sanity (i hope)!

There you have it… for now.

Demo has begun.  Wish me luck.  I’ll need it 😉

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWE’S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

Horrid to Heavenly Master Bathroom Reveal

In one week, my master bathroom went from a place that I dreaded and turned into a heavenly, serene, and spa-like oasis.  The last 7 days have been a whirlwind of working around the clock, but it’s all worth it!  Looking back, I can’t believe I waited so long.  I walk into this space now and I feel a fresh of breathe air.  Take a look…

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Beautiful right?  But wait until you see the before, and you’ll be sure to appreciate the after even more!

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I’ve been slightly secretive about the plan that I had for this space.  I didn’t want to reveal too many details and ruin the big reveal.  If you want to see more though, you can check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the Bathroom Makeover.

Can you believe how horrid the bathroom looked before?  Frightening! Enough about that…  Let’s take a tour!

The process for this bathroom makeover started last Friday when I spackled and prepared the walls for painting. Quick backstory: Before we moved into our home, the walls were wallpapered.  The previous owners removed the wallpaper, and painted the walls that horrid pink/purple color.  When they removed the wallpaper, the walls got really damaged, so there was ALOT of prep work before painting could begin.

Along with the walls, we also painted the previously stained mouldings, with a fresh coat of semi-gloss white. This update alone, made the space look completely different!

Once the walls were painted and complete, it was time to lay the new floor.  I decided to use groutable vinyl floor tiles, which I layed directly over my existing floor.  I chose a tile that has a similar look to Botticino natural stone and installed the tile the same way I did for my parents foyer. Groutable vinyl truly looks JUST LIKE ceramic – it’s amazing!

After the joints were grouted and set, I moved onto the sink base cabinet.  This was quite the experiment for sure and turned out nothing as I envisioned, but I’m still happy with the result.  I desired a dark cabinet, but with a light glaze overlay (opposite of my glazed cabinet), but it didn’t work.  After wracking my brain for a bit, I decided to use stain as the glaze.

The shower curtain isn’t a shower curtain at all.  It’s actually two drapery panels made and hung to look like a shower curtain.  I had found these panels at Target and was desperate to use them someplace, and this bathroom was the perfect spot. (Tutorial on how to make any window panel/curtain into a shower curtain).

The window valance I also made using drop cloth fabric and something pretty neat (another tutorial coming soon).

Even though I spent alot of time on this makeover, the process went quite quickly because all the existing plumbing fixtures remained.  The sink, faucet, cabinet, countertop, toilet, and tub are all the same pieces we had before – nothing is new.  Even though the fixtures looked a lil’ sad in the before space, once they were spruced up and surrounded by other beautiful elements, they looked new again.

Surprised that I didn’t do something funky or with more color?  I am, but I truly desired a soft, subtle, and spa-like retreat. And do you blame me after the color I’ve lived with for so long?!

For the existing frameless medicine cabinet that is built into the wall, I added a wood frame surround and secured it with liquid nails.  I took the same steps as I did with the kids bathroom, but without the chalkboard. Simply adding a frame around this somewhat boring style medicine cabinet, gives it new life and a new look for about $15.

I love a good quote and these are simple, to the point, and important to remember every day.

Of course you need a place to put a towel.. or two.  I installed these darling towel hooks right outside of the shower.  I added small frames above the hooks that I spray painted white and the glass with chalkboard paint to create a W (for wife) and H (for husband)…  now each of us knows which towel is whose!

Here’s a recap and rundown of everything in the space –

  1. New lighting fixture from Lowe’s
  2. DIY window valance made of drop cloth material (tutorial coming soon)
  3. 8×10 black frames with quotes I printed on my home printer
  4. Mirror was created using a 24 x 36 picture frame.  I took the existing frameless mirror to a local glass shop, which they reused and cut it down to size to create this new mirror – all for less than $20
  5. New hand and bath towels from TJ Maxx
  6. New tile backsplash (Read Tutorial: how-to install tile backsplash)
  7. Espresso bamboo roman shade from  Lowe’s
  8. Accessories from Target, Home Goods, and various local shops
  9. DIY cabinet makeover (Read Tutorial: how To glaze a cabinet using stain); Crystal knobs from Lowe’s
  10. Wool rug from Target 
  11. Window panels from Target made into a shower curtain (Read Tutorial: how to make any curtain into a shower curtain)
  12. Groutable Vinyl Tile (Read Tutorial: how-to install groutable vinyl tile)


13. Place card frames made into initial frames with white spray paint and chalkboard paint
14. Towel hooks from Hobby Lobby
15. Bath towels from TJ Maxx
16. Bath stand from Home Goods

For about $500 (for supplies and accessories), I think this bathroom makeover was a huge success and a must! Here are a few more pictures for ya…

So would you agree this bathroom is a drastic difference from what it was only one week ago?  I’ve enjoyed many of the comments and thoughts on what y’all thought about the before bathroom… at least I gave you a few chuckles!  I’m just SO glad it’s complete and I’m thrilled with the results!

Tutorials you may want to read:

Thanks to these sites for featuring my Master Bathroom Makeover: Stories of A to Z, Centsational Girl BOTB, Addicted 2 Decorating