I've said what I'm about to blurb so many times I'm even making myself crazy...it doesn't cost a fortune to make a big change in a room, EVEN a bathroom! Yeah, yeah, yeah you'll hear over and over how expensive bathrooms and kitchens are to renovate, but if you do your research and find a good carpenter (or if you can do it on your own without destroying your home) then you, too, can have a space you don't despise. I've been working with a lovely couple who bought a weekend home in the Hudson Valley and initially hired me to buy furniture and choose colors for the walls. That evolved into a slightly larger project, but as I do with many clients and friends, I put the brakes on this one (well, I pumped them a bit) and suggested they LIVE in the space for at least a year before doing anything major. The master bath, however, looked like the set of an 80's sitcom and needed some attention. The leading lady of this home wanted to rip it out completely, but I suggested starting with what she wanted most...a new tub. Because the tub will remain a focal point of the new space when we renovate next year, I knew we could start there and not worry about tearing it out down the road. My lovely contractor removed the dated jetted tub and surround and took out the southwestern-inspired built in bookshelves. We painted a softer tone, changed drawer pulls on the vanity, added crown molding around the mirror and removed dated sconces. Total cost of this spruce?
Materials: (new sheetrock for behind bookshelves, molding around mirror, drawer pulls, paint, grout for tile we found in garage: $495)
Bathtub by Brisso: $2,250
Labor: $750.00
