Whether you’re an empty nester or a young family looking to live smaller, downsizing can be an excellent option for getting more of what you want in your home — and divesting the things you no longer need or desire.
You can shed square footage with a smaller-sized home yet still get what you want in your living space. According to Zillow, on-trend amenities in 2022 include spa-like bathrooms, meditation spaces and natural light — all of which can be created in compact living areas.
Downsizing in Style with a New Bathroom, Bedroom and Closet
With their children now grown, a Northeast Ohio couple decided to move from their large home to a smaller-footprint space to simplify their everyday living and reduce time spent on home maintenance.
But the property that they bought needed some updating and remodeling to make it look and function the way they envisioned. Their owner’s suite wish list included a more spacious bathroom with a large shower and no tub, an expanded closet with built-in organization and a comfortable, more tranquil bedroom.
The Primary Bathroom Remodel
The existing owner’s suite bathroom was outdated. While the room’s footprint was ample in size, the large soaking tub consumed most of the bathroom space, making it feel cramped. The homeowners wanted a more simplified and sophisticated bathroom to include an oversized shower with a bench seat, and a refreshed vanity with new fixtures and more functional storage.
To create the homeowners’ new bathroom vision, we removed the soaking tub, stall shower and wall. This afforded enough space to build the oversized shower. In addition, we removed the window above the old soaking tub and installed a Pella® transom window (Pella® 250 Series, 12” x 60” transom) above the new shower to create a source of natural light but with privacy.
Creating a Custom Shower
The homeowners chose neutral colors and fixtures throughout to create a calm, serene aesthetic. American Olean® tile was used in the shower. We installed 4” X 12” subway tile in white in a 1/3 offset pattern on the walls. Inside the niches, mosaic tile in gray Herringbone Mosaic provides subtle texture and color. The same Herringbone Mosaic tile in white was used on the shower floor with quartz on the in-shower bench to match the vanities. An overhead and hand-held showerhead and faucet from Moen® (Moen® Voss) in sleek brushed nickel finish check all the boxes for the updated shower.
Double Sinks with Storage
We used all-new custom and stock cabinetry to upgrade the vanities (but kept the same orientation), with Corian quartz surfaces in Pearl Stone. Smaller-trimmed mirrors look more polished and allow room for artwork.
Under the vanities, drawers and rollouts provide easy-access storage. Plus, the new bathroom design retained the original toilet room, now updated with new fixtures, and linen closet. The homeowners selected Atlas Concorde HAVEN Lead tile, 8” X 40” with Dove Gray Tec Grout 908 – a stunning flooring installation that flows throughout the space for a seamless effect.
The new bathroom space is lighter and brighter with new lighting fixtures, including recessed lighting in both the bathroom and closet.
Custom Closet Expansion
Removing the wall between the original tub and shower allowed us to expand the closet space. To make that larger space a more functional owner’s closet, we installed custom cabinetry with hanging rods, drawers and shelves to maximize every square inch and give the homeowners exactly what they wanted based on their specific wardrobe needs.
Before:
After:
Primary Bedroom Refresh
The original owner’s bedroom had a sliding glass door that opened onto a backyard deck. To make the space private and cozy, the homeowners wanted to remove the door and put their bed on that back bedroom wall.
With the glass door gone, we closed in the wall and added a transom window higher on the wall to let in natural light. We finished the space with new carpeting (Caress by Shaw® Cozy Harbor 1 Style # Cc78b in Sandstone 00743) for warmth underfoot, custom trim work to flow with the rest of the home and a new light fixture. The result is an owner’s suite that transitions from space to space with ease and style. Check out our complete owner’s suite portfolio for more inspiration.
Dover Is Your Team for Cleveland-Area Bathroom Remodeling
If you are in Northeast Ohio and are looking for a professional resource to help you remodel your bathroom, owner’s suite or other space in your home, reach out to us at 440-777-7555.
Our design team can help you bring your design vision to life.
The best is yet to come,
Leslie Alton
