If you listened to this week’s podcast, you heard John and I say that we’ve moved out of the loooong phase of daydreaming and indecision about our master bathroom and into the phase where we actually know what we want and are starting to space-plan. For years we flipped back and forth — separate tub and shower versus a tub/shower combo — and now we’re 100% set on separate units. We have that setup at the beach house and it’s our favorite bathroom there. I even joked on the podcast that “this feels like the start of the renovation — we’re going to gut this room this fall or winter.”
John, ever the more cautious half, pointed out we wouldn’t be tearing things out in the next few days or weeks. Apparently he hasn’t seen me with a crowbar when I’m ready: one day after the episode we were already demoing. Below are photos of the space as of yesterday afternoon. We were so excited we forgot to move our toothbrushes off the counter — learn from our mistake!
We can plan forever — seriously, years. We lived for a long time with a kitchen that had faux brick vinyl sheet flooring until we saved, made decisions, and demoed. When I’m sure, I want to move fast. What began as a week of researching tile and sketching layouts quickly escalated when our plumber happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by to talk through how hard it would be to move plumbing for the tub, toilet, and sinks. Getting that input early can save a lot of cost and heartbreak.
Standing in the room and moving things around in real life made all the difference. As our plumber pulled away, we were already in the space with crowbars and hammers, deciding to take down a few walls to better visualize the layout. None of the walls we removed were load-bearing, so it was a straightforward first pass.
You can do floorplans and mockups on paper or in apps, and even make quick mood boards, but nothing beats taping and walking a plan on the actual floor. Seeing how light enters a space once a wall is down gives you a much clearer sense of how the room will feel. We even used cardboard boxes in past projects to approximate appliances or fixtures and test how cramped something might be; it helped us avoid poor placement at the beach house.
This step is crucial. It’s frustrating to order a vanity assuming a particular layout, then demo and discover it reads way too big or feels awkward in the space. Especially in rooms with many walls and doors, physically opening things up before committing to a layout can prevent costly mistakes.
To give context, here’s what this room looked like for the last six years: dark blue shower walls, mismatched floor tile that stops halfway through the space, and not one but two seashell-shaped sinks separated by a massive wall. The layout was choppy — a narrow “vestibule” with a single sink, a narrow doorway to the shower/tub/toilet, and a tiny doorway to the closet — so the space felt dark and compartmentalized. A short video we made previously captures the maze of walls better than photos ever could.
Standing in the closet doorway and looking back, you can see how just one small window sat tucked behind multiple walls, leaving the rest of the layout dim. Tearing down those walls means light can finally flow through the room. We’re so excited to open the space up and enjoy a bright, airy bathroom.
There was also an unnecessary linen closet inside the bathroom; we already have a larger linen closet just outside the bedroom, so we’re happy to remove the duplicate to gain more open space and light. Below is a labeled photo to help visualize the existing layout, though the video still shows the flow best.
When you stand in the tub and look toward the closet you can finally see the second seashell sink that used to be walled off. While separate vanities were once a luxury design trend, we prefer one open, light-filled bathroom. We considered a water closet, but that option would have added more walls and undone what we’re trying to achieve: openness. We’re putting the available square footage toward a freestanding tub and a separate shower because that layout feels indulgent and right for us.
After demo, the difference is immediately noticeable. We removed several doors and walls that used to collide in a tiny radius and now the room flows. From the bedroom you can finally see the window and the extra light it brings in, which makes a huge difference in how the whole suite reads.
We did leave one vanity intact for now so the bathroom remains functional while we wait for the new vanity, toilet, tub, and sink to arrive. Once the second seashell sink is out, our house will have fewer of those vintage fixtures — we started with five seashell sinks when we bought the house — and that feels like progress.
If you enjoy room makeovers, here are a few other renovations we’ve tackled over the years that we love and that might inspire you: a budget-friendly full bathroom renovation we completed for under $2,000; a major kitchen remodel with dramatic before-and-afters; a $51 guest bathroom makeover that still makes us smile; a bonus room renovation where we created an entire room from nothing; and our favorite project of all, painting our brick house white.
- a full bathroom renovation we did in our first house for under $2,000
- our big kitchen renovation with favorite before-and-afters
- a $51 guest bathroom makeover that still makes us smile
- the bonus room renovation — this room didn’t used to exist
- painting our brick house white — not a room, but our favorite change ever