Inspiration for our new master bath addition

Soaking tub with skylight

One of my core relaxation techniques is soaking in the bath with candles lit and meditative music playing. Sometimes I will swap the music for a glass of wine and an iPad playing a favorite show. But either way, in this bathroom a soak in an adult-size tub was a must, and we opted for a 66″ solid surface soaking tub by Signature Hardware.

I also wanted to create the sense of height and visual interest to an otherwise plain, rectangular space with 8′ ceilings. We knew we didn’t have the budget for vaulted ceilings or anything architecturally significant, so I played around with a couple ideas. At one point I considered bumping up just a small portion of the ceiling with a shed dormer. This is a framing option often used to create more height and living space in a top story room with low or angled ceiling height (like in a Cape Cod).

There were many other things we wanted to do with this project (like renovate the kitchen!), so we went another route. The dormer would have been so cool, but I realized we could achieve the same sense of height and light with a large skylight, just as we’d added in the kitchen during our storm restoration project in 2016. This 46.5″ x 46.5″ Velux skylight opens things up and creates an interesting architectural element in the space.

I’m also a fan of consistency. Another skylight like the one in our kitchen would seem intentional versus adding a new architectural element. And so I fell in love with the idea of putting this skylight over the tub. Soon, I’ll be able to relax and look up at the clouds or stars.

PS – now that our daughter is older, we’re saying goodbye to this kid-level chalk board at the end of our island…more on this in a future post!

Walk-in tiled shower

I also wanted a nice, comfortably sized walk-in tiled shower. We don’t need a luxurious, spacious shower, rather one that is comfortable for one person (or cozy with two). The shower will be tiled and I wanted to find something light that would strike a balance between modern, clean lines (to complement the home’s midcentury origins) and warm, natural materials.

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Free-standing vanity with double sinks

Another must in the master bath addition is a vanity with drawers and storage for all our stuff! I like a piece that looks like furniture with legs so that you can see the tile floor beneath. But many of these options have a more traditional feel. I started to have something custom designed to replicate a piece I saw on Instagram, and that cost came in upwards of $8,000!

Luckily I came across Room & Board, who offers a vanity in their Berkeley line. Everything about this piece met the requirements: clean lines, light toned wood, well-constructed and with ample storage. And to our absolute delight, the piece was far less expensive! Room & Board offers a number of different countertop options for this piece, or the option to purchase with no countertop, which we did. We will add a marble top from our supplier who is doing the marble in the kitchen. I will just add that the delivery experience through Room & Board lived up to the hype. The delivery people were completely professional, courteous and personable, and exemplified superb customer service. I can’t wait to update this photo with a better angle!

Mirrored medicine cabinets for even more storage

I’ve been using our standard-size hall bathroom since we moved in, and also sharing it with our daughter since she was born five years ago. This needs to change as she gets older, so I’m very excited that we’re nearing my exit! (My closet has a similar scenario, but this post is about the bathroom, so we’ll talk about that another time.) The hall bath is more of a standard size with a tub/shower combo and vanity with double sinks. It even has very cool original built-in wall storage at either side of the vanity, so ample storage. In our new bath, I want to make sure we feel there is a place for everything in the room. The vanity will cover a lot of this (vs going for something like pedestal sinks), but adding a place for toothbrushes, smaller bottles and everyday items was on the list.

Check out my master bath addition Pinterest board below, which features our selections and the look and feel we are going for, as well as all 7 game changers in our addition and renovation project!