Our Main Bathroom Renovation is Finally Done!


Hooray, the day has FINALLY come to showcase our black and gold marble bathroom. I mean, just those three words – black, gold, marble – all scream “LUXURIOUS” to me! And that’s the perfect way to describe this new space. It feels like I’m in a hotel or a spa whenever I’m in here. What more could you ask for when renovating a bathroom?

I know I already shared a mini reveal of the space back in this post. But that was before our new linen cabinet was complete. I wanted a final go-to resource for this entire space in one blog post, so here it is!

The Before-Before

Kenneth master bathroom
Photo from MLS Listing in 2019
Photos of our main bathroom before

Here’s a peek at the bathroom back when we purchased this home in 2019. It had mint green walls (the bedroom was the same…yikes), an outdated jacuzzi tub – where I didn’t dare turn on the jets out of fear as to what might fly out of them, and a teeny tiny shower – where shaving was damn near impossible. Even though it was far from our style, we still loved it because we had a bathroom directly off of our bedroom and we knew that we could eventually make our own.

The Before

The main bathroom before

Over the last three years, I chipped away at this space to improve it on a budget. We painted, replaced the light fixtures and mirrors, and I then did a few DIYs…painting the vanity and the tile floors. This was a huge improvement, but we still knew it needed some real TLC to elevate it to the level of the rest of our home.

The Design Plan & Winning Layout

Our winning layout

I ended up hiring a designer to draw up new blueprints for the space. We considered many layouts and we eventually landed on this one. With this design, we could replace the tub with a large shower and create a built-in linen cabinet where the old shower used to be.

Our main bathroom design plan

In terms of the look and products for the new space, I designed that myself. I wanted it to feel high-end, like a hotel bathroom. I chose black, marble, and gold for the new bathroom.

Here were a few pain points I wanted to fix with the new space…

  • Move the toilet away from the wall – Check!
  • Create a larger shower – Check!
  • Remove the outdated jet tub – Check!
  • Add more storage – Check!

Okay, let’s get to the goods!

Our Black and Gold Marble Bathroom

Our new main bathroom

So let’s take a look around our new black and gold marble bathroom. It truly is such a beautiful space and I can’t believe it’s ours! When I get ready in here, I feel like I’m in someone else’s bathroom…but nope, it’s all mine!

The Linen Closet

DIY built-in linen cabinet

The newest addition is the linen closet, which you read all about in this blog post. I’m so happy that I went with wood for the doors and drawers of this piece because it adds a lot of warmth to the room.

Our new built in linen cabinet in the bathroom

By far the best part is the influx of storage it created. It’s insane how much we can store in here. I have yet to properly organize it, but trust me, that is on the to-do list and I will report back when it’s ready for your eyes!

The Shower

Our new shower in our black and gold marble bathroom

The glass shower doors weren’t yet installed when I did my mini reveal back in April, so I’m happy you get to see it fully finished. I went with black for the hinges and handle and love how it pairs with the gold shower hardware.

The shower in our new bathroom

The door swings both in and out, so I let it drip dry inside the shower pan after long showers. The niche isn’t as large as I wanted it to be because the plumbing stack made our options slim, so I added this basket to the shower bench along with a black squeegee to keep things dry and mold-free in here. (I highly recommend using one after each and every shower. Finn, I hope you’re reading this!)

Handheld shower sprayer

I usually shower with both the overhead and handheld sprayers on. That way, my body is getting warm water from every direction. It’s pretty fantastic. If I don’t want to get my hair wet, I use the handheld sprayer and twist my hair up in my favorite hair towel.

The tile in our black and gold marble bathroom

Overall, it’s a luxurious experience showering in this new shower!

The Tile

Marble floors in a bathroom

Let’s talk tile for a second. I went with these 12×12 marble tiles on the floor with the color “mist” grout. In the shower, I have a warm gray mosaic tile with the color “Delorean gray” for grout. And my favorite, the wall tile. It’s textured, creamy, and adds so much warmth to the space. The grout color is “bone” and I used cream Schluter edging to finish it off.

The tile in our bathroom

Overall, the tile was pretty pricey, but the choices work so well together and I love them! (You can find my entire bathroom budget in this blog post.)

The Beadboard & Paint Colors

Beadboard in the main bathroom

In the main part of the bathroom, I chose to add beadboard to the walls. I’m really happy I went with a wood wall treatment because it adds interest, and color, and is similar to the beadboard we used in our kitchen space. I’m all about repeating elements multiple times throughout your home to keep things cohesive.

Beadboard behind a vanity in the bathroom

We painted the beadboard Benjamin Moore, “Rockport Gray” and the above wall portion is Benjamin Moore, “Ballet White.” That’s the same warm white color you’ll find in the main areas of our home.

The Toilet Area

The toilet in our black and gold marble bathroom

Before, the toilet was scrunched up against the wall, which made sitting there quite uncomfortable. My contractor was able to move the entire plumbing stack over, which was no easy feat. The result is a more comfortable, and up to code, toilet placement. I love the skirted toilet we chose because cleaning it is a lot easier!

The Double Vanity

Black and gold vanity in a bathroom

The new vanity is gorgeous…I adore the black and gold detailing, the marble top, and the pretty gold faucets I chose for this space.

My black and gold marble bathroom
Storage in my medicine cabinet mirror
Medicine cabinet with lots of storage

I’m really happy we chose medicine cabinets as our mirrors (exact ones no longer sold) because they offer us lots of storage.

Black vanity with a marble top

The vanity doesn’t have as much storage as I’d like (two middle drawers, two small side drawers, and open storage underneath), but luckily we have the medicine cabinets and the linen cabinet, so we are good to go. But it’s something to keep in mind if you’re shopping for a vanity.

Budget-friendly bathroom sconces

I went with these budget-friendly sconces around the mirrors and they really elevate the space and give it that hotel feel. Plus, these are on dimmers. In the morning, I keep these dimmed down low as I gradually wake up for the day!

Before & After

main bathroom before
My new black and gold marble bathroom
Removing the bathtub
Main bathroom after
our old bathroom
The tile in our black and gold marble bathroom

Our Main Bathroom Sources

Main bathroom renovation reveal

Benjamin Moore “Rockport Gray” (lower wall) // Benjamin Moore “Ballet White” upper wall // Shower Wall Tileย with “Bone” grout //ย Shower Floor Tileย with “Delorean gray” grout // Marble Floor Tileย with “Mist” grout //ย Shower Hardware // Wood Stool // Black Hooks // Favorite White Towels // ย Medicine Cabinet Mirrors (exact ones no longer sold)ย //ย Sconcesย //ย Black Vanityย //ย Gold Faucetsย // Sink Drain //ย Toiletย // Toilet Lever // Bathroom Fan // ย Trash Can // Overhead Light Fixture // Black Frame // Wallpaper // Match Striker // Black Marble Canister // Black Tray // Q-Tip Storage // Soap Dispenser // Linen Cabinet // White Rug // Linen Cabinet Pulls // Linen Cabinet Knobs // Baskets

What’s Next?

Our main bathroom renovation reveal

I’m overjoyed that this space is complete! My only real to-do in here is to get everything organized. The linen closet is so big that I want to make sure I’m utilizing each drawer and shelf in a smart way. I’ll keep you posted as I get it exactly the way I want it.

This main bathroom renovation kicked off in February, so it feels good to have this room finally complete in June. Just a reminder that home takes time, friends.

Casey

Catch Up On The Bathroom Renovation


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.

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