Bye Bye Bathroom Blues!

Grandview Heights couple usher guest bath into the 21st century

Most homeowners hope their home has that "wow factor"—whether it's their landscaping, kitchen or bathroom. But while one Grandview Heights couple's guest bathroom had a definite "wow" factor, it wasn't necessarily a good thing. Chances are likely that upon entering the 70s-era space guests may have thought, "Wow! This is definitely a dated bathroom."

Seeing Blue

"It was quite a mess," Matthew Ray president of Custom Classic Renovations says of his clients' bathroom. "Not abused or neglected…just blue. Blue tub, blue sink, blue fixtures and white tile."

The homeowners purchased the home in 1997 from the wife's mother. The house has been in her family since the sixties, and it's where she grew up. The couple knew their lower-level guest bath needed work when the sink began having drainage issues and the toilet used a large amount of water to flush, but they were skeptical about another renovation project due to a negative experience on a previous kitchen remodel five years earlier.

The homeowners took their time selecting a contractor and explained that it was an internet search that led them to Custom Classic Renovations' website. The two were impressed by the company's slogan, "Cheap Work is Never Good, and Good Work is Never Cheap."

Tall order, short space

The homeowners' wish list centered on the need for a walk-in shower. "As we get older, we know we'll want an accessible shower on our lower level," the wife explains. "We also wanted to update our fixtures to make the space more energy efficient."

The homeowners turned to Ray's team and interior designer Kellie Toole to transform their dated space into a contemporary, spa retreat. "The bathroom was modest in size, but we gave it a large feel," Ray says.



The design team gutted the bathroom down to the studs and then worked together to maximize the 5x9-foot space. "The door being in front of the commode made things tight, so we pushed the com- mode into the wall framing," Ray says. "This created a space above for storage, which was an added bonus."

A floating cherry countertop also opened the space, and it was design compilation. "My husband picked the vanity," the wife explains. "He took a picture of his vision to Matthew, and his team made it a reality."

The guest bath is located off the remodeled kitchen, and Ray says the cherry wood was selected to carry the material of the kitchen floor into the space. Three coats of clear polyurethane were applied to protect the wood from water damage.

The glass block window opposite the vanity was the only design element kept from the original space. Ray explains that glass block is not only making a comeback aesthetically for its clean lines, but it allows for maximum daylight. "If we'd installed a regular window, we would have lost two to three inches of the light source on each side."

A Zen mirror, wallpaper and shower tile, selected by Toole, finish the space with a natural, calm feel. "The bathroom really was a combination of the three of us," the wife says of the homeowner, contractor and designer trio.

Coming back for more

The homeowners were so impressed with Ray's team that they asked them to complete other renovation projects in their home including refinishing their hardwood floors and building a mantle and built-in shelving for their living room.

"We really enjoyed working with Matthew and his group," the wife says. "They are fun and enjoyable to be around. This renovation was a lot of fun."

Ray agrees noting that they took their time working with the homeowners so they would have time to think through every design decision. The finished product was not only beautiful in the homeowners' and Ray's eyes, it was also selected as a Contractor of the Year (COTY) award winning project. "We decided to submit this bathroom renovation for the COTY awards because the judges always look for a unique space that no one else has," Ray says. "I like a challenge, and I like unique projects. This bathroom was definitely both."

Original Publish Date: March 1, 2011
In Housetrends magazine, by Sarah J. Dills. Photography by Tony Wencil.