A new shower remodel can include new tile, glass doors, or a steam shower

Start a plan for a shower

Many people consider walk-in showers to be the preferred choice. They’re simply more convenient and comfortable to use, and give a sleeker aesthetic touch to your bathroom. Sweeten suggests first discussing with your contractor whether a shower will work in your space: shower size, plumbing location, exhaust fan, and lighting.

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

Popular questions asked

How much does a walk-in shower cost?

Plan on spending from $2,000–$15,000 or so, depending on the amenities you choose. What you see is what you’re paying for, for the most part. Buying a prefab stall and door kit can be just $1,000 or so, then add installation, plumbing, faucet, and showerhead. Tile or stone walls and high-quality fixtures bump the cost—and quality. 

How much does it cost to tile a shower?

The cost to tile a shower will vary hugely depending on the tile you choose. While the cost for the backer board and installation will be similar for most tile choices, the tiles themselves can run from just $1.50 per square foot for standard ceramic tile to more than $40 per square foot for marble tile. 

How much do glass shower doors cost?

Glass shower doors are available in the standard hinged variety and as sliding doors. New sliding doors use top-mounted hardware, like a sliding barn door, for a cleaner look. A good-quality hinged and framed door will cost just $250 or so, rising to more than $1,200 for a great looking frameless sliding door and panel.

How much does a steam shower cost?

While not a new idea, a steam shower at home is a newer and luxurious trend. You may be able to add a steam generator to your existing shower for $500–$2,000. The rest of the shower is largely the same, though the enclosure should be fully enclosed from top to bottom to contain the steam during use. Adding the entire shower will cost from $5,000 on up. 

A shower upgrade can infuse your daily routine with luxury, beauty, and a high quality experience. Choosing great components and an experienced contractor are really the key factors in bringing this vision to life. 

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

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When a sister moves in, a never-used basement bathroom lands on the remodel to-do list

• Homeowners: Sisters, Nicole and Missy posted their basement bathroom remodel on Sweeten
  
• Where: Arlington Ridge, Virginia
  
• Primary renovation: Updating an old bathroom on the lower level to feel more modern and open
  
• Sweeten general contractor
• Homeowner’s quote: “I scored with a respectful and professional contracting group that made my rip-and-replace renovation run smoothly, even as I worked from home.”
• Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovators with vetted general contractors, offering input, support, and secure payments—for free.

Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowner Nicole. “After” photos by Nova Soul Imagery for Sweeten. Styling by Simon Staging.

Remodel a basement bathroom for a welcome upgrade

I love my Arlington Ridge neighborhood with its hilly streets and access to the metro, my favorite Mexican restaurant, and grocery store. When I found the 2,000-square-foot 1950s Virginia ranch home, I fell for the windows, cathedral kitchen, glass porch, and spacious yard. My older sister, Missy, deciding to move from San Francisco back to the East Coast, was a perfect excuse to renovate. She asked to use my downstairs as her temporary home.

Before we renovated this (almost) windowless basement bathroom, it was creepy and unwelcoming. The shower had a horrible wall partitioning it off from the rest of the room. The door opened to a full view of the toilet. We never used it. I wanted an open-plan bathroom with plenty of light—a room that guests wouldn’t be scared to use when they visited me in Arlington.

I went into this as a first-time renovator. My biggest question was: Will it be a huge interruption in my workday? I work in business development, so I am on Zoom a lot. We posted our project on Sweeten and we could not have been happier with the woman-owned general contractor we selected.

Behind the not-so-pleasing wall

When the contractor removed the wall, she discovered a very vintage pipe system that needed replacement. We looked for a plumbing specialist, and that search set us back a couple of days. Meanwhile, our contractor took the room down to the studs so the plumber could install new piping. The job involved breaking the foundation concrete, but even on days when the jackhammers were out or the water had to be turned off, we had advanced warning.

Expanding the design palette

My Sweeten contractor made the job seamless and easy, even though what I initially envisioned changed dramatically. I thought I wanted the bathroom all white and clean but decided instead to let this room give the downstairs character. When she proposed the sliding glass barn door as a shower enclosure, I was sold.

The vanity is another fantastic piece, not only for its look but for the storage it brought to the room. I never would have guessed I would pick the gray shower floor, but it all came together and it works.

“My contractor was really helpful…providing the right resources and materials. I understood what to expect throughout the process…”

A beautiful result, and a satisfying experience

I wanted a modern bathroom to match the rest of the house—and my future renovation plans—and I really lucked out. My contractor was really helpful, connecting with my sister and me and providing the right resources and materials. I understood what to expect throughout the process, and we are both so happy with how the bathroom turned out. Missy, a former tech executive, now works as a startup advisor. She is really enjoying the new digs.

Throughout the process, my contractor’s crew was amazing. My one-year-old beagle, Callie, would shake with excitement when they arrived, play for ten minutes, and then allow them to work. She returned throughout the day to check progress and get head scratches.

My Sweeten general contractor answered my questions, updated me on changes, and discussed any challenges. The team was respectful of my space, too. They covered the downstairs areas to keep them as clean as possible and left the workspace tidy. I scored with a respectful and professional contracting group that made my rip-and-replace renovation run smoothly, even as I worked from home. I always knew what to expect the next day.

After a remodel, a basement bathroom has real appeal

Missy’s gorgeous bathroom is now my favorite thing to show off in the house. It inspired her, too. She recently sold her house and is thinking about where she—and her Aussiedoodle, Ellie—should buy next. New, modern, and clean…what an upgrade.

Thank you, Nicole and Missy, for sharing your dream bathroom remodel with us!

Renovation Materials:

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Adessi Florentina gray ceramic 16” x 16” floor tile; Villa Artisan Mist ceramic 3” x 12” shower wall tile; Festival matte gray porcelain Penny Mosaic shower floor tile; Zipcode Design’s New Milford metal bathroom/vanity mirror; and Varenne sink faucet: Wayfair. Fontaine by Italia’s Hotel de Ville single-handle square 1-spray-setting shower faucet in matte black: Italia Faucets. Frameless sliding shower door: Glass Warehouse. Woodbrook 37-inch vanity in white-washed oak with cultured-marble vanity and white sink; Power Flush two-piece 1.28 GPF single-flush elongated toilet: Glacier Bay. Three-light dimmable vanity fixture: Joss & Main.

Looking for contractors near Arlington, Virginia? Work with Sweeten to renovate with the best contractors.

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

The post My Sweeten Story: Siblings Renovate an Arlington Basement Bathroom appeared first on Sweeten.

The post A Small Bathroom Remodel in Atlanta on a Budget appeared first on Sweeten.

• Homeowners: Homeowners Rachel and Michael posted their bathroom renovation on Sweeten
  
• Where: Jackson Heights, Queens, New York
  
• Primary renovation: Updating the bathroom with more color and a more roomy feel
  
• Sweeten general contractor
• Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovators with vetted general contractors, offering input, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection—for free.

Bathroom need color

Owners Rachel and Michael didn’t want to go super modern with their bathroom update, so they went with a classic look that complemented their apartment’s prewar roots. The original space was dark and in an uninspiring neutral, the shower was cramped and confined by uneven walls, and old chipped tile throughout had clearly seen better days.  A remodel was in order. The couple posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and they chose their contractor.

Creating more space without changing the layout

Keeping the existing layout intact, Rachel and Michael made crucial updates, starting with tearing down the unnecessary wall framing of the shower—which added an extra nine inches to the height of the shower—and swapping the old glass door for a new one. With a bigger and brighter space to fill, a waterfall of penny tile in various shades of blue shines as a showpiece. The open and light-filled shower with its mosaic of tile is now Michael’s favorite part of the bathroom.

A contrast between colors

A dusky shade of blue paint dominates the upper half of the walls while balancing the crackle-finish white subway tile with the right amount of contrast. White hexagon floor tile adds another layer of pattern. The tub also experienced a major improvement: out went the old tub with a clunky, external drainage system, and in went the new with an integrated system, vintage-style wall-mount tub filler, and a tiled tub surround.

Same bathroom, bigger feel

After a month of going back and forth on deciding on the replacement, the couple switched out the boxy, builder-grade vanity for an open console design, making the space feel considerably larger. A mirrored medicine cabinet and triple-light fixture over the vanity—Rachel’s favorite details—complete the look. The result? A room once bathed in beige gets new energy. [For these homeowners, an open-console vanity was a must. Find out more about must-haves vs. nice-to-haves in this article from Domino.]

Bonus: Dust bunnies averted! Michael noted that his contractor did a spectacular job of keeping the bathroom clean, combating the huge amount of debris generated by the work.

Renovation materials

Wall color in Hale Navy from Benjamin Moore. 24″-wide console sink, Parlington tub fixtures from Signature Hardware. Medicine cabinet by Restoration Hardware. Archie Collection vanity light from Progress Lighting. Edenton tub by Mirabelle. Kohler rain/handheld shower heads and toilet by Appliances Connection. Ceiling light by Rejuvenation.

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Sweeten’s founder + CEO, Jean Brownhill shares the ideal number of contractor bids you should get.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Beige Bath Turns Blue Beauty appeared first on Sweeten.

“After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten

Before: Give a Gramercy bathroom a much-needed facelift for storage, style

Dated tile (“the bathroom looked like a 1980s Mafia movie!”) and no storage (“with a pedestal sink and no drawers or shelving, we didn’t even have room to store extra toilet paper”) drove homeowners Jessica and Kevin to finally renovate their bathroom. She’d been living in the 750-square-foot, one-bedroom co-op overlooking Pete’s Tavern, the oldest tavern in NYC, for seven years. Renovating the bathroom had been on her remodeling bucket list since day one.

Slideshow:

After getting married, they used wedding money to fund their renovation, enthusiastic to update the aesthetics by losing the “burnt-red marble, gold hardware, and wall-to-wall mirrors” and adding storage solutions. Jessica posted her project to Sweeten and chose her Sweeten contractor.

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free..

After: A dramatic change resulted when white modern tile replaced the “heinous red marble tile” Jessica still has nightmares about. Their bathroom, which was trapped in an ‘80s vibe, became a calming, minimal space aligned with the couple’s style. The white and pale gray palette lent the former bathroom new life with a spa feel.

The couple replaced the “clunky” bathtub with a modern shower with two heads and switched to chrome fixtures. Next, they tackled their storage woes. A console sink with open shelving for towels gave an airy illusion and contributed to the room feeling more spacious.

While designing their new bath space, Jessica was mindful of potential future buyers. She said, “When I bought the apartment, I found it very frustrating there were so many permanent fixtures, including a built-in glass shelf over the toilet, wall-to-wall mirrors, and tile covering most of the walls.” To give the next homeowners the room to express their own personal touch, she kept the walls painted instead of tiled, installed a mirror that could easily be replaced over the vanity table, and hung two simple towel hooks.

Slideshow:

Jessica offered this sage advice, ”If you are purchasing your own materials for the renovation, have it arrive before the start date.” This will help avoid waiting for products to arrive and delaying the project.

Now Jessica calls her new bathroom a happy place and is appreciative of her well-matched contractor. “As with any NYC renovation, you tend to get a lot of complaints about uncontrollable things like dust and loud noise which comes with the territory of living in an apartment building. My Sweeten contractor handled everything like a pro and had much more patience for people than I ever could have exhibited,” she said. “He was extremely flexible and true to his word with regards to price and timing of the project.”

Bonus: Jessica doubled their storage by adding a two-drawer unit under the existing vanity table as well as a cabinet, creating a “personal heaven” she uses every morning to get ready for work.

Thanks for sharing your fantastic bathroom and vanity renovation with Sweeten, Jessica and Kevin!

Ready to start your own home renovation project?

Style finds: CoreLux Driftwood Hickory engineered vinyl plank flooring: Lumber Liquidators. Shower floor tile: Jeff Lewis. Shower wall tile: Jeffrey Court. Shower doors: Appliances Connection. Hardware and shower fixtures: Appliances Connection. 24″ Hammonton Console sink/vanity set: Wayfair. Toilet: Appliances Connection. Medicine cabinet: Appliances Connection. Vanity table mirror and storage cabinetry: Pottery Barn.

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Keep your materials budget in check. Here’s how to accurately measure for the amount of tile you will need.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Bathroom Goes from Clunky to Classy appeared first on Sweeten.

When the deal fell through on a new, larger apartment, Zoe and Arvid decided to stay put in their Lincoln Square building in Manhattan and make their 700-square-foot one-bedroom work. But two years later, the cramped space won out, and they went on the hunt for a new home. Zoe, who admits to an unhealthy relationship with HGTV, dreamt of buying, combining, and renovating an adjoining apartment. They decided to send letters to their adjacent neighbors and, to their surprise, one was looking to move, so they posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors.

What Zoe, who works in finance, and Arvid, a 3-D designer, wanted most was extra space where they could spread out and finally be able to sit down at a proper dining table instead of crouching over the coffee table. For style, the couple would need to compromise. Zoe liked mid-century modern and rustic looks while Arvid preferred clean, modern lines with a dash of industrial.

The Sweeten contractor they chose to combine their apartments set out to remove the two existing kitchens, rip out old parquet-glued-to-concrete floors, and demo some internal walls to create a third bedroom. They moved into a sublet during much of the work.

There were a few “must-haves” as the couple thought through the design. Since they’re a “shoes-off household,” said Zoe, they needed a storage solution near the entrance. The answer, literally, was hidden in a structural column close to where they broke through the two apartments. At first, the duo tossed around ideas about how to make the column “purposeful.” Their ideas ranged from a gas fireplace to a wine fridge. Instead, they chose “practical,” she said, and created a hidden shoe closet. “Our contractor really worked with us on hardware—concealed hinges and push-open latch—and hand-sawed the baseboard to get a wider angle for the slide-out racks,” she explained. The shoe slide-out from Elfa fit the space, and to give it a sense of design, it was painted a deep accent color for some contrast and to hide dirt on the push-open door.

The mood dampened for a moment when they found an unmovable gas riser. ‘We decided to make lemonade out of this.’

When they opened the wall that would be the spot for the dining room, the mood dampened for a moment when they found an unmovable gas riser. “We decided to make lemonade out of this,” said Zoe and thought about how to turn it into a design element. They settled on a “partition” type of structure that took the least amount of space while letting the light through. They found Blacktable Studio to walk them through the process. As a 3-D designer, Arvid took the lead on this fun project, creating the designs and submitting his sketches. The panels were delivered two weeks later. “Our contractor carefully installed the panel and adjusted the baseboard to make a seamless connection. This graphic panel is now a nice focal point that adds a lot of character,” Zoe said.

They also liked the idea of having an extendable table for extra guests. “We never had a proper dining area before, so the prospect of having one definitely prompted a lot of imaginary dinner parties,” she said.

Most of the couple’s time was spent looking for flooring because it was the most prominent backdrop in the apartment and would set the tone for everything else. They wanted wide 7” to 8″ European-style planks that were not too light or too dark. Arvid spent a lot of time finding the right hue, saturation, and wood grain. “It turned into a bit of an obsessive pursuit and we finally agreed on a natural color that’s very rustic with knots and saw marks. It’s a bit of a risk, but most people seem to love it,” Zoe said.

In the living room, there was an AC/radiator below the window. More than 50 years of painting had “made it a big sad mess,” Zoe said. They wanted to cover it and also make it functional. Their Sweeten contractor listened to their input, and, she said, “we just designed it on the fly. One weekend Arvid used leftover black sample paint to paint over the heating elements behind the built-in.” This created more contrast against the outside white paint. Now the built-in’s horizontal slats look crisper, and you can barely see the mechanical elements behind it.

The other detail they focused on was smart light switches. The commonly available ones didn’t look good and the modern looking ones were way out of their budget. They took a chance on Noon Home, a start-up company selling ones around $100. “We couldn’t be happier,” she said. “The product looks modern and the app works great.”

To compromise their style preferences, they invented a design hybrid they called “Scandinavian mid-century” with a lot of black and white and plenty of geometric shapes. They learned the importance of taking time to plan a renovation. “Do a lot of showrooming and Pinteresting; both help you to know what you like,” Zoe said.

“Once the work starts, there is little time to decide,” Zoe said. “Measure everything and live the design in your head. Know how many linear feet of closet you need and where you might store the vacuum cleaner. This is especially helpful for the kitchen design.” Zoe measured the maximum size of her pots and condiments and knew the drawer heights she needed. The only shortfall of planning too well is that you might become too attached to certain choices. She suggests being prepared for changes and understand that sometimes, you’ll have to go with the second choice.

Because of some permit delays, the apartment was not ready for move-in after their sublet ended. For three weeks, they began an Airbnb-hopping adventure. “It’s a lot of stress, but we discovered different neighborhoods and lifestyles. We now know for sure commuting to New Jersey is not meant for us,” Zoe said. Living on-site for the second half of the project was a big challenge and meant being around a lot of dust and living out of suitcases. Now that it’s completed, she said their new home makes them feel “happy!”

Thank you, Zoe and Arvid, for sharing your reno journey with us.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: SolidFloor: Paramount Floor Mart. Wall paint in Pure White: Sherwin Williams. Accent paint color in Slate Tile: Sherwin Williams. Sliding barn door: Artisan Hardware. Smart light switch control: Noon Home. Custom TV stand: Stor.

DINING ROOM RESOURCES: Custom cut partition panel: Blacktable Studio. Pendant light: West Elm. Custom round extendable dining table: Recycled Brooklyn.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Cabinets and open shelves: Miralis. Hardware: Top Knobs. Backsplash: Cle Tile. Sink/Faucet: Blanco Culina Mini. Refrigerator: Fisher & Paykel. Dishwasher/stove: Appliances Connection. PureEdge lighting: Lightology.com.

MASTER BEDROOM RESOURCES: Closet: Closet Factory.

MASTER BATHROOM RESOURCES: Mate shower floor tile in Terra Oliva: Stone Source. Marmi Blanco shower wall tiles, shower fixtures, sink, and vanity: Porcelanosa. Eurocube hardware: Grohe. Toilet: Appliances Connection. Stix lighting: Sonneman Stix. Medicine cabinet: Appliances Connection.

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When this homeowner came up empty in his search for a 3-bedroom apartment, he decided to combine and renovate two units in a newly converted co-op building on the Upper West Side.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post The Genius of an Apartment Combination appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: A Brooklyn remodel adds bathroom storage & square footage

Before: Sari, a post producer for television commercials, bought a one-bedroom condo in a 45-unit building in the Crown Heights/Prospect Heights neighborhood four years ago. She loved the location and feel of the apartment as soon as she walked inside. There were plenty of closets and storage spaces, she said, but “it was mind-blowing to me that there was no storage at all in the bathrooms. “Who designs a bathroom with no storage space? Crazy, right?” And despite it being built in the aughts (in 2006), the floor tiles and lighting were tired and the large entry door took up a lot of wall real estate.

After: Sari envisioned changing the whole layout, expanding the bathroom into her walk-in closet and creating a clean, modern monochromatic space. “I had no idea of how to start,” she said. She posted her project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and was matched with this general contractor. She learned that she wasn’t going to be able to relocate the toilet, so she decided to just keep the original layout and focus on creating a “beautiful and functional space” with lots of storage in the form of a two-drawer vanity, vanity mirror, and open shelving. The most exciting change? “Radiant floors, which are heaven,” she said.

Sari loves to watch “Fixer Upper” and other home renovation shows. That’s where she got the idea of a pocket door “so I could use the wall space that had been covered up by the original bathroom door.” It’s a perfect place for a towel bar and hooks. “It makes the room feel much larger,” she said, “especially because the door is rarely closed,” since she lives alone with her pitbull Bruno.

Once the work began, Sari’s Sweeten contractor gutted the bathroom and found leaks coming from neighbors’ apartments above and next door. “That wasn’t fun and a bit stressful,” she said, “but building management fixed them, so we only lost one day during the renovation.”

The biggest challenge was finding the tiles. “It was overwhelming and took me over a month,” said Sari, who originally wanted to do a black and white bathroom, but then decided to keep the color scheme in line with the apartment in case this is the only renovation she does. “I had no idea where to go or how to start, but my contractor was very helpful.” He told her where to purchase tile and granite, as well as wood for shelving. Then he picked up everything for her since, she said, “I’m a New Yorker and don’t have a car!” She also found it helpful to contact Sweeten’s client services, which answered her questions and directed her to their partner Build.com, where she purchased most of her fixtures. (“My sales representative there was terrific,” Sari said.)

Bonus: With her first remodeling project behind her, she has a few tips for those starting a bathroom remodel: make note of where your towel bars are and where they should be so that they are at a comfortable height. (Also, make sure you know which side of the toilet you want your flusher to be located, because you can’t change that!)

Style finds: Basalto honed penny round shower floor tile; wall tile; and Micron Series 2.0 in matte Nero floor tile: Galactic Tiles. Hardware: Appliances Connection. Purist Series shower fixtures: Appliances Connection. Happy D2 sink vanity: Appliances Connection. Sans Souci wall-mounted toilet: Appliances Connection. Vista 2 lighting: Cedar & Moss. Verdera Collection medicine cabinet: Appliances Connection.

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Meg and Brett’s master bath has some serious storage, including a floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinet with beautifully organized shelves.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Remodel for a Brooklyn Bathroom Desperately Seeking Storage appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Freshen up a worn-out bathroom in Park Slope, Brooklyn

Before: After renting an alcove studio in Park Slope for about two years, Matt, a software engineer, purchased his first home in July 2013. The 360-square-foot apartment in a neighboring co-op, built in 1950, would also become the future home of a cat named Josie, adopted in the months following the renovation. Four years passed while Matt lived in the space and saved up some money to update the outdated and decrepit bathroom. “Random pieces of tile were missing, my old sink was missing one of its support legs, and parts of the ceiling showed weakening,” he explained. “I wanted a complete renovation not only to feel better about the space, but also as an investment.”

Because this was my first renovation, I was a complete novice to the process. I’m grateful for Sweeten because they gave me the confidence I needed to get started.

After: Not knowing where to begin the project, Matt found Sweeten and was matched with his contractor. He imagined a clean and refreshing space, one with an inoffensive style that wouldn’t deter a future buyer or sublet tenant. “I love subway tile, so selecting that for the walls was an easy decision,” said Matt. Large-format charcoal gray square floor tile completes the simple backdrop for the space. A floating wood vanity injects a modern sensibility. For additional storage, a matching wooden cabinet sits in a recessed spot on the wall opposite the vanity. And to make sure the cabinet didn’t protrude too far out, its depth was halved.

Although Matt intended to install a new bathtub, a tricky plumbing situation would have affected nearby apartments, so the installation was a no-go. Instead, the existing tub was transformed into a spacious walk-in shower, complete with corner shelves, a sliding glass door, and subtly patterned floor tile. “Despite the scope change, I couldn’t be happier with the result,” he reports. “The shower is huge!”

The biggest challenge? Living through the renovation. “For about seven weeks, my bed became my apartment. It’s where I slept, ate, read, and watched Netflix.” And while his bathroom was out of commission, Matt took advantage of the full bathroom in the building’s basement, which was newly renovated. “Each day I waddled down there with flip-flops and a shower caddy,” he said. “I felt like I was back in college using the dorm’s community bathrooms.”

Challenges aside, Matt worked with Sweeten every step of the way, from project posting to completion. “Sweeten’s client services team was engaged throughout the project and made sure I had everything I needed,” he explained. “They were really specific in their communication; during the bidding process I was asked how one contractor compared to another, and other questions that helped guide my decision-making.” Heading into the project, he states, “Because this was my first renovation, I was a complete novice to the process. I’m grateful for Sweeten because they gave me the confidence I needed to get started.”

Bonus: Matt’s advice for future first-time renovators: “Do your best to limit options for each decision, using your theme as guidance. It’s far easier to select the color of stone shower shelves from three colors instead of 10.” He also found his contractor’s input incredibly valuable, “My contractor’s best contribution was providing thoughtful, targeted material and fixture options,” which he said saved him from decision fatigue.

Style finds: Sink vanity: Fairmont Designs. Aquia toilet: Appliances Connection. Trinsic shower fixtures and hardware: Trinsic. Mirror and medicine cabinet: Appliances Connection. Storage cabinet: IKEA. Lighting: Quoizel.

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With its rainfall shower head and sleek glass enclosure, Mary Ann and Frank’s guest bath proves that size needn’t be an issue when it comes to creating a dreamy walk-in shower.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post An Old Bath Gets Investment-Ready appeared first on Sweeten.

Nancy and Aram’s bathroom renovation

The shower has, at last, stepped up next to the tub—separate and equal—to become a focal point in the bath. However, there’s more to a fabulous shower experience than a multi-spray shower head and pretty tiled walls. You will also want to consider the shower door, which sets the tone for the shower’s overall appearance and harmony with your bath’s décor.

Spa-like and almost invisible? Check. Framed and architecturally attention-worthy? Check. As you research and shop, you’ll find a shower door to suit every bathing enclosure and décor. Sweeten, a free service matching renovating homeowners with vetted general contractors, surveys the factors involved in selecting a shower door to better inform you as you research this important feature.

Glass shower doors: Getting started

You may decide to place the shower next to the tub because it looks nice, or because you don’t want to make major changes to the water lines. Perhaps you only need a shower in a space with limited square footage, so you want to put it in the corner. Wherever the shower ends up, your design will require one of the following door mounting options:

• Framed shower doors
• Semi-frameless shower doors
• Frameless shower doors
• Freestanding shower doors

The style you choose can be based mostly on your taste. However, before committing, you will want to consult with your contractor to assess the bathroom space for quirks. After all, not all bathrooms are made alike: dimensions vary from ceiling to floor, plumbing lines wander, walls and floors are not always plumb. Your contractor can help you determine the best location for the shower, including making sure that the walls can bear the weight of frameless shower doors.

Mary Ann and Frank’s bathroom renovation

Styles for glass shower doors

The door you select will depend not only on your preferences as to the style and movement of the door but also any space restrictions. Is there room for the door to swing open? Or can the width handle sliding doors? Placement of controls on one or two walls and the width and height of the shower enclosure will also factor in. Consider the following options:

Sliding shower doors

Two panels fit in a frame and slide in either direction to open and close.

A sliding glass shower door in Nicole & Missy’s Arlington, VA bathroom

Swing or pivot shower doors

A single pane attached to a wall swings open from the left or right.

Door and panel

One narrow pane is fixed to the wall while next to it, a panel is fixed with hinges to the other wall and operates as the door.

A door-and-panel style shower door in Jaime Ray Newman’s bathroom

Butterfly or bi-fold doors

Two equal-size panels are hinged at the center to open inward.

Fixed shower doors

A single pane of glass attached to the wall holding the showerhead protects the bathroom from splashes; the rest of the shower opening remains uncovered.

Shower door mounting options

Once upon a time, framed was the only way to go. (Remember those shower doors when you were growing up?) With the widespread popularity of open design, semi-frameless shower doors and frameless showers have caught homeowners’ attention. Improvements in mounting systems, including thicker glass supported by sleeker, stronger hinges, means you can have a shower that seems to float or even disappear. Your choices come down to four solutions:

Framed shower doors

This product features a metal frame around all four edges of the operating doors. In addition, metal channels framing the shower opening allow for hinges that attach swinging doors or the gliding motion of sliding doors. Framed glass doors are created to fit standard shower openings. The appearance doesn’t have to be standard, though. Manufacturers offer a range of looks, from super contemporary clean-lined chrome to matte black in a windowpane pattern from Coastal Shower Doors that will conjure your own private Downton Abbey. Duravit makes a glass enclosure with two self-locking doors that fold against either wall when not in use, so the shower disappears entirely.

Special details notwithstanding, framed doors can be the thriftiest way to go and the easiest to install. The glass panes are typically 1/4-inch thick

A framed shower door in Max & Kate’s Brooklyn bathroom renovation

Semi-frameless shower doors

Semi-frameless shower doors may include framing around the entire shower opening, but not around the actual door panels. It also typically features 1/4-inch glass. Semi-frameless doors lend themselves to some creative trends in headers, like exposed industrial-style hardware with rollers and bars that suggest barn door hardware.

Frameless shower doors

Not completely without hardware, frameless is still the way to go if you want an open, seamless, truly spa-like effect for your shower. Advances in hardware engineering and glass manufacturing make this type of installation appear to float. Glass panels attach to hinges that then attach to walls. There is commonly a combo of a fixed panel and a swinging door, both made of 5/8-inch safety glass. Besides the hinges, the only hardware is the door handle and possibly a towel bar, though after going to all this trouble, why would you want anything to block the view?

A nearly-invisible frameless shower door in Amy and Kevin’s L.A. bathroom

Freestanding shower doors

At the very high end, you will find freestanding shower enclosures. They consist of a shower pan with a four-sided metal framework in which glass panels fit, one of them a door. Drummonds, an English manufacturer, makes several models for the United States market. If you can afford the hefty price tag, you can have this shower up and working in a couple of hours.

Finishes for glass shower doors

Finally, you will choose a finish for the frame and its accompanying pieces—hinges and hardware. A good rule of thumb is to choose the finish that matches your shower head and any other shower fittings, like a hand shower or jets. Of course, the choice is up to you, and here, too, is a range—brushed, nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, and ever-popular chrome.

All edges of your shower door should arrive finished or polished. Styles for the appearance of the flat surface include:

Opaque shower doors

A holdover from the previous century, opaque shower doors are good for those seeking privacy. Ask to see a manufacturer’s offerings in this category, which can range from pebbled to brushed to the appearance of raindrops.

Clear glass shower doors

These remain a strong trend in bathrooms. Rightly so: they promote the open appearance in a bath while showing off sleek shower fittings and surface treatments of tile or stone.

Tinted glass shower doors

These are created during the manufacturing process and come in subtle, natural tones like gray, bronze, and blue. As a bonus, they complement America’s favorite bathroom color—white—as well as stone, tile, and metals for faucets and showerheads, and controls.

An etched panel shower door in Andy & Cory’s L.A. bathroom

Etched glass

Etched glass shower doors permit privacy with opaque designs etched onto clear glass. Patterns available can be figurative, like images from nature, or abstract. Custom designs will cost you more and must be specially ordered. The etching is on the outside face of the shower.

Glass shower doors: Thickness & durability

The less framework for the door, the thicker the glass. Standard glass shower doors come 1/2- or 3/8-inch thick; frameless doors should be 5/8-inch thick. All must be made of safety glass, which shatters into small pieces when broken, not into lethal shards.

The shower door—a seemingly small yet often overlooked feature—makes a huge impact on the look and feel of your bathroom. As you make your decision, think about how you shower, and what’s important to you as you experience your daily bathroom rituals. You want the shower to feel like it’s part of the of the bathroom. The right glass shower door can do that.

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Turn your shower into an at-home spa with features like body sprays, steam, and more!

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Guide to Glass Shower Doors appeared first on Sweeten.

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While shower curtains can add flair to your bathroom, they aren’t always ideal for smaller spaces or a more streamlined look. Enter the glass shower door: it immediately makes a room feel more spacious, modern, and clean. They’re also easy on upkeep—a quick swipe with a squeegee and you’re good to go. These glass panels come in a variety of styles, can be framed with metal or rimless for a “floating” look, and can be fixed, sliding, or made to swivel on a hinge. Take a look below for some favorite bathroom renovations done by Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors.

Katie and Lance found they needed to retain a glass panel at the end of their tub to prevent water from splashing out. A black-rimmed pane was a chic solution that complements the rest of their matte black fixtures while adding some contrast to the bright white subway tile.

Charlie’s space-saving glass shower door is not only stylish, it echoes the paneled barn door leading into the bathroom.

The frameless partition and hinged glass shower door in Kavi’s Brooklyn townhouse are perfect for allowing light from the window into the rest of the bath.

A simple half-pane is enough to keep the water where it belongs in Cody and Marissa’s bath refresh, and it invites in plenty of light from the fixture above the vanity.

Nazli’s walk-in shower in a gut-renovated guest bath has a simple glass panel and matching door that stops a few feet short of the ceiling to aid air circulation.

Claudia’s bathtub features two glass panels, one on hinges that enables the pane to swivel, the other a fixed panel at the end of the tub.

With walls on three sides, Ana and Leo’s shower would have felt confining without the visual airiness of the glass, plus the transparency shows off the interior’s gorgeous marble tile.

A frameless enclosure and sliding glass shower door in Nancy’s bath makes the room seem twice as large.

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We’ve got a few ideas on clever bathroom storage ideas.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Glass Enclosures Turn Small Baths Grand appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: A makeover of an old hall bathroom on the Upper West Side

Before: Mary Ann and Frank dreamed of a new guest bath in the hallway since they bought their Upper West Side three-bedroom apartment in 1992. The space was almost all original from when the co-op was built in 1929. The original tiles and tub were long past their use-by date, but with kids still at home, the couple wanted to wait and renovate as empty-nesters. The master bathroom was also under renovation at the same time (a Sweeten project, as well!) and its tub was being removed. For resale purposes, there needed to be a tub in the guest bathroom, but the couple wanted to add a separate walk-in shower. That meant a possibility of losing precious storage. Fortunately, their Sweeten contractor came up with some smart bathroom renovation ideas to maximize the layout.

After: To make room for a stand-alone shower, Mary Ann and Frank did away with an awkward bathroom closet. The couple was concerned the small space, about the size of a phone booth, wasn’t big enough. To help their decision, their Sweeten contractor taped the size of the shower—27” x 32”— onto the floor. Mary Ann spent a few minutes in the square to get a sense of the shower’s proposed size. “I really trusted our contractor,” she said, so the shower went ahead. To make up for the closet space now occupied by the shower, Mary Ann opted for a large vanity in the master bathroom which held most of the storage for both rooms. In the hall bathroom, the couple went for an old-fashioned sink without cabinet storage underneath. Its style was a nod to the old historic Upper West Side. Instead, built-in storage behind the mirror means beauty products have a place. Mary Ann purposefully picked a sink with a wide rim so there is space to put those daily toiletries when they are in use.

Bonus: As the project came to an end, Mary Ann stumbled upon some tiles she absolutely loved for the floor. They were white with black triangles. However, her Sweeten contractor was all ready to go with what she had originally chosen. “He let me change it at the last second,” she said. “I’m so glad because [the new tiles] make the whole bathroom pop.”

Style finds: Tub Filler, 3-925/26: Appliances Connection. Faucet KS4461BX in polished chrome: Appliances Connection. Valquest Traditional Thermostatic shower system: Hudson Reed. White Memoirs Stately toilet, k-3817-0; Jute 2-door vanity; Archer soaking drop-in tub: Appliances Connection. Vintage Medicine Cabinet in chrome: Pottery Barn. Cassidy collection accessories: Delta. Floor tile: Cement Tile Shop. Ice White glossy 3×6 wall tile: Classic Tile. George Kovacs Saber 2-Light LED fixture, p5042-077 2: YLighting.com.

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Jamie and Chad freshened up their bath with refined details and polished nickel fixtures to create an ELLE Décor-type vibe.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Guest Bath For Friends and Family To Love appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Gut a crumbling bathroom in Morningside Heights, Manhattan

Before: A hulking seven-foot tub dominated the layout, while the ruined floors, walls, and (most of the) ceiling all begged for attention, too. The old industrial toilet was leaking, a wall of ’80s-style glass-bottle tile needed to come down, and the vanity had begun literally to crumble. For Janna H. and her family, the bathroom was “disgusting.” “No matter how much we cleaned, it never felt clean,” she recalls.

After: Janna appreciated the history of her pre-war apartment building and worked hard with her Sweeten contractor to flatter it. She avoided today’s usual combination of medicine cabinet and vanity by choosing a vintage-looking white German pedestal sink and topping it with a 12-sided beveled statement mirror crowned with a wall-mount vanity light. For much-needed storage, a designer recommended tall built-in cabinets painted to match the bathroom’s charcoal walls.

Janna’s first-choice wall tiles cost $12,000, so she got creative and instead used regular subway tiles in a jaunty herringbone that’s vertical, rather than tilted the typical 45 degrees.

The tub was swapped for a spacious, walk-in frameless glass shower on a low curb. A hand shower accompanies the luxurious oversize rain shower head.

Bonus: The sink has a generous lip that serves as a functional surface when Jenna is applying makeup.

Style finds: Toilet and vintage-looking 1930 Series pedestal sink, both from Appliances Connection; bathroom faucet by Hansgrohe.

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The color, shape, and pattern of tile is a key player to a space’s personality. Take a look at Mollie’s shower wall which spotlights a bold chevron design.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Bath Gets Graphic with Tile appeared first on Sweeten.

Claudia first readied herself with a straightforward list of tasks she wanted to accomplish. Sure, the place hadn’t been updated anywhere in three decades, so finishes throughout were more than dated. But she also craved more space, and after seeing neighboring units without the built-ins and boxy windows that had been added in a mid-80s renovation, she realized she might be able to reclaim some hidden square footage (and long-missing electrical outlets) in her own unit. The kitchen and bathroom needed a complete treatment, and the living room and bedroom required diametrically opposed designs: out with chunky built-ins on multiple walls in the living room, and in with a thoughtful and multi-functional built-in for the windowed bedroom wall.

Wishlist near complete, Claudia decided to post her project on Sweeten and was matched with a Sweeten contractor, who specializes in creating architecture and interior design solutions.

Upon meeting with Frederick and his team, Claudia made an overarching goal clear: She wasn’t interested in solely installing modern finishes over the old. The original bones were just as important as the final coat of paint. That pristine 1929 appeal needed to show through and reveal itself via new design details. With extensive renovations planned in every room, Claudia moved out of the apartment temporarily to allow for Frederick and his crew to get started.

Claudia believed that original parquet floors were hiding underneath all the carpeting, and she was right. Frederick had the wood floors sanded and refinished, bringing them back to life without introducing any new materials. With extra sheetrock walls encroaching in multiple directions, the team chipped away at the wall of boxed windows, disposing of an 18 inch layer of brick and wood.

Avert your eyes if you live in a typical NYC co-op, because you will probably NEVER experience this, but somehow Claudia nearly doubled the size of her living room windows by combining them, flooding the space with lovely natural light. All of the windows were replaced with double-paned versions, up to code with the building and boasting the required heat, freeze and UV protections.

On the opposite end of the room, the crew stripped away the ever-so-slightly-asymmetrical built-in shelving and cabinetry to reveal an open, wood-burning hearth. Claudia turned to a local Italian couple who specialize in old world mantels for an understated limestone facade, and Frederick brought in a specialist to design and install crown moldings along the doorways, windows, ceiling and floor boards throughout the apartment. Claudia’s mother helped source the final touch: an accent wall in a serene, neutral palette is an elegant and stylish addition to an inviting new living room.

In the kitchen, Claudia knew she wanted a white kitchen and was unsentimental about getting rid of the “horrible” gray linoleum floors. Cosmetic features aside, she wanted more storage space and a way to install an exhaust fan over a new cooktop. In an attempt to carve out some casual eating space, the previous owners had put some very limited cabinetry along the left-side of the galley, and appliances took up most of the storage and prep space on the right side.

Claudia chose a small pearlescent stone tile in a melange of pebble hues to take the place of the severely dated synthetic floor she’d grown to detest. High-impact cabinet changes were custom fit into the small space. Claudia worked with an Italian purveyor specializing in hidden compartments for the fridge and hood, and managed to conceal all of the major stainless steel appliances except for the striking new Bertazzoni range, because, Bertazzoni! The laminate countertops were removed and replaced with a white Caesarstone slab and corresponding backsplash, and an undermount stainless sink–supplied by the same producer as the cabinets–was installed.

Claudia knew she didn’t need to change the footprint of her bathroom to incorporate the many features she wanted here. The tub needed two shower curtains to keep water in, the full surround of blue-gray tile muted natural light, and the bulky vanity was topped with a throwback plastic ball faucet.

Claudia went with a floor tile pick that is complementary but different to those used in the kitchen, and with Frederick’s help, incorporated extra pieces into a design detail border along the wall of freshly installed white subway tiles. The tub came out and was replaced with a slightly larger and more modern German piece to coincide with new spa accessories: a rainwater shower head plus a handheld option for added luxe. The fixed shower rod was taken down to make way for a glass partition and hinged glass door that swings out for maximum function and style. Claudia chose a pedestal sink for extra floor and knee space, opting to place storage behind hidden cabinets in the wall instead. Almost all of the bathroom features were handpicked from local design shop Elegance in Hardware, including the polished nickel door knobs, which are exclusive to the outlet.  

In the bedroom, Claudia and her design-build team pursued the opposite approach. Instead of doing away with built-ins, they found areas where custom additions would have a meaningful impact on space use.

They added a custom closet in the hallway, outfitted  by California Closets, just outside the bath before entering the living room and introduced this same custom storage concept in the bedroom, behind a mirrored closet wall—one of the only major features that remained.

Once the carpet was torn out in the bedroom, Claudia approached Frederick with her hopes of incorporating a window seat before new wall treatment and molding went in. The designer re-enlisted his subcontractor to fashion a custom wooden seat built right into the new shelving set. The homeowner would just need an upholstered cushion and good book to make it complete.

Claudia revealed to us that upon visiting her apartment, after the renovations were complete and the dust had nearly cleared, she stood and looked around the empty rooms and was filled with the sense that nothing had changed. It was as if she were apartment shopping in 1929, which, she explained, is exactly what she wanted.

Living room selects >> wallpaper: Gracie / fireplace: A & R Asta, Ltd / lighting: Foundry Lighting / windows (throughout): Panorama / table: Goliath

Kitchen selects >> Floor tiles: Daltile Chenille White/Silver Screen / cabinets: GD Cucine / counters: Caesarstone / sink: GD Cucine / oven range: Appliances Connection / fridge: Appliances Connection / dishwasher: Appliances Connection

Bathroom selects >> floor tiles: Daltile Marble Panaro Blend / showerhead: Samuel Heath – Style Moderne via Elegance in Hardware / mirror and remaining hardware: Elegance in Hardware / lighting: Foundry Lighting / hallway closet: California Closets

Bedroom selects >> window: Panorama / window seat: custom / closet storage: California Closets /  lighting: Foundry Lighting

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Uncovering a 1929 Upper East Side Gem – Claudia’s Sweeten Renovation appeared first on Sweeten.