DEL.ICIO.USSuwanee couple transforms bathroom into high-end spa
Ahhh factors: Steam, tile, shower seats, tub jets, granite, music, lighting.
For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Now that Ron and Kathy Boyce have redone their master bathroom, they’re not spending as much time at the gym.
They still work out, but afterward, they head straight home to shower and enjoy their personal steam room in their remodeled bathroom.
Hyosub Shin / hshin@ajc.com
Kathy and Ron Boyce of Suwanee gutted their master bathroom to bring the spa experience home. A jetted tub, surrounded by travertine and overlooking a garden, provides a full-body massage. Granite countertops, a chandelier and a shower with a steam setting add to the luxurious feel.
Hyosub Shin / hshin@ajc.com
The Boyces’ new tub alcove (above) is lined in travertine and provides a serene view of their garden. Dozens of jets create the experience of a full-body massage.
In five weeks, their wallpapered Southern traditional bathroom in Suwanee was transformed into a spa-like spot with plaster walls and mosaic tile contributing to a Mediterranean feel. The $38,000 redo included installing a new programmable shower with six recessed water tiles and a rain shower overhead and, of course, the steam setting.
The Boyces are joining the ranks of homeowners who want their own spa, right at home. Many of those homeowners are going high-end on their bathroom re-dos, making the master bath a luxurious retreat.
Now, if Kathy prefers to take a long bath after a rough tennis match, she soaks in her new tub by Sugar Hill-based MTI Whirlpools, which has multiple jets on the sides and 20 tiny holes on the bottom, with those air jets helping to create a full-body massage.
“I don’t want to leave the bathroom,” Kathy said. Neither do their six kids, who use the master bathroom instead of the guest bathroom when visiting.
The process of gutting the bathroom started with Kathy showing an inspiration photo from a Horchow catalog to her contractor, Pete Ryder. She wanted travertine tile, an earth tone color scheme, steam in the shower and more jets in her bathtub. “It’s more stressful in today’s world. You need some downtime,” she said.
Spa at home
Roswell resident Leslie Reed evaluates resorts and hotels for her job; and like the Boyces, she wanted a touch of luxury in her own bathroom.
“That’s one thing that kind of ultimately drove the feeling of the beauty of the spa feel,” she said. The redo in her ’60s ranch was inspired by the colors in a Peruvian reverse-painted mirror. She and her husband, Mark, did the renovation themselves, spending about $10,000 on materials. “Because it’s such a small space, we decided that we would go for the gusto in terms of the highest-end products,” Leslie said. “We chose expensive travertine, but there was so little of it that we felt we could afford the best.”
Bamboo lines the ceiling, and they handpicked each piece of onyx that was inset into the travertine tile. “It’s entirely tiled. And that’s what you’re going to find in a spa. You’re going to find … real clean lines of all travertine. So that gives it a spa feel,” she said.
During a trip to Expo Design Center at Perimeter, they found a marble carved vessel sink and high-end shower bar and toilet paper holder. Stylish air vents and outlet covers were found online.
In gutting the bathroom, they found some space behind the shower that was not being used, allowing them to create a shower seat made out of granite, which also is used for the countertop.
“That was a fun, unexpected thing, and that makes the shower,” Leslie said. With no room for a tub, the ultimate addition was a steam shower, Leslie said. They used the Mr. Steam brand. “It’s a real water saver. A lot of times for me being in the shower, I like the heat. So the steam can warm you up with almost no water,” she said. “I’m a huge bath person, so the steam is a great replacement [for not having a bathtub].” The transformation has made the space seem bigger, Leslie said.
“It used to feel like a cramped little place, and now because of the glass, shower and the monotone decor and the uniformity of the tile, it just feels like an elegant space,” she said. “We love that bathroom. Every time somebody comes over, we show them the bathroom.”
Finishing touches
Interior designer Daniel DeSantis said using tile and stones can make a bathroom feel more luxurious, especially by varying the size, shape and pattern of the tile.
Creating the spalike experience also can be accomplished with other natural elements.
“Live plants and natural fibers soften a space,” he said. “Try orchids near the tub, linen on the windows and, of course, soft cotton on the robes.”
DeSantis also suggests creating an atmosphere with music and adjustable lighting. For example, the addition of overhead lighting allows the Boyces to display artwork and accessories on a ledge, taking the place of plants and wallpaper. A chandelier from Colonial Lighting in Sugar Hill hangs over mosaic tile in the center of the bathroom, making it a focal point when entering. The travertine tile floors also have a black diamond pattern.
The tiled shower surprised Ron Boyce, who had been concerned his home water system wouldn’t have the capability for multiple shower heads. “We had one coming out and it wasn’t that powerful before,” he said.
Water pressure and drain capacity are among the most important factors people should consider when redoing a bathroom, said Travis Elrod, a salesman at DeVore and Johnson, which opened a new location in Suwanee earlier this year. Having a plumber check the size of the drain and water line can help determine whether there’s enough water pressure to run a multiple shower system, he said.
The tub in the Boyces’ bathroom also has a chromotherapy setting that colors the water with hints of purple, blue, red and magenta. They’re planning on adding a flat-screen TV on one wall.
One of the biggest surprises has been learning how to use the tub, with all of its settings and features. Kathy Boyce said she made a big mistake the first time she used it by filling the tub with water and bubble bath. The air jets in the bottom of the tub caused the bubbles to engulf her.
“You couldn’t see her,” Ron said, laughing.