Before & After: Robyn and Alejandro’s Brooklyn Bathroom Renovation – Sweetened!

We’re back this week with a Brooklyn family of three to take a look at their complete bathroom renovation. Robyn and Alejandro took a personal approach to renovating the kitchen in their Columbia Waterfront District condo and continued the overhaul in the bathroom with a mix of classic materials and an unexpected pop of color in two unconventional places. Like the kitchen, the bathroom was beyond salvageable when they found the place. Serious damage included peeling walls and temporary storage that could not withstand the room’s moisture. This project was a true family affair on both sides: we sent Sweeten Experts Paulina and Albert to rip out the interior walls and replace all of the fixtures, and Paulina’s father, Andrzej, lent his considerable talents to help Robyn and Alejandro open up and modernize their bathroom with a trio of new tiles and a full set of whiz bang fixtures.

“In all instances, Paulina came to the table with a small detail that ended up completely making the space work for us – just brilliant.”

– Robyn, Brooklyn homeowner

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From the start, Robyn and Alejandro had a clear vision for an all-tile bathroom with frameless glass to separate the tub from the rest of the room without closing off the space. Initially, they assumed that a standard two-tile approach would be the way to go, but as the outdated bath was demolished and the space became a blank slate, they opted for a set of three different tiles in varying styles and materials and ran with a unique pop of powder blue for contrast.

Robyn chose beveled white porcelain subway tiles for the room’s upper half and incorporated Paulina’s suggestion to use natural stone tile to line the lower half. Large-format Carrera marble helps provide a transition from the crisp subway tile down to the grittier black cement hex tiles that Robyn chose for the floor and tub wall.

Robyn felt drawn to incorporating a powder blue sink – this Kohler Vapour Blue oval basin is a little bit of a throwback in an otherwise modern space. To continue that theme, Paulina created a custom frame to line the recessed, mirrored medicine cabinet with the same color pop.

Robyn and Alejandro surveyed friends and family members as they considered how to make the tub as functional as possible and the verdict seemed clear: a whirlpool tub would be an expensive luxury that would probably go un-used. Despite the well-intentioned warnings, the couple forged ahead with the Kohler Tea-for-Two whirlpool tub with reversible drains and a built-in heater. Happily, it has become a frequent and favorite personal retreat for each family member!

Paulina and Albert designed and built the custom vanity with two roomy drawers (modeled in the same simple Shaker style they used for the kitchen cabinets) and topped it with a slim Carrera marble counter. To complete the look, Robyn went with a vintage-styled Kohler Artifacts faucet with a single lever handle and continued with a second set of polished Kohler Artifacts fixtures for the shower as well as a polished chrome double swing-arm wall sconce light from Rejuvenation.

Thanks again to this fun family for giving us a tour of their shiny new bath!

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