A Bath Refresh: From Leaky to Luxe
A renovator redoes her bath out of necessity and finds the beauty in it
Does a leaky faucet have you feeling like your bathroom is more like a shipwreck than a spa? You’re not alone! But what if we told you that a plumbing mishap could be the perfect reason to create the bathroom of your dreams? In this Sweeten story, we’ll follow one homeowner’s journey as she transforms her outdated, leaky bathroom into a modern, luxurious haven. Get ready for some serious bathroom inspiration, and learn how you can turn your own renovation woes into wows.
- Homeowner: Veronica posted her bathroom remodel on Sweeten
- Where: Upper West Side in Manhattan
- Primary renovation: Leaky plumbing expands to renovating the whole small space bathroom
- Homeowner’s quote: “I was really looking forward to designing a bathroom that had a walk-in shower with a glass door.”
Written in partnership with homeowner Veronica. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg.
When commercial photographer, Veronica, moved into her Upper West Side apartment in 2014, she considered it move-in ready. “All I had to do was paint and tile the kitchen,” she explains. “I hoped to redo the bathroom one day, but it seemed like an overwhelming and big job—and especially expensive in New York City.”
Cut to a few years later. She received a complaint from her neighbors directly below and after investigating, it turned out her tub was leaking into their apartment. “I had a plumber check it out, and he confirmed I’d have to get the tub replaced to fix the leak,” says Veronica. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), that meant the attached surrounding tile would need to be replaced. “It kind of became a domino effect of redoing everything, but I figured it was a good time to make some upgrades,” she says.
Veronica was more than happy to get rid of the outdated beige tile and grimy old jet tub and posted her project on Sweeten. “I was really looking forward to designing a bathroom that had a walk-in shower with a glass door,” she says. The light fixture didn’t work and the vanity was small and crammed in next to the shower so it was a no-brainer to replace those as well. Sweeten brings homeowners an exceptional renovation experience by personally matching trusted general contractors to your project, while offering expert guidance and support—at no cost to you. Renovate to live, Sweeten to thrive!
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The bathroom was transformed from a basic beige bathroom into a rich, modern space. Through Sweeten, Veronica found the contractor who would renovate her space with her vision in mind. “The bathroom got very little light to begin with so I decided to embrace the cave-like atmosphere and go dark,” Veronica says.
She added matte brass fixtures for warmth as well as marble floor tile for texture. “My favorite thing is the walk-in shower,” says Veronica. “It’s so much easier to clean, it makes the tiny space feel more open, and it gives a modern look and feel.”
Having a wall-mounted sink without a vanity also opened up the room. Veronica was “glad not to have crammed in an 18-inch vanity that doesn’t hold much anyway and visually disrupts the room.” Initially, the plan was to install a wall-mounted toilet but found out that it was out of the budget and required permits.
Bonus: A cabinet above the bathroom door serves as added storage for towels and other supplies.
Style finds: Metro collection floor and wall tiles in graphite: Nemo. American Standard Decorum 20″ sink: Appliances Connection. Kohler exposed hardware, #K-9018-BDG p-trap with long tubing outlet; set of two npt angle supplies; Glassware House frameless fixed glass panel, #GW-SFP-35.5-PB; San Souci elongated one-piece toilet: Wayfair. Mirror: Pottery Barn. Dewdrop Globe vanity light: Shades of Light. Paint in Day’s End: Benjamin Moore. Cabinet above door: Ikea.
Thank you, Veronica, for sharing your new bathroom with us!
WATCH VIDEO:
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Check out another stunning renovation born out of a water leak.
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