As it stood, the bathroom room was chopped up into three separate spaces: a toilet/tub/shower space, a storage closet and a sunroom. So the first order of the day was to gut the maze of small rooms, pull out all of the old fixtures and start from scratch. Once this was accomplished, I was left with a huge, open space which I painted in a crisp, neutral shade. I then put down clean white tiles overtop of radiant heating pads on the floor.Next came the task of installing new state-of-the-art bathroom fixtures. I put in a gorgeous soaker tub — complete with a waterproof LCD television and remote control — and tiled the adjacent in a beautiful white and dark taupe mosaic tile. For a little something extra, I flanked the tub with gorgeous dark wood bookcases. I also installed a new toilet and a barrier-free shower stall with multiple body sprays, an overhead rain shower and a handheld showerhead.
On the wall across from the shower, I put up a chic double vanity comprised of dark wood cabinetry topped with a white quartz countertop. I then put up two very tall mirrors and two modern polished stainless steel basins with funky wall-mounted spout faucets.
However, this bathroom was not just about relaxation. It needed a workout component to help get Nick moving. To that end, I put in a low-impact elliptical trainer with a heart monitoring system. The machine, which has a good view of the television, sits beside new sliding glass doors with white linen curtains that will eventually lead out to a new deck.
I also created a dressing room adjacent to the bathroom that would make any fashionista giddy. For the ultimate in organization, I put in a stunning dark wood storage system complete with shelves, drawers, clothes racks, a built-in ironing board and a washer and dryer.
To lighten up the room, I put up a chrome-disc chandelier over the tub and four sconces over the vanity. Then it was time for a few final finishes — a heated towel rack, some fluffy robes and some spa-like amenities — and the space was complete.
By using masculine finishes, modern fixtures and space-saving techniques, this bathroom got a men's club-inspired makeover that blends serenity with functionality. It's a bathroom and workout space in which any guy would be proud to flex his muscles. How divine!
(Interior decorator Candice Olson is host of Home & Garden Television's Divine Design. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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