Before and After: Stylish and Streamlined Small Bathroom
A design firm helps a New York couple update a 45-square-foot bath and avoid surprises by limiting material choices
After moving in to their two-bedroom prewar co-op apartment in Queens, New York, Eric Alarcon and Niurka Maldonado desperately wanted to renovate the two bathrooms. The decades-old black-and-white tile with depictions of birds and vines were a particular pain point, as were the ancient toilets. But cost, inconvenience and the fact that they planned to move in five to seven years held them back for more than a year.
Bathroom design firm Block Renovation, whose bathroom remodeling packages streamline design decisions and cost estimates by keeping choices for things like tile and vanities to just a handful of options, persuaded the couple that they could tackle both bathrooms within their budget, time frame and desired style.
Bathroom design firm Block Renovation, whose bathroom remodeling packages streamline design decisions and cost estimates by keeping choices for things like tile and vanities to just a handful of options, persuaded the couple that they could tackle both bathrooms within their budget, time frame and desired style.
After: The couple worked with designer Saoli Chu of Block Renovation to arrive at a classic-meets-contemporary style that includes black porcelain hexagonal floor tile, white ceramic subway tile laid in a herringbone pattern in the shower, brushed bronze fixtures and a furniture-style wood veneer vanity.
The look feels fresh now and is likely to appeal to many potential homebuyers in the future. “I didn’t want something so quirky or personalized that someone else coming in six or seven years from now would think is tacky,” Alarcon says. “We wanted something more neutral that would appeal to a lot of people. The herringbone was maybe risque, but I feel like it works together with the motif of the apartment.”
The total cost of this renovation was $16,500, including parts and labor, and took three to four weeks to complete.
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The look feels fresh now and is likely to appeal to many potential homebuyers in the future. “I didn’t want something so quirky or personalized that someone else coming in six or seven years from now would think is tacky,” Alarcon says. “We wanted something more neutral that would appeal to a lot of people. The herringbone was maybe risque, but I feel like it works together with the motif of the apartment.”
The total cost of this renovation was $16,500, including parts and labor, and took three to four weeks to complete.
Shop for freestanding vanities
To keep the budget relatively low, Alarcon and Maldonado went with 2-by-6-inch subway tile but installed it in a herringbone pattern for something different. “We were able to be savvy with simple materials,” Chu says. “Subtle customization can really have an impact.”
The couple had originally thought they would replace the bathtub, but at the last minute they changed their minds after realizing the cast-iron piece was in good shape and the newer ceramic tub they were considering didn’t have favorable reviews online. Instead, Chu had the existing tub reglazed.
Chu showed the couple just a handful of options for tile style and shape, vanity style and finish, and plumbing fixtures and finishes that have been pre-selected by Block Renovation. The preselected options allow the company to more accurately give estimates for price and construction because it already knows what it will cost to buy, deliver and install the materials in New York City.
Prior to starting Block Renovation, the founders consulted with Ann Sacks, the tile and plumbing fixtures company, to develop a tile palette that would appeal to modern-day tastes and would give them flexibility with grout color, tile layouts and orientation so that the limited selection would have maximum potential for creating appealing style combinations.
“Five to six options for tile combined with grout color, tile layouts and orientation gives much more of an option than people realize,” Chu says. “We found that keeping it condensed with enough diverse tile makes it a lot simpler for clients. Otherwise they’re daunted by 60 pages on a tile website.”
The couple had originally thought they would replace the bathtub, but at the last minute they changed their minds after realizing the cast-iron piece was in good shape and the newer ceramic tub they were considering didn’t have favorable reviews online. Instead, Chu had the existing tub reglazed.
Chu showed the couple just a handful of options for tile style and shape, vanity style and finish, and plumbing fixtures and finishes that have been pre-selected by Block Renovation. The preselected options allow the company to more accurately give estimates for price and construction because it already knows what it will cost to buy, deliver and install the materials in New York City.
Prior to starting Block Renovation, the founders consulted with Ann Sacks, the tile and plumbing fixtures company, to develop a tile palette that would appeal to modern-day tastes and would give them flexibility with grout color, tile layouts and orientation so that the limited selection would have maximum potential for creating appealing style combinations.
“Five to six options for tile combined with grout color, tile layouts and orientation gives much more of an option than people realize,” Chu says. “We found that keeping it condensed with enough diverse tile makes it a lot simpler for clients. Otherwise they’re daunted by 60 pages on a tile website.”
After: Crisp, smooth white walls create a light, refreshing backdrop to let the brushed brass finishes and black floor tile stand out.
Instead of staying in the home and staggering the two bathroom renovations back to back, which would have taken a full two months, Alarcon and Maldonado decided to stay with their daughters at a rental for a bit and take on a house-sitting opportunity that came up. A friend’s neighbor was going to be in Europe for a month and needed someone to house-sit and take care of their pets and plants. This allowed the couple to knock out both renovations at once. (You can see their main bathroom at the end of this project folder.)
Moving Out vs. Staying Put for a Kitchen Remodel
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Instead of staying in the home and staggering the two bathroom renovations back to back, which would have taken a full two months, Alarcon and Maldonado decided to stay with their daughters at a rental for a bit and take on a house-sitting opportunity that came up. A friend’s neighbor was going to be in Europe for a month and needed someone to house-sit and take care of their pets and plants. This allowed the couple to knock out both renovations at once. (You can see their main bathroom at the end of this project folder.)
Moving Out vs. Staying Put for a Kitchen Remodel
More on Houzz
Before and After: 9 Small-Bathroom Makeovers That Wow
Before and After: 6 Inspiring Midsize Bathroom Makeovers
Find a bathroom designer near you
Shop for bathroom products
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Eric Alarcon, who works in finance; Niurka Maldonado, a homemaker and home educator; and their two daughters, ages 2 and 6
Location: Queens, New York
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters)
Designer: Saoli Chu of Block Renovation
Before: In the existing bathroom used by the daughters, (the bathroom we focus on in this article), Alarcon and Maldonado took issue with the lack of storage and the overall appearance. “It was in pretty dated condition,” Alarcon says. “The toilet was one of those that doesn’t have a tank, just a handle sticking out of the wall. There was always a giant whooshing sound, so late at night you’d run the risk of waking up the kids.”
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