Date:  September 7, 2018  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |  

A newly married couple opts for a master bath renovation rather than a big wedding

“My husband bought this house in 2014, did some remodeling, and moved in the following year,” says one of the owners of this Hot Springs Village home. Not long after he moved in, he met his now wife. “We were getting married, and I didn’t want another wedding so we said let’s spend the money on our bathroom—the one place that hadn’t been renovated—and we can enjoy it every day,” she says.

While they planned to do some of the work on their own, the couple turned to Alissa Oates of Restructure Design to pull together concepts and find products that aligned with their vision. “She came in and picked some samples and we started putting different colors and textures together. It was kind of funny because we both looked at each other and said, ‘This is really cool,’” Alissa recalls.

The white and gray scheme they chose flows throughout the bath but is perhaps most prominent in the shower—a space that formerly housed a 20-year-old garden tub. Here, a mix of materials and patterns creates an eye-catching design that is the focal point of the room. “We didn’t want it to be overpowering, so we did the accent wall and covered the other two sides in the same tile as the floor. I think the key in all of that was mixing and matching color and texture but not going overboard,” Alissa says. The tiles aren’t the only blend of materials seen in the space. “She wanted to mix the bronzy look in with the brushed nickel because she had some of that already, so we actually reused some things but just brought it up to date with the application,” Alissa says.

Functional updates also abound in the space. “I wanted medicine cabinets for storage, but I didn’t want them to look like medicine cabinets,” the homeowner says. Alissa found anti-fog versions with built-in electrical outlets for charging toothbrushes and razors. A vertical installation of subway tile makes the mirrors pop without drawing attention to the fact that they’re cabinets. “I think having the tile behind it really gives the effect of them looking like sleek mirrors,” Alissa says. Other features, including a humidity-sensing vent and heated flooring, add to the space’s thoughtful design. Finally, the formerly dark room was illuminated thanks to the addition of a glass-block window along one wall of the shower. This feature allows natural light to spill into the space giving it a fresh, clean appeal.

Design Resources
Contractor, interior and bath design Alissa A. Oates, Restructure Design Fixtures Southern Pipe & Supply Flooring (heated), mirrors/medicine cabinets, and tile Restructure Design Paint Benjamin Moore