Inside Our Primary Bathroom Renovation

The materials, the resources, and the not-so-pretty “before.”

Dear Reader,

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved a spa-like moment.

My mother can vouch.

The bathroom in her house was permanently coated in a fine layer of soot—from all the candles I insisted on lighting(Don’t judge. This was long before I knew anything about candle toxicity.)

The bathroom itself was nothing glamorous—sweet, small, carrying the smell of its 1920s history. The candle smoke gave it more charm, if anything.

But even then, I dreamed of having a truly spa-like bathroom of my own one day.

Marble countertops. A steam shower. A massive, sink-into-oblivion tub.

A place I could retreat to morning and night and finally exhale.

I pinch myself as I type this, because at long last, that little-girl dream actually came true.

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Four months ago, we demolished our primary bathroom—down to the studs. Here’s what it looked like before the chaos began:

Knew that center cabinetry had to go.

Aren’t Michael’s shoes cute?

I didn’t want to rush this project. I needed time to live in the space first—to notice what I actually wanted and understand how the room wanted to flow. (For example, I was convinced I needed a standalone tub… until I realized it didn’t suit our layout at all.)

This space hadn’t been touched since its 2009 build — and it felt like it. Fine, but dated. Monochrome, in the least poetic sense.

I kept coming back to one word: serene. I wanted this to be the most zen room in the house — a place where your shoulders drop two inches the moment you walk in. Layered natural materials, soft dimension, nothing shouting.

Beyond that, there were a handful of specifics I knew were non-negotiable:

1. Calacatta Borghini marble
   I saw these slabs at Calia Stone and instantly fell in love—the tranquil veining, the soft neutrality, the quiet movement. Admittedly, it wasn’t the cheapest marble — but it was the marble. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I made cost cuts in other areas (more on that below).

   

   A love story between me and Borghini.

2. Rose Uniacke curve sconces
   I’ve admired them—and Rose— for years, always hoping I’d find the right place to use them. Finally, I did. I chose the distressed finish for its lived-in softness—the kind that makes a space feel collected rather than newly installed. Exceptionally special.

   

   You can see how the distressed finish adds that soft, lived-in patina.