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I’ve remodeled lots of bathrooms over the years, but this one’s a bit different, since it’s in my own home. What started out with a simple upgrade soon expanded into a complete bathroom makeover that included tiling the tub surround and floor, installing new plumbing fixtures, replacing the vanity, and adding all new accessories.

Out with the Old

Since we hadn’t updated this bathroom in 20 years, I started by taking out the built-in storage cabinet and pedestal sink to allow room for a larger vanity. Next, I removed the cultured marble tub surround and tile floor. If that wasn’t enough, we also had to replace some of the wood flooring in the powder room to fill in the area where the cabinet had been.

Bathroom Light Fixture

I also decided to replace the light fixtures on each side of the sink with a single one center over the vanity. That required cutting a hole in the drywall, running wires, and patching the holes where the old fixtures had been.

Moen faucet from the Vestige collection
The faucet I chose was by Moen from their Vestige collection.

Bath Faucets

For the faucets on the sink and tub, I decided on ones from the Moen Vestige collection with an oil rubbed bronze finish. The matching faucet for the tub has a pressure balance valve to maintain a constant water temperature.

I used flexible PEX pipe to connect the existing water lines to the copper fittings on the new faucets.

Tiling the Bathroom

After the new plumbing was roughed in, I covered the walls around the tub with cement backer board. A hole was cut in the backer board to accommodate a recess for soap and other bath accessories.

Next, mesh tape was applied to the seams in the backer board and covered with a layer of thin-set adhesive. I then rolled on a coat of Durex Blue Shield waterproofing compound in case any water should penetrate behind the tile.

To even out any low spots in the floor, I poured floor leveling compound on the slab, and allow it to set before tiling.

Tile in shower surround with mosaic border
I love the look of this mosaic tile inset into the shower surround.

I chose 12”x 12” Crema Cappuccino tiles from The Home Depot for the walls of the tub surround. Moroccan Desert mosaic blend tile from the Tessera collection by Oceanside Glasstile were used for the floor and as an accent band around the tub surround.

Once the thin-set adhesive had set, I peeled the paper backing off the mosaic tile and applied grout to the joints using a rubber float. A darker grout was used on the mosaic tile floor and accent band.
Furniture style bathroom vanity

Bathroom Vanity

After patching and painting the walls in the power room, it was time to install the new vanity. I selected a vanity from Socotra that has the look of freestanding furniture, with a black Galaxy Granite top and white oval sink.

After a final clean up and a little decorating, my newly renovated bath was ready to go!

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Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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