A Class in Glass, and Light!

<— Original Space, before reno

I think most Calgarians can agree, our winters are too long, and the days are too short. But, there is an upside. We get more sunlight than any other city in Canada, even when we get less than a work days’ worth of daylight in a day. That is not something that should be taken for granted, especially in other wise cramped, under-lit areas of the house.

This washroom, located in NE Calgary, is a perfect example. With a south facing window on the second floor of a corner lot it should have been washed in sunlight. But with the room divided by a wall between the bathtub and the shower it left half the room dark, isolated and depressing. Exactly the feeling we don’t want to nurture during those long winter months.

This washroom was on the small side for having a bathtub and a separate shower. The harsh divide created by that wall made it feel downright cramped.

Clean unobstructed sight lines and good lighting can make a space feel significantly larger, and more inviting. For those reasons the answer to this particular space was very clear, frameless glass.

New space, after reno —>

For starters we removed the ugly old acrylic bathtub and the painfully outdated tile. Next came the wall. Some plumbing had to be relocated, but it was no problem for our talented trades. After that was the real sin. A gross, yellowed, tiny pcv shower. Pvc and acrylic showers are quite cost effective, but do not age well and frankly don’t hold a candle to the look of a custom tile shower with frameless glass.

We ran the 12x24 tiles in a grid pattern on the floor, up behind the bathtub, and all around the shower. The continuous sight lines formed by the uninterrupted grout lines visually opened the space up even further. A seamless curb, tying in the countertop and a mosaic shower pan added a touch of detail without being distracting. Details are great in any space, but restraint and proportions are key. A shelf sticking out of the wall would serve to undo a lot of this beautiful feel we’ve created.

A niche on the other hand serves the same function while blending in beautifully or even used as a design detail. We can talk more about the benefits of niches here.

Next came a gorgeous free standing bathtub. Everyone secretly longs for a claw foot tub, but this space called for a much sleeker, modern aesthetic.

Original tub.

After adding our beautiful fixtures it was time for what I consider the single biggest improvement to this space, a custom glass surround and door.

New tub.

No prefab glass here. Templated as soon as the tile was complete it was all cut to order. The hardware is very subtle, far better than the bulky clips and frames available at the big box stores. The glass itself is strong, durable, and far easier to clean than its pvc counterpart. Especially with the addition of a diamond fusion glass coating. Grout sealers play a similar role in keeping tile looking brand new long after the 'plastic' option would (not) be decomposing at a landfill.

Photos don’t do justice to the improvement in this space. It is bright, uncrowded, and welcoming. Walk around your home. If a space feels off talk to us. We can help.