Bathroom Renovation in Woodley Park, Washington, DC
Project Overview
Over a period of several years, these homeowners had renovated many parts of their home, including the master bathroom, front porch and kitchen. We were first introduced during their kitchen remodel when a Four Brothers crew installed a kitchen backsplash as part of a kitchen remodel. Several years later when they were preparing to re-renovate their master bathroom, Four Brothers was working on an extensive project just down the street. Seeing our jobsite sign, they gave us a call and soon hired us to design and build their new master bath.
Design and Layout
The existing master bath was laid out with a small shower stall, commode, two pedestal sinks, and a prominent Jacuzzi tub. The tub was rarely used, the shower was tucked into a corner (almost like an afterthought), and there was little storage. After some discussion, the homeowners decided to eliminate the bathtub (there is a tub in an upstairs bathroom), install a large, walk-in shower, and increase storage space. Our design team came up with a plan where the shower would be moved to the opposite end of the bathroom in place of the tub, the commode would move into the corner previously occupied by the shower, and a double vanity would be installed along one of the long walls. Privacy was achieved at the commode by installing a knee wall and frosted glass panel.
Style and Finishes
Throughout their previous renovations, the homeowners had done a fantastic job of maintaining traditional details in the open spaces of their home, while integrating modern design in closed spaces. Since the master bath is a closed space, they wanted contemporary and sleek finishes. They selected large-format, monochromatic tile for the shower walls and floor, white vessel sinks, and chrome fixtures. Frameless glass panels were used at the shower and commode area, and the double vanity and storage cabinet were made custom with caramelized bamboo.
Construction and Final Product
Because the bathroom had been remodeled within the past ten years, we assumed that the infrastructure (framing, plumbing, electrical wiring) would have been updated. Bad assumption. After demolition was complete, it was apparent that many corners had been cut during the previous renovation. The floor joists had been randomly hacked to accommodate plumbing pipes, the interior brick around one of the windows was crumbling, and the waste pipes had been run quite differently from what building codes require. Because of these conditions, major structural framing was required along with masonry work and significant reworking of the plumbing. In order to remain on schedule, we assigned some extra help to the project, and our production crew put in some long days. All the hard work was well worth it though, as the finished bathroom turned out beautifully, and the homeowners are thrilled!
What the Customer Said
We hired Four Brothers for a master bath renovation of an awkward, nineteen-foot foot long narrow space in a one-hundred-year-old Woodley Park row house. After some angst over retaining the tub, Ben and the designer provided design options and we opted for a larger walk in shower with contemporary design (having another tub elsewhere in the house). The team provided a Google calendar for the construction schedule and Sean, the on-site carpenter maintained great communications as questions and/or plan adjustments needed to be addressed. The space was tidied at the end of each day and disruption was kept to a minimum. The custom cabinetry is beautiful and the Four Brothers connections to vendors for the tile and countertop kept our design on budget. Our previous bathroom experience was much more of a utilitarian update so this experience highlighted the aesthetic as well as practical advantage of incorporating intelligent designer input up front to make the most of what we had. They also dealt with the unexpected (inadvertent furniture damage) swiftly and professionally. The end result is functional and stunning and completely in keeping with our taste, expectations, and budget. Too bad our renovation list is complete since we would use them again and recommend the Four Brothers unconditionally and enthusiastically.