A bathroom renovation expands to become a contemporary sanctuary.

When it came time for a bathroom remodel, it wasn’t the first time around the block for homeowners who built two homes from scratch and remodeled two others. “Redoing and rebuilding homes has kind of become my husband’s hobby,” the owner says.

Although they built their home just eight years ago, the couple realized they wanted a larger shower area so that the room would be more functional and better suited to their needs. The only thing left in original positions were the vanities. Most all of the other features were re-positioned , including the new oval bathtub now tucked behind a slate colored shower wall, in order to make for a more workable space. Previously, the bathtub ran long ways in the room and made moving around much more cumbersome.

To take ideas to fruition, the couple enlisted the help of designer Michele Higgins of Scruggs Lumber. “Michele guided the whole process, and she helped us think outside of the box when it came to making selections,” the owner says. “My husband has very conservative tastes, and I was initially concerned about how all of the pieces would come together. I’m glad we remained open to Michele’s suggestions because we both love it and could not be happier with the final results. There is nothing we would change.”

According to Higgins, the goal was to transform the bathroom into a more modern, sleek look. The biggest challenge they faced was extending a wall in order to increase the area enough to double the shower size. “We wanted to completely revamp the old space,” Higgins says. “Once I showed my clients a layout of the new space with pictures of tile selections, they could visualize the outcome. They loved the concept as much as I had hoped. They began to trust me to move away from the tans, beiges and browns like with their former bathroom.

Contrast was important to achieve the desired results. “We used dark slate bamboo tile behind the tub on the outside shower wall and inside the shower is a white polished wave-patterned tile,” Higgins says. “The light and dark contrast provides the contemporary feel we wanted. Pebbled tiles on the shower floor bring in a touch of nature.”

The owner encourages others who might be considering a remodeling project to find a designer they trust, and then be open to his or her ideas. “Michele was able to see the big picture, and she stays current with trends and products. I would not have thought to do what she accomplished. Working with her was a great value, and our bathroom is not only a lot more functional, it’s a room I really enjoy.”

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Scruggs Lumber is located at 1707 Christy Dr.