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BATH TO THE FUTURE

A 1980s master bathroom is remodeled with an eye toward aging in place.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION BY DREAMMAKER BATH & KITCHEN
TEXT BY LAURIE KAISER
COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE VIERRA

The outsized whirlpool bathtub that carried such cachet 20 years ago has become the albatross around the neck of many middle-age homeowners, like the owners of this home in North Falmouth. Their decision to remove the tub from their master bathroom launched a complete bathroom remodel.

“When we filled the tub, we’d drain the hot water tank,” the owner says—not a plus for those seeking energy efficiency. And then consider the calisthenics required to clean it. As homeowners look toward aging in the homes they currently occupy, they are opting for user-friendly, low-maintenance products, such as comfort-height toilets, easy-to-step-into tubs and showers and easy-clean solid surface countertops.

The master bathroom in this 1980s contemporary home consists of two rooms connected by a doorway: a lavatory containing a toilet and vanity and a larger room containing a tub, shower and larger vanity. Privacy can be maintained simply by closing the door. The lavatory is accessible from the hallway and can be used by dinner guests.

The decision to remodel the bathroom was fraught with anxiety because the owners had heard remodeling horror stories from friends and neighbors. They say they thought about it for a year before calling John Clark of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen in Mashpee for a turnkey remodel. The couple desperately wanted a bathroom that would be easy to use and to maintain.

Clark consulted with the homeowners for about two months before the remodel began. He brought along templates and computer software to help the couple visualize the remodeled space—“a huge help,” they say. Once under way, the project took about five weeks to complete.

The tub was the first to go. “Replacing the tub made the bathroom so much roomier,” says Clark. It was replaced by a Kohler bubble tub, which offers softer massaging action than the jets in the old Jacuzzi.

The Toto two-piece toilet and the vanity, with its durable and low-maintenance Corian countertop, are both at comfort height—a few inches higher than standard to minimize stooping. A comfort-height toilet, for example, rises 17 to 19 inches from the floor, as opposed to the standard 15 inches. A comfort-height counter stands about 34 inches from the floor.

A roomy Swanstone solid surface shower with built-in shampoo/soap alcoves replaces a one-piece fiberglass model. While both materials are durable, so-called “solid surface” offers some advantages over fiberglass. Scratches are easily buffed out of solid surfaces, which are made from natural minerals combined with an acrylic or polyester resin. And solid surfaces offer more color options. The homeowners chose an ecru that matches the countertop and ceramic floor tiles.

The solid dark cherry cabinetry contrasts with the neutral floors and fixtures and soft yellow walls. The built-in linen closet beside the shower offers sleek, streamlined storage space.

The bathroom receives a lot of natural light from existing windows. Clark added recessed lighting for further illumination. The fan above the shower—important for drawing out moist air—includes a light, as well.

The remodeled bathroom is brighter, warmer and more spacious than the original, which was merely “functional,” according to the homeowners. To personalize the space, they chose décor that gives the space a Southwestern feel.

And the remodel was relatively painless. The homeowners rate the experience as “really good” overall. They credit Clark with good communication and good subcontractors, who were “extraordinarily careful,” they say. “It wasn’t traumatic at all, which we expected.”

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