Hi! I'm Melissa!

I love sharing helpful suggestions for creating your dream space through budget friendly decor tips, simple DIY projects and strategies for designing your space.

PART 2 is finally here! As you may know, our bathroom renovation has been a work in progress for about 6 months now. We started working on this space when we first moved in 12 years ago, but were never really happy with the result. We had updated the bathroom so it was more functional, but knew that eventually we’d need to make some major upgrades.

Well that day has finally arrived and I am so excited to be sharing the completed space with you all! Our focus was making this space work for our entire family – something that would be suitable for small children, but had flexibility to adapt as our family expanded and our children grew older. We also wanted to ensure that the space incorporated quality pieces, a transitional modern design and sustainable features.

Phase 1 of the bathroom renovation focused on updating the vanity, faucet fixtures, lighting, completing the wall mouldings, and painting. We partnered with GROHE Canada, a brand dedicated to crafting innovative water products, and have been so thrilled with the quality of their Essence Widespread Bathroom Faucet that we were excited to also incorporate their products in the shower/tub area for a harmonious design. It was important to us for the bathroom to include beautiful fixtures that are both functional and sustainable, and GROHE made our wishes come true with style and ease.

Here’s a reminder of how Phase 1 turned out:

We were thrilled with the end result of Phase 1, but definitely had our work cut out for us with Phase 2! Here’s how this space began years back:

and this was the space after our first update:

After reviewing our priorities for the bathroom, we decided the the following things all needed an upgrade in Phase 2:

Shower/tub fixtures
Tub surround
Plumbing upgrade
Shower accessories (curtain rod, shower curtain, etc.)
Finishing the wall mouldings/painting

As much as we would have loved to update the tile, it wasn’t a priority since it was in great condition, fairly classic and the dark tile works well with our colour palette for the space. We figured we could work with it and focus our efforts and funds on the things that needed more urgent attention.

We started by fixing things that were no longer functional or that needed immediate upgrades (and that we could do ourselves). We designed and built a solution to fix our tub skirting, and once that was complete, we were ready to start with the shower transformation.

Then we needed to prep for the plumbing upgrades. That required us to cut into the drywall in order to change the fixtures:

After that, we were ready for the install! We knew we wanted to install all GROHE fixtures for a consistent look throughout the space, so we continued with the same Hard Graphite finish that was used for our bathroom faucet. The neutral but bold tone of the gun metal-like finish worked perfectly for the design of the space, and even better, GROHE’s finishes are made to last and even easier to clean which is a win in my books! Keeping with the Hard Graphite finish in the shower/tub, we chose:

Grohtherm® SmartControl Dual Function Thermostatic Valve Trim
Rainshower™ SmartActive Hand Shower
Rotaflex 59” Metal Longlife Twist-Free Shower Hose
Rainshower™ 36” Slide Shower Bar
Concetto Tub Spout

What sold us on the Grohtherm® SmartControl Dual Function Thermostatic Valve Trim was that we are able to select our desired spray source and adjust the water volume, all at the push-turn of a button. The textured buttons have the GROHE EasyLogic markings with exchangeable symbols which makes it so easy for the kids to help at bath time! Plus, the dual valve offers us the flexibility to control, switch between (or even combine) different spray patterns and water outlets – it’s perfect for our space where we want the option to have hand & head showers, as well as a bath.

The tub fills quickly and bathing the kids has been SO much easier! Since GROHE makes operation simple for the whole family, the kids can join in and help prepare the bath – we simply push the button to start and stop, then turn to adjust the water flow. With the GROHE SafeStop override button, we can also set a maximum temperature so we never have to worry about scalding water that could potentially hurt the kids.

Showering has also been brought to a new level. The GROHE TurboStat® technology delivers water at our desired water temperature within a fraction of a second, and keeps it consistent for the duration of our shower. A huge improvement from our previous shower that took a LONG time to get up to temperature! My favourite part about the GROHE Rainshower™ SmartActive Hand Shower is that it features three essential spray functions (Rain spray, an ActiveMassage spray, and a Jet spray) with fingertip control. So we can switch from high pressure, to a soft relaxing spray with the touch of a finger!

The slide bar is another great feature as it allows us to lower or raise the Hand Shower depending on who is showering! The kids LOVE this! The height-adjustable glider also swivels to accommodate left or right-hand preference. We’ve been very happy with the upgrade and absolutely love our new shower!

Our goal was to create a space that was functional, combined both traditional and modern elements, and incorporated sustainability through water-saving products. In the end, we got that and so much more thanks to the help of GROHE Canada. Their fixtures helped us to complete this space with top quality, style, and performance while incorporating water-saving technology for a more conscious lifestyle. We could not be happier with the finished space!