Last October I had a wonderful opportunity to meet with our new clients, Angelo and Kathy. When I arrived at the McGrath Point Estates, an upscale gated community in Port Charlotte, I had to punch in a code which accessed the gate. Then I watched a magnificent wrought iron gate slowly open. There are twenty-four lots in this private community, most of which are already built upon, but a few remaining vacant jewels are still available. I reached the address and approached the house. The waterfront home I was about to go inside of, was already beautiful. In fact, the entire neighborhood was. With anticipation I rang the doorbell.
I simply couldn’t help but fall in love the moment I stepped through the doors. The fact that this spacious and stunning two-story home has over 3,600 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and an abundance of space was just the beginning. Built in 1997 with no expenses spared to turn this home into a modern masterpiece, while maintaining the character and space you only get in homes of this era. There’s a 3 car garage and an oversized lot with direct access to and overlooking Charlotte Harbor via the backyard. Sail friendly waters will take the homeowners to the Gulf of Mexico, just a short 5 minute ride from the edge of this unbelievable property. And yet, Angelo and Kathy are just a stone’s throw from the best amenities in Port Charlotte. This one-of-a-kind family home really did have it all!
So, what more could Angelo and Kathy want with a glamourous home like this?
Well, have you ever heard the saying, “you either love it or hate it, there is no in between”? People usually use the phrase when talking about something unconventional or controversial they adore or loathe. The existing kitchen design wasn’t exactly Angelo’s or Kathy’s taste. Regardless of how they felt about the kitchen, today’s blog is focused on the master ensuite, not the heart of the home.
As it happens Angelo hated the master ensuite. Hate is a very strong word, a little dramatic, yes, so let’s just say Angelo disliked so many things about this room: from the curved walls to the floor tiles, from the thermofoil cabinets to the hideous green solid surface countertops, from the dated shower to the tub deck, and from the wall mirrors to the lighting. So, the plan for the ensuite was essentially, to start over from scratch. Angelo wanted nothing from this old unappealing bathroom.
Just Counters & other stuff, Inc. fully renovated the ensuite to give Angelo and Kathy a magnificent space that would be sure to capture their hearts. First things first, the cabinets, countertops, tub deck, bench seat, curved walls, two shower walls and shower seat, and existing floor tiles were removed.
Aspect Cabinetry with a raised panel door style, Maple wood with ginger stain and mocha glaze replaced the outmoded thermofoil cabinets. It’s sad, but true, friends. The once popular white thermofoil cabinets were once a hot-ticket trend, has now come and gone. Ah, yes, nothing spells more dated than the equivalent of vinyl siding on bathroom cabinets.
The new ensuite cabinet design included lots of drawers and 3 counter storage towers. This kind of bathroom storage is almost everyone’s favorite since it provides plenty of space to store lots of toiletries. As the name implies, counter storage tower is installed on top of the bathroom vanity counter. Therefore, it doesn’t take up a single inch of valuable floor space. The finished ensuite looks stunning with the calming color choices. Two wood bridge panels link the storage towers.
Canless recessed light fixtures were installed on the bridges above the sinks to provide bright lights when needed. A dozen recessed ceiling lights were also installed. Most people don’t consider adding toe-kick lighting under the vanity, but as you can see in the “after” photos, toe-kick lights added an element of luxury to the space. Using the toe-kick during late night trips to the bathroom can prevent the need to turn on blinding overhead lights. Whenever the homeowners want a nice relaxing splash in the bath, toe-kick lighting combined with candles will create a soothing spa-like glow!
Both the new countertops, and the tub deck are beautiful. They were made from low maintenance Pompeii quartz. The color is “Valley Sand” which features a creamy, white background with light copper veining.
The custom bathtub panels match the cabinetry. This repetition delivers elegance and luxury to the completed ensuite. Decorative glass tile bubbles were installed for the tub backsplash, adding creativity and beauty.
As you can see in the “before” photo, the shower was sad and small (okay, tiny), but huge in potential. The new doorless shower is both: a walk-in and curbless. Two glass shower walls were installed to suit the new design. Sleek, stripped-down frameless shower stalls are in, my friends, and we never want to go back. The new shower wall tiles are Mukali Blanco, the cream-slice colored floor tiles are Ocean Stones, and the decorative glass tile bubbles are Listello tiles. The new shower feels much bigger and brighter than ever before.
Brushed nickel faucets are a trend you won’t regret buying in 5 years. Yes, you can quote me on that. All the new plumbing fixtures and both faucets are from Moen. Gleaming and gorgeous, brushed nickel is the ultimate timeless finish.
Solid hardwood floors aren’t practical in moisture-prone spaces like the bathroom, utility room, or kitchen. But that didn’t stop our new clients from achieving the same welcoming, charming wood floor look in their ensuite. The ensuite wood-look flooring are waterproof porcelain planks. There are so many benefits in selecting a good quality floor and wall tile, and using them throughout the room and shower. It’s a win-win.
I want to offer a big “Thank You” and congratulate all the team members who were involved in this renovation. Just Counter’s talented team: Tommy McCaffrey, Daniel Miller, and Aaron Shaffer. Their fine craftsmanship and attention to detail has raised the bar. Stone Art Creations: your work ethic is truly amazing; no wonder your company is the best at what you do. Pucci Tile & Marble: your work speaks volumes. It’s a testament to efficiency and dedication. The completion of this project is truly commendable. Well done!
I can’t say enough good things about this home and to write down all the incredible features would take several pages and I wouldn’t be able to do the justice, without seeing and experiencing a home like this. The finished master ensuite is simply quite stunning. When I returned to take “after” pictures, I have to say that Angelo and Kathy’s master ensuite gave me my real wow moment. I was swooning over the transformation. What a divine room to relax in.
Meet me back here in two weeks. I’ll share Angelo and Kathy’s dramatic before-and-after kitchen makeover. You won’t want to miss it.
Love the new look! Well done! The tiles throughout look perfect and timeless.
Thank you for your compliment. Your feedback means a lot.
We can’t say enough good things to you for all the help you gave us! I’m sure we drove you crazy – I imagine every time you saw a text from me, you cringed – LOL! We absolutely LOVE the changes. Thank you! A big shout out to Just Counter & More staff – they were so professional, courteous and just plain pleasant. They showed up when they said and did what they said – we would highly recommend them!
Thank you for being a Just Counters customer. We were so lucky to have customers like you two. We appreciated both your business and trust. It truly was our pleasure to work with you.