A 1990s Builder Bathroom Becomes a Spa Retreat (Bellevue)

Olivia and her husband bought the Bellevue home in 2012 knowing the primary bathroom would eventually need work. "Eventually" became "right now" when Olivia counted three different shades of beige between the cultured marble vanity, the tile, and the walls.

The original layout was tight: a corner shower, a tub crammed against the toilet, and a single vanity with no counter space. The plan reworked the layout completely. The tub came out (kids are grown) and a curbless wet-room shower with a frameless glass partial enclosure replaced both the old shower and tub. The freestanding soaking tub moved to the window for a real moment.

Calacatta marble (real, not look-alike) on the shower walls and tub deck. Brushed gold fixtures from Brizo. Light oak floating double vanity with a quartz top. A new skylight added during demo, $3,400, completely changed how the room reads in the gray months.

11 weeks of design, 6 weeks of construction. Final spend $68,000. Olivia said it was the first home project she did not regret going premium on.