A Cozy Bathroom Remodel

In the quiet country town of Marthasville, Missouri, about an hour west of St. Louis, there’s a comfortable, eclectic home where we recently completed one of the most unique bathroom remodels in our portfolio to date. Working closely with the couple who own the home—a dental hygienist and high school art/music teacher—we were able to co-create the master bathroom of their dreams. They’d already met with several local contractors, and after a number of conversations in which we discussed their aesthetic and our working style, they decided to move forward with us.

A brand-new layout set the tone, while vibrant touches—like the elegant clawfoot tub, shower skylight and recessed ceiling fan—created an elevated and timeless look. Just looking out the bathroom window serves as a reminder of the beauty and solitude of nature, as you’ll see trees and rolling hills. Keep reading to learn more about this project, which we discuss with Aptitude owner Matt Mierek.

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What do you think set Aptitude apart from the other contractors these homeowners were considering?

I think we were really able to understand the style and look they wanted. When clients are after something more eclectic, they usually have a pretty clear idea of what they want before we even start construction. We were also able to work with some existing pieces of decor they’d gathered over the years—like the ceiling fan, for example—which is inlaid into the ceiling. They also had a tub, tile and vanity picked out before we even started designing, so much of the space was developed with those touches in mind. That helped us determine how to organize everything else, and we didn’t have a huge layout to work with: just a closet and a small bathroom, which we gutted. So it was really a matter of making sure the client felt heard, and that we incorporated everything they wanted.

How would you describe the aesthetic of the space?

Between the clawfoot tub, walk-in shower with skylight and vanity, I’d call it a country-modern look. It has traditional elements alongside a mix of several newer inspirations. You don’t see all of that come together every day, and as you can tell from the photos it turned out really nicely.

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What are some of the design and construction challenges you were up against?

Two come to mind, both which required a lot of thoughtful engineering. One is the skylight in the shower: Because of where it was situated, you couldn’t just cut a hole in the ceiling and call it a day. We had to brace the roof framing around it to make sure it didn’t create any structural issues. And for the ceiling fan, which is very large, we thought recessing it into the ceiling would work as the best solution. It wasn’t easy to pull off, but those unique touches in the space make it really special.

How do you approach architectural and structural issues like that, and making everything work with the kind of look a client wants?

At this point, we can do pretty much anything a client asks for. We might not recommend it or think it’ll look good in the space, but it can be done if it’s what they want. That comes from years on the job. If you look at our portfolio, you’ll see that many of our projects are unique from one another and styled differently. Part of that comes from working with a lot of different clients, but we’re also able to take their style and make it look really good in their space—whether it’s modern, traditional, classic, eclectic, ‘70s, you name it. Not everyone can do that, and our experience with clients has shown us it’s a skill that really sets Aptitude apart.

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