After months of planning, demo, DIY and installs, I’m thrilled to share the reveal of our Modern Moroccan ensuite bathroom!
Before
This bathroom began much like the rest of this late 2000’s house—beige travertine tile, cherry wood vanity with brown speckled granite, and the signature flip-house textured gray walls and vinyl plank floors.
It was on the small-to-average size, measuring 85″ x 73″, with a longer 42″ x 87″ shower.
This dated space was in desperate need of some style and personality! And I had a plan to do just that…
After
Modern Moroccan design elements from the adjoining bedroom were repeated here for continuity—arches, intricate patterns, organic textures, and a soothing neutral palette with warm gold accents.
Framed by a DIY arched doorway, the shower features floor to ceiling handmade Moroccan zellige tile in natural white (with Mapei Alabaster grout). The imperfect, hand chiseled shape and natural color variation bring a raw, organic feel to the space.
The shimmery reflection from the glazed tile make the shower feel like pearly jewel box. It’s a durable material choice that has been around for centuries, and will continue to be timeless in modern bathrooms. I love the natural white tile paired with the brushed gold shower system.
In the main bathroom area, vertical shiplap was a relatively simple and affordable way to cover the old textured walls, add visual interest and make the room appear taller.
I chose Sherwin Williams Egret White for the walls, which is a pale gray-ish white that picks up the cooler tones of the zellige tile.
The star of the show has to be the custom sea glass Miabella mural floor tile. I worked with Stone Impressions to customize the layout to fit our space, complete with a marble border to give it a rug inlay effect.
While the shower and floor tile are splurge items, the rest of the space came together on a DIY’ers budget. I scored a $40 dresser on Facebook Marketplace, and we refinished/repurposed it to use as a vanity.
The countertop is a White Macaubus quartz remnant, paired with a $50 sink and wall mounted faucet (on sale!) I had our installers create a custom rounded backsplash to soften the edges.
I scored the arched mirror on sale for $153, and hung these $40 woven pendant lights with a rope cord kit.
We reused the existing toilet to save a couple hundred bucks, and swapped out the chrome handle for this fancy gold lever to make it look more expensive (one of my favorite easy bathroom upgrades!)
The artwork is a couple vintage paintings I found for free online, printed for $2 each, and hung in wood frames I’ve had for years. I’ll be sharing more about my favorite free printable art sources in another post soon!
Sources
- Walls: Sherwin Williams Egret White (satin)
- Mapei Alabaster grout (shower + floors)
- Floor tile
- Shower tile
- Shower system + mixing valve (also sold here, here and here)
- Vanity: Facebook Marketplace
- Countertop: White Macaubus Quartz
- Shiplap
- Vanity knobs
- Sink
- Faucet
- Mirror
- Pendant lights + cord kit
- Turkish towels
- Towel hooks
- Toilet lever
- Art: free public domain
Cost breakdown
Below you’ll find the cost breakdown of the materials and labor. I’ve included the retail value of the tile which was sponsored, to give you an accurate picture of the actual cost if you’re doing a full gut renovation:
| Floor tile | $6417 |
| Shower tile | $4267 |
| Labor: Shower walls, tile & fixture install | $8740 |
| Labor: Floor tile install | $1307 |
| Labor: Plumbing rough-in | $800 |
| Shiplap/construction supplies | $1366 |
| Countertop + install | $510 |
| Vanity + stain | $65 |
| Lighting/electrical | $113 |
| Sink + drain | $72 |
| Sink faucet | $103 |
| Shower system | $496 |
| Mirror | $153 |
| Hardware | $113 |
| Total: | $24,480 |
As you can see, the vast majority of the budget was tile and install (over $20k!) The rest of the bathroom cost less than $4k. We saved a ton by DIYing (shiplap walls, arched opening, upcycled vanity, electric and plumbing) and shopping budget fixtures and décor. Our actual cost came in at $13,800 thanks to the sponsored tile.
Still—if there’s one item to splurge on in a bathroom renovation, it’s tile! Both the zellige shower tile and marble patterned floor make the space feel truly high-end and custom. I’m really happy with the mix of high and low, and hiring out vs DIY.
If you missed any of the progress, you can watch it come together in my Bath 2 story highlight on Instagram.
Let me know what you think in the comments, and stay tuned for the Minimalist Mediterranean Bathroom reveal next week!
Arli says
Another gorgeous bathroom! Well done! Loving both tile choices.
Toni says
One of my favorite bathrooms you’ve done! Just sooooo cool! You and Lucas are a force to be reckoned with!!!
Gidget says
So beautiful!
By any chance, do you have info. available on the finish(es) you used on the vanity? Absolutely love the color.
Samantha says
Stunning! Congratulations on yet another fantastic design brought to life!!
Jenna Sue says
Thank you, Samantha!
Michele M. says
BRAVO!!!!! She is yet another stunning job you two have done. It is an amazing bathroom! WOW!
Well done, JS. Love it. I really would love to come over there and take a shower now! ♥ I’d clean up after myself, I promise. LOL.
Jenna Sue says
Well the house should be available to rent this summer so your wish can come true! 😉
Vanessa Kynes says
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing the breakdown. Did your contractors have issues with you doing some of the DIY?
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Vanessa! Not at all, we only use subcontractors.
Martha says
Such a beautiful bathroom! You should be very proud. Ouch at the cost of the tile but it is spectacular! I do wonder about the lighting though. Do the 2 pendants above the vanity provide enough light for makeup, etc? I had that problem when we installed 2 pendants above a vanity and had to add extra lighting to solve that issue.
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Martha! There is a recessed light in addition to the pendant lights, so plenty of light 🙂
LizM says
Love the shiplap with no baseboard! Did you show how you finished that detail? Makes the room look taller and updates the shiplap to a more modern look. Great job.
Jenna Sue says
Lucas just made his cuts very carefully and caulked the edges! I think it was worth the extra effort for the cleaner look.
MH says
Y’all are truly masters at transformations. This is gorgeous.
Jenna Sue says
Thank you, MH!
Gail says
GORGEOUS!!!
The only thing I would have done differently is to use a rectangular sink instead of an oval one. I think the oval probably matches the moroccan vibe better, but I much prefer rectangular.
(If you use an electric toothbrush, it’s hard to rinse under the faucet as the oval curve doesn’t give long enough space for the longer electric toothbrush.)
Mandy Allen says
It’s really beautiful, especially the blue floor. I actually like this bathroom better than the bigger bathroom, and I love that one! Thanks for doing the breakdown of costs – I don’t live in the US but it gives one an overall idea.
Aren’t the zellige tiles slippery on the shower floor though, as they are very shiny?
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Mandy! The tiles are only 4×4 so there are a lot of grout lines to break it up. The tile company advised that it should not be an issue at all, but we can always add a non-slip coating if needed.
Kathleen says
Stunning tile. Love the color of vanity. Did you keep it natural after sanding? And do you just put in a high voltage bulbs for hanging lights or have pot lights also. I just wondered how those lights are for makeup because I love them
Jenna Sue says
Hi Kathleen, the vanity is stained Cabot solid Acorn. We have recessed lighting as well so there’s enough light!
Diane says
Really appreciate you including the retail cost of the tile, so we have an accurate picture of what it costs to renovate a bath.
As usual, you 2 have surpassed all my expectations of the final reveal – it’s stunning & your affordable choices blend beautifully w/ the exquisitely-tiled floor & shower. Thank for your transparency, how-to’s & cost-saving tips!
Jenna Sue says
I appreciate it, Diane!
Teddee Grace says
So very pretty, but I continue to be astonished, even with all of the work you do yourself, at the daunting cost of things these days.
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Teddee! Home renovations definitely aren’t cheap, especially with labor costs over the last few years!
Erin says
Amazing!! Every room in this house hits it out of the park!
Jenna Sue says
So glad you like it, Erin!