On their first day in the house , Nate knocked down the wall of the tiny closet in their master bedroom , opening up space to the former maids ’ quarters on the other side . Their goal : Building the master bathroom of their dreams .
Much like the kitchen , they sketched out a vision . Gone were the blue carpet , blue shelves and walls trimmed in even more blue . They ripped out the attic floorboards above , exposing gorgeous post-and-beam detailing that made the room soar . Look closely , and you can spy 200-year-old bark remnants on the roughly hewn boards . “ We saw those beams and thought , ‘ If we ’ re doing it , we ’ re doing it big ,’” Libby says .
After watching many YouTube videos , Nate crafted a four-by-five marble shower from the ground up , as well as a thirteen-foot-long double vanity with quartz countertops . They painted it in Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black to match the bedroom walls .
The entire process took two years . They called in pros for electrical and plumbing , and to install the shower tile and vanity countertops , but did everything else themselves . “ We wanted it to be beautiful , but also not go broke ,” Libby says with a laugh . They succeeded , crafting a lofty , bright space that — much like the rest of the home — is a soothing oasis with history and modern touches woven throughout .
The house , like many other historic properties , is a work in progress . You can follow the family ’ s home improvement journey on Instagram at @ wilder _ eden _ design _ company and , of course , the hashtag # 1808andgreat . �
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2022 107