Stacy Kon is a full-time student of Eastern medicine who is looking to start her own private practice specializing in acupuncture. The former advertising executive, wife and mother of two explains, "Everything I practice nowadays is peace- and tranquility-based, the total opposite of life in the advertising business. Whether it's acupuncture, tuina, qi gong or herbal remedies, helping people feel relaxed and teaching them to live a healthy lifestyle is my focus."

When it came time to remodel her dated, dysfunctional Los Angeles master bathroom, there was only one color she had in mind to ensure the updated space felt both calm and tranquil: blue.

In its existing state, the 5' x 8' bathroom was dark, dingy and cramped. "The bathroom seemed like an afterthought," says Stacy. "Plus, I needed a space to relax in the bath as well as a full shower." As it was, the bathroom didn't have enough space to do both.

After carefully planning the remodel, Stacy decided to steal an extra two feet of width from the adjacent closet, providing enough space to accommodate a soaking tub, a double vanity, new commode and a clever solution for a shower.

Although the ideas for the remodel inspired Stacy, the costs for plumbing put a damper on the excitement. "The plumbing came to more than $3,000," she says. "But this was supposed to be a blue, cool retreat and there's no way to have blue or cool without water."

Choosing the proper color proved more difficult than Stacy had anticipated. From the start, she was certain the new bathroom would have an overall cool vibe, from concrete floors and counters to a modern glass shower door and polished chrome fixtures.

When it came time to choose the proper blue, not only for the walls and ceiling, but also for the room's accessories, Stacy found herself stuck between three different colors:

• Peacock blue
• Steel blue
• Robin’s-egg blue

"Blue reminded me of an amazing trip my husband and I took for our tenth wedding anniversary to Santa Barbara," she says. "Our hotel had so many shades of blue, and I just loved them all."

The Scope of the Blue Bathroom Remodel

Stacy set a budget of $18,000, and a timeline of six weeks to complete her to-do list.

• Tear out the closet and open it up as part of the new space
• Remove the existing tile, tear out the existing drywall
• Remove the tub, tear out and replace all fixtures
• Update all electrical
• Cap off existing and add new plumbing
• Pour polished concrete flooring
• Have a custom double vanity and open shelving made and installed
• Install a new commode
• Install white subway tile
• Add recessed can lights
• Install custom, modern sliding-glass doors on industrial tracks to create a spa-like entrance
• Paint the walls and ceiling robin's-egg blue.