A 43-square-foot bathroom at The Lex, rebuilt as a jewel box.
A full-gut designer bathroom in a Printers Row high-rise — two-tone handmade-look Zellige tile in Bordeaux and Sky Blue, a deep-soaking Delta tub behind a brushed-gold sliding glass door, a wall-hung light-oak vanity with a fluted vessel sink, a hand-painted-style mural accent wall, and a Merola hex mosaic floor with maroon dots. Designed in collaboration with the homeowner — an architectural designer — and delivered in 3–4 weeks. On the open market, this build prices at roughly $30,000.
Project Details
- Project Type
- Bathroom Full Gut & Remodel
- Address
- 124 W Polk St, Unit 707, Chicago
- Building
- The Lex · Printers Row High-Rise
- Neighborhood
- Printers Row · South Loop, 60605
- Footprint
- ~8'11" × 4'10" — a 43 Sq Ft Bath
- Duration
- 3–4 Weeks Start to Finish
- Market Value
- ≈ $30,000 for This Scope & Finish
- Design
- Assembly Squad × Homeowner (Architectural Designer)
Scope Delivered
- Tile
- Bordeaux Zellige Wainscot + Sky Blue Zellige Wet Zone
- Floor
- Merola Oxford Hex Mosaic · Matte White + Maroon Dot
- Tub
- Delta Classic 500 · 60"×32" Deep-Soaking Alcove
- Shower Door
- Brushed-Gold Sliding Bypass · Installed After Tile
- Waterproofing
- HardieBacker + RedGard Liquid Membrane
- Vanity
- IKEA ÄNGSJÖN Wall-Hung Oak + Marble-Effect Top + Vessel Sink
- Finish Layer
- Champagne Bronze Trim · Gold Mirror · Fluted Sconces
- Warranty
- 2-Year Workmanship
The Project
124 W Polk sits at The Lex in Printers Row — the landmark South Loop pocket where Chicago's old printing houses became lofts and high-rises, a block from Dearborn Station. The unit's bathroom was original and tired: an alcove tub behind a tension-rod curtain, white 4x4 ceramic on the walls and floor, a stained-wood vanity with a brown granite top, and frosted-glass builder sconces. At roughly 8'11" by 4'10" — about 43 square feet — it's the kind of small city bathroom most contractors treat as a swap-the-fixtures job.
This one went the other way. The homeowner is an architectural designer, and the project became a true design collaboration between her vision and Assembly Squad's design-build team — every finish chosen to prove that a compact footprint can carry serious design. The room was gutted to the studs: tub, tile, vanity, toilet, floor, and door all out.
The rebuild is a study in layered color and texture. A Bordeaux Zellige wainscot — 2½ x 8 handmade-look ceramic, stacked vertically to 3'6" — wraps the full perimeter, with Sky Blue Zellige 4x4 above it in the wet zone and inside a new 48-inch recessed niche. Underfoot, a Merola Oxford matte-white hex mosaic with maroon dots runs through the bathroom and into the refreshed linen closet. The new Delta Classic 500 deep-soaking tub sits behind a brushed-gold sliding bypass glass door — hung last, after tile and grout cure — with Delta champagne-bronze trim and a Kingston Brass satin-brass drain. On the vanity wall, an IKEA ÄNGSJÖN wall-hung oak vanity carries a marble-effect top and a fluted white porcelain vessel sink under a gold-framed mirror, flanked by satin-bronze fluted-glass sconces — all set against a hand-painted-style blue mural accent wall (RebelWalls "Drape Brush"). Behind every tile: HardieBacker cement board and RedGard liquid-applied waterproofing, sealed to TCNA standards.
The result: a 43-square-foot room that reads like a boutique-hotel bath, delivered in 3–4 weeks — a build that would price at roughly $30,000 on the open market. This is the same design-build approach behind our Chicago bathroom remodeling and Chicago condo remodeling services — and a sister project to our West Loop bathroom gut at 420 S Clinton.
Small bathroom, serious design.
43 Square Feet, Zero Compromise
At 8'11" x 4'10", this is a genuinely small city bathroom — and the design treats that as an asset. A wall-hung vanity floats the floor, the hex mosaic runs uninterrupted into the linen closet, and the vertical stacked wainscot pulls the eye up. Proof that footprint doesn't cap design.
Two-Tone Zellige
Nearly 400 pieces of handmade-look Zellige in two colors: Bordeaux 2½x8 stacked vertically as a full-perimeter wainscot to 3'6", and Sky Blue 4x4 above it in the shower wet zone and niche. The color-blocked band is what makes the room read designed rather than decorated.
The Brass & Gold Layer
One warm metal story, carried through every fixture: Delta champagne-bronze tub trim, a Kingston Brass satin-brass drain, a brushed-gold sliding bypass shower door, a gold-framed mirror, satin-bronze fluted-glass sconces, and the homeowner's own Delta brushed-gold faucet reinstalled on the new vessel sink.
Designed With a Designer
The homeowner is an architectural designer, and the project ran as a genuine collaboration — her creative direction, Assembly Squad's design-build execution, waterproofing, and building coordination at The Lex. When a client with professional design standards picks their contractor, that's a trust signal.
What the bathroom looked like before we started.
The condition we inherited at 124 W Polk, Unit 707 — the original builder bathroom, documented before demolition began.
What the bathroom looks like now.
The completed Printers Row bath at The Lex — two-tone Zellige, a brushed-gold shower door, a floating oak vanity with a vessel sink, and a hand-painted-style mural wall. Delivered in 3–4 weeks.
Planning a bathroom remodel in the South Loop or Printers Row? Schedule a consultation → or call (312) 544-9150
What this bathroom costs at market price.
Most South Loop owners researching a bathroom renovation get quotes priced on partial scope. Here is the honest number for this one: a full gut of a 43-square-foot bath — demolition, HardieBacker and RedGard waterproofing, nearly 400 pieces of two-tone Zellige, a new soaking tub, gold-finish fixtures throughout, a floating vanity, new doors, and full paint and wallpaper — at this scope and finish level in a Printers Row high-rise prices at approximately:
For context, Chicago bathroom remodels run $15,000–$50,000 depending on scope and selections, with small full-gut designer bathrooms in the South Loop typically landing between $25,000 and $35,000. This project was completed under a design collaboration with the homeowner, an architectural designer — the scope, materials, and build are exactly what a $30,000 market-rate contract delivers.
Everything delivered in 3–4 weeks.
Consolidated from the signed contract — a full gut and rebuild within existing rough-in locations, with building coordination at The Lex. Two-year workmanship warranty on all labor and installation.
Demolition & Waterproofing
- Full gut — tub, surround tile, vanity, toilet, floor tile, door removed
- Floor and surface protection through unit and common areas
- New 48" x 14" recessed shower niche framed at 3'-0" AFF
- HardieBacker cement board on all wet-zone walls and tub deck
- RedGard liquid-applied membrane on shower walls, flange, and niche
- Backer-rod and silicone at all change-of-plane joints per TCNA
Tile Work
- Bordeaux Zellige 2½" x 8" stacked-vertical wainscot to 3'-6", full perimeter
- Sky Blue Zellige 4x4 on upper shower walls and inside the niche
- Merola Oxford hex mosaic floor — bathroom and linen closet
- Metal trim at all tile terminations and outside corners
Plumbing & Fixtures
- Delta Classic 500 60"x32" deep-soaking alcove tub on existing drain
- Delta Monitor 14 valve with champagne-bronze trim, pressure-tested
- Kingston Brass satin-brass trip-lever drain conversion
- New rear-outlet dual-flush toilet on existing rough-in
- Fluted white porcelain vessel sink · client's brushed-gold faucet reinstalled
- Brushed-gold sliding bypass shower door — installed after tile cure
Vanity, Electrical & Finishes
- IKEA ÄNGSJÖN 30" wall-hung oak vanity with marble-effect top
- Two satin-bronze fluted-glass sconces · gold-framed mirror
- GFCI verification, new Decora switches and plates
- Hand-painted-style mural wallpaper on accent walls
- Full paint — ceiling, upper walls, doors, and trim
- New slab entry door and bifold linen-closet door · closet refreshed
Why South Loop homeowners choose Assembly Squad
Questions about South Loop bathroom remodeling
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in the South Loop?
Chicago bathroom remodels run $15,000–$50,000 depending on scope and selections. A small full-gut designer bathroom in a South Loop or Printers Row high-rise — demolition to the studs, full waterproofing, designer tile, new tub, and gold-finish fixtures — typically lands between $25,000 and $35,000; the build at The Lex represents roughly $30,000 at market pricing. For full breakdowns, see our Chicago bathroom remodel guide.
How long does a small bathroom gut renovation take?
A full gut of a small bathroom typically takes 3–4 weeks of construction once materials are in hand: demolition and waterproofing in week one, tile through week two, fixtures, vanity, doors, and paint in week three — with the glass shower door measured and installed last, after tile and grout cure. Material lead times (specialty tile, vanities, shower doors) run before the start date, which is why Assembly Squad procures everything up front and confirms a firm start once it's all in hand.
What is Zellige tile, and does it work in a shower?
Zellige is a handmade-style ceramic tile known for its irregular, light-catching glazed surface — every piece varies slightly, which is exactly the charm. It absolutely works in showers when the substrate is done right: at The Lex we installed it over HardieBacker cement board and RedGard liquid-applied waterproofing, with sealed change-of-plane joints per TCNA standards. This bath used nearly 400 pieces across two colors — a Bordeaux stacked-vertical wainscot with Sky Blue in the wet zone.
Can a small bathroom under 50 square feet feel high-end?
Yes — small bathrooms reward design more than any other room. At 43 square feet, The Lex bath uses a wall-hung floating vanity to open the floor, a continuous hex mosaic running into the linen closet to stretch the footprint, vertical stacked tile to pull the ceiling up, and one disciplined metal story (brass and gold) so the finishes read intentional. The strategy is fewer, better moves — not fitting more in.
Do you work in Printers Row buildings like The Lex?
Yes. Assembly Squad has worked in 300+ Chicago condo buildings, and Printers Row and South Loop high-rises each have their own alteration paperwork, insurance requirements, loading-dock rules, and elevator schedules. At The Lex, deliveries were coordinated through the building's receiving process and debris removed via the loading dock per HOA rules — all managed as part of the design-build package.
Do I need City of Chicago permits for a condo bathroom remodel?
It depends on scope. Renovations that stay within existing rough-in locations — like this project, where the tub, toilet, and vanity all reconnected to existing lines with no rerouting or new venting — generally do not require City of Chicago permits, though building-management approval is still required. When a remodel relocates plumbing, adds circuits, or alters walls, permits are required, and Assembly Squad prepares and coordinates them as part of the contract.
Planning a bathroom remodel in the South Loop?
Private consultation at your unit, our Lincoln Park design studio, or via virtual session. Licensed Illinois GC, EPA Lead-Safe certified, fully insured. Building coordination, waterproofing done right, and fixed-price proposals all standard.
Book a Consultation 312-544-9150