Cavanaugh Lake Road: A Green Tile Shower in Chelsea, Michigan

The clients on Cavanaugh Lake Road liked their bathroom vanity but were tired of the old shower and floor. They wanted a shower that felt fresh and had some personality. We tore out the old tile and built a new shower in deep emerald green tile with brushed brass fixtures and trim, put down new floor tile, and set their existing vanity, top, and toilet back in place with a new brass faucet.

Below is what we built, and how we updated the room while keeping the pieces the clients wanted to keep.

Project at a Glance

• Location: Chelsea, Michigan
• Scope: Shower and bathroom floor remodel, keeping the existing vanity, top, and toilet
• Construction: August to September 2026
• Design: Scope of work by our design team, with tile selected through Mill Creek Kitchen & Bath in Dexter and fixtures through Ferguson

What the Clients Wanted

The clients wanted a shower they would enjoy every morning, with color and a finish that felt current. They picked a glossy green tile with a handmade look and paired it with warm brushed brass. Their vanity and granite top were still in good shape, so they wanted to keep them and spend the budget on the shower.

What We Built

Shower

• Wall tile: 2x8 glazed tile in an emerald green color called Willow Emerald, run floor to ceiling on all three shower walls
• Shower floor: A marble-look mosaic tile in white and gold, with the same mosaic in the back of the niche
• Niche: A long recessed niche on the back wall for shampoo and soap
• Fixtures: A new shower valve with a brushed brass rain shower head and a brass handheld shower on a slide bar
• Trim: Brushed brass metal edge trim on the tile corners and edges to match the fixtures
• Curb and drain: Solid stone curb pieces and a tile-in drain
• Curtain rod: A brushed brass shower curtain rod

Floor and Finishes

• Floor: New tile floor through the bathroom, set over new subfloor where it was needed
• Vanity: The existing vanity and granite top, removed and stored during the work and reinstalled with a new brushed brass faucet
• Toilet: The existing toilet, reset on the new floor
• Accessories: Brushed brass towel bar and toilet paper holder, and new base molding

Keeping What Works

Can you update a bathroom without replacing the vanity?

Yes. If your vanity and top are in good shape, you can keep them and put your budget into the shower and floor. That is what we did on this house.

• Save it first: We removed the vanity, top, and toilet before any demolition and stored them so they stayed protected.
• Floor goes under: With the vanity out, the new floor tile runs wall to wall instead of stopping at the cabinet.
• Tie it together: A new faucet and accessories in the same brushed brass as the shower make the old vanity look like part of the new room.

Not every vanity is worth saving, and sometimes the plumbing or layout makes it hard. We look at what you have and tell you what makes sense to keep.

About Dexter Builders

Dexter Builders has been remodeling homes in the Ann Arbor area since 2000. We are a full-service residential remodeling company based in Chelsea, Michigan, and an active member of BRAG, the Builders and Remodelers of Greater Ann Arbor. We design projects in house, and work across Washtenaw County and the surrounding communities.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Call 734-426-3852 or fill out the form at dexterbuilders.com/contact-us. We usually respond within one business day.

If your shower is ready for an update but the rest of the bathroom is not, send the form. We are glad to come out and take a look.