This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Adding to or remodeling your house is one of the most exciting and creative processes you can go through. But with all that responsibility comes pressure to make informed decisions that will last. How can you make sure to get the right design for your lifestyle, stay within your budget and maximize the return on your investment? Start with a great design for every room in your house — including (or especially) the bathroom.
Bathrooms, whether big or small, should always be well thought out and carefully located, and should function with multiple users in mind. We’re long past the era where there was one bathroom for every three bedrooms in the house, and everyone had all the time needed to use it. Today’s bathrooms need to be beautiful, use space efficiently and serve the users functionally. Avoiding common design blunders, as these rooms nicely do, can help you be happier with your bathroom for the long haul.
1. No View Out
No one likes a dark, damp bathroom with bad circulation — it’s no fun spending time in a space like that. If you’re building or relocating a bathroom, try to site it on an outside wall with windows.
Find a bathroom designer near you
If windows are not an option, installing an operable skylight can allow for the fresh air and natural light needed to make the space feel comfortable.
2. Clear View in From Public Rooms
I once worked on a large remodel for which the existing design had a bathroom in the dining room — seems kind of like a conflict of interests, right? Whenever possible, avoid locating the bathroom directly off one of the home’s public rooms — like the kitchen, living room or dining room.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put in a long hallway, but create some sort of formal separation to break up the line of sight. The last thing you want is to be sitting in the living room with a glass of wine and looking straight into the bathroom at the toilet.
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
3. Making It All About the Toilet
That leads me to my next blunder: Avoid making the toilet the first thing you see in the bathroom, and avoid any sightlines to it from adjacent rooms. I like to put the toilet and shower in their own room while keeping the sink separate. This allows someone to take a shower while someone else gets ready at the sink.
Not sure where to start on your home project? Learn the basics
In the bathroom floor plan here, the wall between the two rooms adds only a couple of inches to the overall size of the bathroom but doubles the room’s functionality.
This design can be fairly easy to achieve in a new bathroom and often in a remodel as well. Just make sure you talk to your architect or contractor about it in the planning stages prior to construction.
Shop for bathroom accessories
5. Thinking Bigger Is Better
That’s right: Bigger isn’t better; better is better. Whether you’re designing a large master bathroom in your dream home or trying to figure out how to squeeze in an extra bathroom for your growing family, the most important aspect of your new bathroom is that it has a great design that functions efficiently for your specific lifestyle.
The truth is, great design is less about how a bathroom looks (although it’s always nice when it looks fantastic) and more about how it works. Great design translates to a house that functions better, costs less to build, is more efficient to maintain and gets you more for less.
Tell us: Have you had any bathroom remodeling blunders or successes? Share your experiences in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about bathroom design
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for bathroom products
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Photos by Costa Christ of Strictly Natural Light
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family
Location: Dallas
Size: 201 square feet (19 square meters)
Designer: Jessica Koltun Home
In this new-construction home, the primary bathroom sits between the primary bedroom, seen in the distance, and the primary closet. It measures a little over 17 feet long by 11¾ feet wide. Koltun used double doors at both bathroom entrances. These doors are narrower than standard doors and add Parisian apartment flair.
Koltun composed the room with a drop-in tub underneath a large arched window, serving as a focal point, then bookended it with two vanities. On the opposite side of the room is a generous shower stall, flanked by a makeup table niche and a toilet room.
While the bathroom has classic materials and traditional architectural elements like the double doors and arches, Koltun balanced them with modern touches like the blocky tub surround and minimalist material palette. The result is a transitional style that will stand the test of time.
Wall paint: Pure White, Sherwin-Williams; vanity stain: Birchbark, Sherwin-Williams
Find a designer on Houzz
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
When this Wisconsin couple settled into their 1960s Colonial-style home tucked into a quiet wooded neighborhood, they knew the existing 70-square-foot second-floor primary bathroom wasn’t going to meet their long-term needs. To achieve the spa-like en suite they envisioned, they turned to Cor Improvements and design director Jim Pitzen, who reimagined the layout by converting a bedroom into a spacious 170-square-foot bath.
The transformation includes two vanities, a freestanding claw-foot tub, a walk-in shower and a water closet — all in a welcoming blue-and-white palette with classic details that honor the home’s roots. The update also added a walk-in closet and an adjacent laundry room, creating a highly functional layout tailored for comfort and ease.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
A new 33-inch-wide pocket door is on the right. Often pocket door hardware is not easy for someone with limited dexterity to grab and close, so Lewis was mindful of finding some that was. Although a 36-inch door opening is needed for wheelchair access, 33 inches was the widest possibility here, and it allows comfortable passage with a walker.
Lewis chose some stylish but affordable items, including the floor tile and a ready-made vanity, to keep costs down. “A lot of the budget was spent behind the walls because we needed new plumbing and new electrical,” she says.
“This vanity is great because it has the texture of wicker on the doors,” Lewis says. The champagne bronze Brizo faucets have levers that are easy to operate. “When designing for aging in place, you have to be mindful of dexterity with faucet handles and drawer pulls,” Lewis says.
Instead of a medicine cabinet, the homeowner chose a simple wall mirror. “While this house is about 100 years old and Craftsman, I like to mix styles to make it look like it changed over time,” Lewis says. “The mirror and the light fixture add midcentury modern style, and the vanity adds some natural character and textures that are in keeping with Craftsman style.”
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
The small black-and-white en suite bathroom in this 1934 Colonial just outside Boston had vintage charm, but it fell short of the sophisticated retreat the new homeowners envisioned. The single pedestal sink offered no storage or counter space, and the aging shower-tub combo didn’t meet the couple’s needs. The nearby walk-in closet in the bedroom also lacked functional storage.
Looking to create a more spacious and practical layout, the couple hired design-build pros Jason and Megan Hoffman. Jason suggested pushing a wall shared by the bathroom and closet into the bedroom to gain valuable square footage. The reimagined bath now features a warm wood double vanity, a roomy low-curb shower with a built-in bench and a linen cabinet for added storage. A thoughtful mix of white, black and wood finishes with clean-lined midcentury touches brings modern style to this refreshed and highly functional space.
Before Photo
“After” photos by Lara Kimmerer
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple
Location: Newton, Massachusetts
Size: 43 square feet (4 square meters)
Designers-builders: Jason and Megan Hoffman of J.P. Hoffman Design Build
Before: The 40-square-foot bathroom had charm thanks to its pedestal sink and classic black-and-white tile, but it lacked the storage and counter space the young couple needed in their primary suite. The aging shower-tub combo added to the challenges. “They have a tub in another bathroom, so that satisfied the home’s need for a tub,” Jason says. “Having no tub here opened up the opportunity to maximize the layout.”
Two existing windows — one beside the toilet and another at the end of the shower-tub — were in good shape, so the homeowners opted to keep them.
Find a bathroom designer
After: Jason’s idea to shift the wall into the bedroom added just 3 square feet, but the modest gain made a meaningful difference. Relocating the new double vanity to the former shower-tub wall on the right and placing a spacious low-curb shower on the former sink wall gave the couple the larger vanity and shower they were hoping for.
A pony wall on the left adds a touch of privacy for the new two-piece white toilet. A decorative walnut shelf above the toilet offers a warm accent. “We moved the new toilet 6 inches so everything on that wall now fits,” Jason says.
Creamy white paint (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) covers the walls, ceiling and trim, creating a clean, warm backdrop. Matte black details throughout add striking contrast.
10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By
The natural walnut double vanity has full-overlay doors and drawers with modern matte black pulls in horizontal and vertical orientations. A coordinating matte black towel ring on the right ties in with the vanity hardware and other black accents. “The walnut vanity and linen cabinet really gave them the dark wood tone they were looking for and all the storage they wanted,” Jason says.
Bronze and brass two-light fixtures with clear glass globes add a touch of midcentury style that complements the vanity. The bathroom also has recessed LED ceiling lights and a new exhaust fan, both of which were digitally removed from these photos to better highlight the room’s key design features.
Double vanity: Serenity door style in natural walnut, Candlelight Cabinetry; towel ring: Purist in matte black, Kohler; vanity pulls: Morris, Top Knobs; vanity lights: Young House Love Clear Glass Bubble, Shades of Light
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
The double vanity is topped with a durable white engineered quartz that mimics marble with soft gold and gray veining. Two rectangular undermount white porcelain sinks are paired with matte black widespread faucets, each with modern low-profile lever handles.
Creamy white glossy ceramic tiles, measuring 2 by 6½ inches, cover the wall above the vanity in a vertical stack pattern; the grout is frosty white. The tile’s subtle surface movement adds depth and texture. “We used that tile on the shower walls too,” Jason says. “By bringing the tile all the way across that wall, you’re creating less transitions and making the room seem bigger.”
Faucets: Jason Wu collection, matte black, Brizo; wall tiles: Wellfleet in Coconut, 2 by 6½ inches, Best Tile
Two recessed mirrored medicine cabinets with brass frames hang above the vanity, offering sleek storage with adjustable tempered glass shelves inside. “They wanted those recessed cabinets, so we had to get the manufacturer specs for the cabinets, the faucets and the lights and do 3D renderings to make sure everything would fit before they made the purchases,” Jason says.
10 Smart Bathroom Storage Solutions
The spacious low-curb shower features a custom glass enclosure and a coordinated suite of matte black fixtures, including a rain shower head, hand shower on a slide bar and a thermostatic valve, all from the same collection as the vanity faucets for a cohesive look.
On the bathroom floor, 4-by-12-inch matte black porcelain tiles are laid in a herringbone pattern and paired with midnight black grout, adding depth and visual interest.
Floor tile: Topography porcelain in black, 4 by 12 inches, Best Tile
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
The shower includes a built-in tiled bench beneath the hand shower for convenience. The bench is topped with the same quartz used on the vanity.
On the shower floor, hexagonal tumbled Carrara marble mosaic tiles bring natural variation in veining and tone, set with frosty white grout for soft contrast. “The homeowners liked the way everything looked when all the details were put together,” Jason says.
Shower floor tile: Antique Carrara hexagon tumbled, 2 by 2 inches, Best Tile
The shower side of the pony wall next to the toilet includes a built-in niche for bathing products. A custom walnut linen cabinet with adjustable shelves on the left adds valuable storage. The cabinet has the same matte black pulls as the vanity, tying the elements together.
A hardwired black towel warmer with a programmable timer, mounted to the side of the linen cabinet, adds both function and luxury to the space. “We were able to redesign and update this bathroom without changing the location of windows,” Jason says. “The creativity and the ability to see the solution was key here.” For added privacy, the windows were fitted with a translucent film.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Before: A swing door on the left once connected the bedroom and bathroom. An imposing dark armoire stood against the wall space between the door to the bathroom and the primary closet to its right. The door on the far right leads to the second-floor landing and staircase to the main level. The exposed metal ductwork visible at the back left is from a prior HVAC upgrade.
After: Pushing the wall into the bedroom allowed for a modest expansion of the bathroom. “Our clients were willing to sacrifice some bedroom square footage to achieve their goal of a more generous bathroom and closet,” Megan says. “Although the new closet is narrow, our team incorporated custom shelving to maximize storage and create an organized, functional space.”
A new pocket door now connects the bedroom and bathroom. “It was related to the size of the bathroom and the location of switches to optimize space,” Jason says. The previously exposed ductwork is also gone. “We were able to enclose the necessary ductwork behind a wall in the new bathroom and added the valuable linen cabinet,” Megan says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
After raising their daughter, a California couple shifted focus to caring for the wife’s elderly mother in their late-1970s home. To make the space safer and more functional, they prioritized updating their outdated primary bathroom, which had a cramped vanity and a hazardous step-up shower and tub.
They turned to Sea Pointe Design & Remodel, where lead designer Janna Parr reimagined the bathroom as a spacious wet room with a built-in tub and open shower featuring both a multifunction shower head and a hand shower. A new cherry double vanity adds warmth and storage, while a mix of calming, textured tiles brings style and serenity to this now safe, modern retreat.
Before Photo
“After” photos by Leigh Ann Rowe
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and the wife’s elderly mother
Location: Laguna Niguel, California
Size: 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Janna Parr of Sea Pointe Design & Remodel
Before: The aging bathroom, with its peeling floral wallpaper, lacked both safety and style. A basic angled wood double vanity had large plain mirrors and a hard-to-clean tile countertop. The only drawer storage came from a small makeup station in the center, leaving hair and skincare products cluttering the surface. “We had a challenge with the angled wall and did not want to turn it into a structural project,” Parr says. “We couldn’t really move walls. There was also a peeling soffit above with a fluorescent light that we wanted to eliminate.”
Across from the vanity, the step-up tub and shower (visible here in the mirrors) raised safety concerns and felt outdated. The homeowners chose to keep the water closet as is. “We didn’t change anything in there,” Parr says.
Find a bathroom designer
After: Parr removed the tub, shower and double vanity to make way for a complete transformation, including updated plumbing and electrical systems.
An elegant semicustom cherry double vanity anchors the space. It offers a smart mix of shallow and deep soft-close drawers along with spacious cabinets for improved storage. A rich clove brown finish adds depth and warmth. “We wanted to make sure we had enough counter space and sink space,” Parr says. “We went with one long sink to achieve symmetry with the way we were planning to do the mirror and medicine cabinets above.”
The two frameless mirrored medicine cabinets flank a metal-framed mirror in an oil-rubbed bronze finish. Wall sconces with traditional torch-style silhouettes and brass accents sit on either side. “We fell in love with the detail on the top of the mirror,” Parr says. “It also bounces light around the bathroom, so it feels more open and airy.”
A soft, warm white now coats the walls and ceiling, while a bright white on the trim adds subtle contrast.
Paint colors: Shoji White (wall and ceiling) and Pure White (trim), Sherwin-Williams; sconces: Elton in Patina Brass, Troy Lighting; vanity hardware: Top Knobs; mirror: Colestin in oil-rubbed bronze, Rejuvenation
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
The artisan-crafted 36-inch concrete trough sink gives the vanity a modern, organic feel. Its semivessel design adds visual depth, while two wall-mounted, single-handle faucets in a luxe gold finish bring a touch of sophistication. “We were looking at trough sinks in general because we wanted a long sink,” Parr says. “Color-wise it also tied into tiles we used in the shower. The semivessel sink design also offered some dimension and interest.”
Topping the vanity is a polished pure white quartz surface that’s resistant to scratches, stains, cracks and heat. “We had a lot of movement with the backsplash tile that was our feature and wanted something to complement but not compete,” Parr says. “It also ties into other white elements throughout the space.”
The backsplash consists of polished ivory onyx mosaic tiles in a scalloped design with tonal variation that adds texture and charm. “I think they add both luxury and whimsy,” Parr says. “They also add interest to an otherwise neutral palette. We also wanted to tie in some of the gold tones on this side of the bathroom with the gold tones seen around the tub.”
Sink: Native Trails; faucets: Litze in Brilliance Luxe Gold, Brizo; countertop: Pure White, Caesarstone; wall tile: Piano Onyx Ivory mosaic, Elysium
11 Ways to Age-Proof Your Bathroom
A new linen closet at the back left now coordinates seamlessly with the updated double vanity, replacing a pair of aging upper and lower cabinets that were falling apart. “It has a rollout hamper inside and extra shelving that gives them lots of storage,” Parr says.
To enhance the existing tray ceiling, faux architectural beams were added where fluorescent lights once sat, adding both character and warmth. “That was a last-minute decision from the homeowners,” Parr says. “That was a splurge, but we had dreamed of adding them into the design to give it an old-world feel.”
A towel bar and hook near the vanity complement the space’s other luxe gold accents.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
Before Photo
Before: Across from the vanity in the former bathroom, the hazardous step-up tub sat next to a dated stall shower with a low enclosure, which was also raised above the main floor level. “It was clumsy and slippery,” Parr says. “There was also a ‘fern trench’ from the 1970s there behind the tub and shower.” The trench area was meant to hold plants.
Before Photo
Before: Here’s a closer look at the old shower beside the tub. With no shower niche, bathing products cluttered the floor, and the step-up entry was a key feature the homeowners were eager to eliminate.
After: The new wet room seamlessly combines a modern built-in rectangular tub with an open-concept shower, creating a stylish, low-maintenance space with a low-curb entry for easier access. “It would have been cost-prohibitive to revise the foundation in order to garner a curbless entry,” Parr says. “But as a designer, I also liked the way we carried the tile across the curb and bench to elongate the space and create a modern organic look and Roman luxury influence.”
The operable window on the back wall was updated by the homeowners, while a textured microcement finish — an ancient European technique gaining popularity in the U.S. — was applied to the wall in thin layers for durability and waterproofing. “I just didn’t want it to feel busy, and wanted to eliminate more tile and more grout,” Parr says.
Is a Wet Room Right for You?
The modern 36-by-66-inch acrylic tub is surrounded by large-format (24-by-48-inch) polished marble-look porcelain tiles. These rectified tiles, made using advanced inkjet technology, offer a realistic appearance and are precisely cut for minimal grout lines, creating a sleek, seamless look.
A streamlined, wall-mounted tub filler in a gold finish with lever handles replaced the original fixture. “Keeping the plumbing in the same location allowed us to keep within our budget,” Parr says. The paneled door partially visible at left leads to the primary bedroom.
Tile surround: Origines Or glossy, 24 by 48 inches, Elysium; tub filler: Litze in Brilliance Luxe Gold, Brizo
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The wet room’s shower area features a multifunction, wall-mounted shower head and a separate hand shower with a slide bar for flexibility and ease of use. All the fixtures match those used at the tub and vanity for a cohesive, polished look. “We strategically placed the fixtures so the valves are off to the side, so they can’t get wet when turning them on,” Parr says. “We also designed the shower bench a bit shorter so a caregiver can help with bathing.”
The upper portion of the shower wall is clad in 3-by-12-inch ivory ceramic tiles with subtle tonal variation, soft texture and a gentle glaze. “We did a staggered vertical pattern to kind of mirror the backsplash at the vanity,” Parr says.
Below, 24-by-48-inch matte sand-colored porcelain tiles add visual depth and contrast. A quartz-topped shower shelf, matching the vanity countertop, offers a clean, dry space for hair and body products, keeping clutter off the wet-room floor.
Shower fixtures: Litze in Brilliance Luxe Gold, Brizo; shower wall tile (top): Flash in ivory, 3-by-12-inch, Arizona Tile; shower wall tile (bottom): Waystone Sand, 24-by-48-inch, Elysium
The wet-room floor features authentic limestone mosaics with an aged finish, arranged in a herringbone pattern with driftwood-hued grout. A linear drain is seamlessly integrated using the same tile for a clean, cohesive look. “The more natural materials I can incorporate into a space will make it feel timeless and luxurious,” Parr says. “They also can take on a lot of water and abuse.” A custom spot-resistant shower glass divider with brass clips and hinges adds to the open, airy feel.
The doors just outside the wet room lead to the water closet — located behind the shower fixtures — and a walk-in closet on the adjacent wall. “The thoughtful design and layout for functionality was a primary focus,” Parr says, “but the clients put full faith and trust in me to create a layered bathroom with multiple textures, sheens and touches of luxury.”
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
After: Broadstone addressed the boxed-in feeling by removing the closet. That allowed her to put a washlet toilet where the closet once stood, facing the vanity wall — a much more discreet location. (The seat is visible at bottom right.)
She removed the existing shower-tub combo and, at the end of the room, installed a deeper, double-insulated acrylic tub with handheld and fixed shower heads and a single fixed-glass panel. She also replaced the window and moved it higher on the wall in order to enhance privacy and draw the eye up — a trick to make the room look taller and airier.
A heated fan in the ceiling keeps the homeowners and guests warm both inside the partially open shower and when stepping out of it.
Tub: Double-insulated acrylic, 32 by 60 by 19 inches, MTI; walls, trim and ceiling paint: Cheviot, Sherwin-Williams; toilet: Vespin II Washlet+, Toto
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Photos by Charlotte Lea
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family of three
Location: Long Beach, California
Size: 97 square feet (9 square meters)
Designer: Heather Knight-Willcock
Contractor: Bryan Luu of BLuu Construction
A large part of the project involved relocating the primary suite. Knight-Willcock found space for the primary bathroom by taking over a small existing hall bath, part of a hallway and space from two small closets. (See before-and-after floor plans below.) This allowed room for a double vanity, a generous shower stall and additional storage.
“Heather named this project ‘MCMR,’ which stands for Midcentury Modern Revival,” Luu says. Style-wise, this meant the design honors the home’s midcentury modern vintage while giving it modern conveniences and a warm organic feel.
This view from the bedroom shows a new paneled pocket door partially open on the left. “There is a small hallway to the left of this door. Using a pocket door optimized the space,” Luu says.
Find a local general contractor on Houzz
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
When it comes to selecting a faucet for a bathroom sink, there’s more than meets the eye. You may be drawn to a certain look, but it’s important to also think about how the faucet works with your sink, the materials that lie beneath the beautiful finish, which handle type best meets your needs and more.
If your goal is merely to replace a corroded or leaky faucet in an existing bathroom, you’ll be constrained by what’s already there. If you’re remodeling or building a bathroom, you’ll be confronted by a seemingly infinite array of options when choosing a bathroom faucet. Either way, this bathroom faucet buying guide will help you make an informed decision.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
The designer nodded to an existing arched opening between the bedroom and bathroom by creating an arched opening to the shower. The soft curve of the arch is a pleasant contrast to the straight edges in the room. “I knew a single door would look odd with the arch, so we used French doors here,” she says.
The bench is shaped like a slice of a hexagon, which suits the angled placement of the shower stall in the corner of the room. Bagley Catlin had it covered in quartz slabs, creating a monolithic look.