“After” photos by Jared Martin

Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple — a CPA and an art teacher — with three teenage daughters
Location: Maple Grove, Minnesota
Size: 170 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: M. Victoria Johnson Interiors

Before: The former bathroom, with powder blue walls and a basic beige tile floor, had an aging wood double vanity that offered little storage. “Storage was an issue for sure,” Johnson says. “Everything was just in need of an update and upgrade.”

A solid-surface countertop and row of Hollywood-style vanity lights dated the space. Nearby, a corner tub with deck ate up valuable square footage. The door at right leads to the primary bedroom; the other door reflected in the mirror opens to the couple’s closet.

After: Johnson removed the old double vanity, tub, tub deck, flooring and shower to make way for a fresh, open layout. The new furniture-style quartersawn white oak double vanity features inset cabinets and a custom dark stain that highlights the wood’s rich grain. Easy-access drawers have black button knobs. “There’s always the issue of getting around the plumbing, but I believe drawers are the best kind of storage under a sink in a bathroom,” Johnson says. “We went with slab fronts but added trim around the drawers to add more detail and depth.”

A tower cabinet with adjustable shelves provides storage for linens and essentials. Its metal-framed door with reeded glass lightens the vanity wall while hiding clutter. The large bottom drawer includes a built-in outlet and custom partition for hair tools.

The counter and backsplash are Fusion quartzite, a durable natural stone with dramatic patterning and swirling colors. “It’s stunning and definitely the wow factor of this bathroom,” Johnson says. Mitered edges give the countertop a substantial feel. Walls, ceiling and trim are painted a light greige (Gossamer Veil by Sherwin-Williams) with a limewash finish. “Limewash is good for spaces with moisture, and I also wanted to have texture but not do tile everywhere,” Johnson says. “I figured if we went with a finish that was good for a space with moisture we could solve that. It also adds texture to the space.”

The floor was upgraded to 12-by-24-inch large-format light gray matte porcelain tiles laid in a herringbone patter with matching grout for a clean, contemporary look.

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Above the vanity, two 18-by-27-inch mirrored medicine cabinets with black aluminum frames add sleek storage. “I love medicine cabinets so much,” Johnson says. “They offer a lot of storage. They’re not deep and sit at eye level, so things are easier to reach.”

A bold, extra-large black LED zigzag sconce mounted vertically between the mirrors adds modern flair. “I don’t like sconces above mirrors,” Johnson says. “I think when you have them next to the mirror you get better lighting. In this space I didn’t have the room to add them on each side, so I put one in the middle. This one in particular is more like a decorative piece or statement.” New recessed LED ceiling lights on dimmers provide overall illumination. (They were digitally removed by the photographer to showcase other design details.)

Sconce: Zig Zag, Visual Comfort; medicine cabinets: Infinity in black, CB2

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Before: The large corner tub with deck felt cramped and out of place. “I think they were just looking for something that looked modern and fresh, not so heavy,” Johnson says. The tub sat beneath a pair of corner windows with fixed frosted glass panels, which the homeowners wanted to keep.

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After: Johnson removed the bulky tub and deck and installed a white oval freestanding acrylic soaking tub with an integrated drain. “The clean lines were more than anything why we wanted that tub,” Johnson says.

A floor-mounted tub filler with hand shower head and diverter in vibrant brushed nickel matches the vanity faucets. Durable fabric drapes soften the existing windows and add warmth. Johnson mounted the drapery rod a few inches higher to visually lift the walls. She also removed the window trim and added a sheetrock detail for a cleaner, more modern look.

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Before: The standard stall shower with a short glass enclosure, beige tile and two cluttered corner shelves felt tight. A lone recessed can light offered minimal illumination. “The shower had two shower heads,” Johnson says. “It wasn’t like a rain shower and a regular shower head. It was two shower heads on separate walls in a small space and it didn’t make sense.”

The door next to the shower leads to the water closet, which the homeowners wanted to keep. “We changed the toilet, continued the tile into that space and painted the water closet,” Johnson says.

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After: The upgraded shower now feels spacious and polished with a custom tempered glass panel and matte porcelain tiles from the same collection as the main floor tile. In the shower, the midtone gray tiles cover the ceiling, walls and floor in a mosaic size that adds depth and interest. “These tiles look more blue in person,” Johnson says. “The mosaic size adds texture and we used a grout that’s kind of blue too. It turned out very nice.”

The new setup includes a fixed shower head, an 8-inch contemporary rain can, a hand shower and a pressure-balanced valve with diverter, all in vibrant brushed nickel. A long niche keeps products organized and off the floor, while an integrated LED lighting strip adds a modern glow. “I love the overall look and feel,” Johnson says. “It’s definitely not a basic bathroom anymore. The improved storage we gave them is great too.”

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