Bathroom of the Week: Cramped Bath Becomes a Soothing Sanctuary
Strategic layout changes, soft finishes and smart storage bring calm and function to a once-disjointed main bathroom
With two young kids and busy schedules, this Massachusetts couple craved a calming retreat in their forever home. But their en suite primary bathroom was anything but relaxing. A dark vanity, cramped stall shower, alcove tub and a series of doors and walls — including for a water closet and linen closet — made the space feel closed off and uninviting.
Looking to create a lighter, more open and spa-like atmosphere, the couple enlisted designer Sierra M. Hartley, who uses Houzz Pro software, to rework the layout and finishes. The new design features a more open layout with a spacious walk-in shower, a custom light wood double vanity with linen towers, a freestanding tub with soft curves and a serene palette of warm neutrals accented by gold and black.
Looking to create a lighter, more open and spa-like atmosphere, the couple enlisted designer Sierra M. Hartley, who uses Houzz Pro software, to rework the layout and finishes. The new design features a more open layout with a spacious walk-in shower, a custom light wood double vanity with linen towers, a freestanding tub with soft curves and a serene palette of warm neutrals accented by gold and black.
Before Photo
After: Hartley removed the vanity, linen closet, shower, tub and water closet walls to open up the space. Eliminating the water closet and swapping the alcove tub for a freestanding model allowed her to expand the shower along the back wall and create a larger low-curb design with a custom glass enclosure next to a new toilet niche. “The very first issue they brought up to me was the size of the shower, so it made sense to me to elongate the shower since it was already a good width,” says Hartley, who used Houzz Pro software to plan the layout. “Having a glass enclosure going up half a wall allowed things to stay light. They also saved money by not moving plumbing.”
The shower’s walls are lined with 10-by-30-inch neutral ceramic tiles with greige grout. “We went through a lot of different tiles before we came up with these,” Hartley says. “I had a meeting with the homeowner and went through the store and looked for something that had the feel of serenity and a spa and these just jumped out at us.”
Penny round mosaic tiles in soft neutral tones cover the shower floor and line the back wall of the double niche (back right), offering both texture and traction. The champagne bronze showering system includes a rain shower head and a hand shower on a slide bar for flexibility, while a matching hook on the pony wall provides easy access to a towel.
A calming palette helps complete the spa-like feel. The wall paneling and trim are painted in Sunbleached by Sherwin-Williams, a soft neutral with a greige undertone. The upper walls are White Snow by Sherwin-Williams, and the ceiling is finished in ultraflat Waterborne paint by Benjamin Moore. “We were looking for something that could give the sense of calm and relaxation,” Hartley says.
Relocated and upsized fans, along with new ceiling lights, improve both ventilation and illumination.
Shower fixtures: Delta; tile: Carolina Dots Gilded Vogue mosaic (floor) and Salt Cave Bone, 10 by 10 inches, (walls), Best Tile
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The shower’s walls are lined with 10-by-30-inch neutral ceramic tiles with greige grout. “We went through a lot of different tiles before we came up with these,” Hartley says. “I had a meeting with the homeowner and went through the store and looked for something that had the feel of serenity and a spa and these just jumped out at us.”
Penny round mosaic tiles in soft neutral tones cover the shower floor and line the back wall of the double niche (back right), offering both texture and traction. The champagne bronze showering system includes a rain shower head and a hand shower on a slide bar for flexibility, while a matching hook on the pony wall provides easy access to a towel.
A calming palette helps complete the spa-like feel. The wall paneling and trim are painted in Sunbleached by Sherwin-Williams, a soft neutral with a greige undertone. The upper walls are White Snow by Sherwin-Williams, and the ceiling is finished in ultraflat Waterborne paint by Benjamin Moore. “We were looking for something that could give the sense of calm and relaxation,” Hartley says.
Relocated and upsized fans, along with new ceiling lights, improve both ventilation and illumination.
Shower fixtures: Delta; tile: Carolina Dots Gilded Vogue mosaic (floor) and Salt Cave Bone, 10 by 10 inches, (walls), Best Tile
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
With the old linen closet removed, Hartley designed a spacious light wood Shaker-style double vanity with a custom stain and tall linen towers. The towers offer the couple easy access to hair and body products and other essentials. “We had the electrician add more outlets inside the towers so they can plug in their hair dryers and toothbrushes,” Hartley says.
Knurled black bar pulls in varying sizes create striking contrast against the vanity’s lighter wood. “At some point we felt we had to pull back on the gold,” Hartley says. “We had so much gold elsewhere. The black against the wood gives that great contrast.”
A new pocket door to the right connects to the primary bedroom. “It was a swing-in door before,” Hartley says. “This new pocket door maximizes the space they have inside the bathroom.”
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Knurled black bar pulls in varying sizes create striking contrast against the vanity’s lighter wood. “At some point we felt we had to pull back on the gold,” Hartley says. “We had so much gold elsewhere. The black against the wood gives that great contrast.”
A new pocket door to the right connects to the primary bedroom. “It was a swing-in door before,” Hartley says. “This new pocket door maximizes the space they have inside the bathroom.”
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Undermount porcelain sinks are paired with modern widespread faucets in a champagne bronze finish. A durable marble-look quartz countertop with subtle dove gray veining adds a refined touch. Brushed brass towel rings are mounted on the linen towers. Frameless mirrors with minimalist lines and brass accents hang above, flanked by a pair of three-light, 24-inch brass fixtures with LED bulbs and vintage-style globes. “For the lighting, we wanted to incorporate something that was a little different,” Hartley says. “These just spoke to me immediately.”
Mirrors and towel rings: Latitude II, Gatco Fine Bathware; faucets: Tetra in champagne bronze, Delta
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Mirrors and towel rings: Latitude II, Gatco Fine Bathware; faucets: Tetra in champagne bronze, Delta
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The floor consists of 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles in soft gray and ivory tones with a matte finish and greige grout. “We wanted something that would be light and bright and play off the vanity nicely and showcase the freestanding tub,” Hartley says.
Floor tile: Roma Cross in ivory, 12 by 24 inches, Best Tile
The 10 Most Popular New Bathrooms Right Now
Floor tile: Roma Cross in ivory, 12 by 24 inches, Best Tile
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The existing white toilet now sits in a new niche beside the shower. A toilet paper holder is mounted on the adjacent pony wall.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The new 67-inch white acrylic soaking tub has an elegant silhouette. “I really wanted to find them something that had a graceful dip in the middle,” Hartley says. “There are so many straight lines in this bathroom, I really had to incorporate at least one curve. The tub they had before took up too much room.”
A floor-mounted tub filler with built-in diverter and hand shower in champagne bronze coordinates with the other plumbing fixtures. Wall paneling wraps the tub area and continues into the toilet niche. “We did the paneling because I felt like we needed to create some sort of stage for that bathtub,” Hartley says. “I was worried it would feel flat.”
Textured bamboo Roman shades on the operable window above the tub filter natural light and offer privacy.
Tub: Kepler, 67 inches, Signature Hardware; tub filler: Tetra in champagne bronze, Delta
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A floor-mounted tub filler with built-in diverter and hand shower in champagne bronze coordinates with the other plumbing fixtures. Wall paneling wraps the tub area and continues into the toilet niche. “We did the paneling because I felt like we needed to create some sort of stage for that bathtub,” Hartley says. “I was worried it would feel flat.”
Textured bamboo Roman shades on the operable window above the tub filter natural light and offer privacy.
Tub: Kepler, 67 inches, Signature Hardware; tub filler: Tetra in champagne bronze, Delta
10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By
A brass semiflush three-light ceiling fixture with clear glass globe shades adds a soft glow over the tub area. Locally sourced floating shelves with a rustic wood finish provide a spot for photos and greenery. “They love the functionality of the space,” Hartley says. “I’m glad I was able to fix the issues the room was giving them and also create a different feeling for this space in their home.”
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two kids under the age of 5
Location: Walpole, Massachusetts
Size: 120 square feet (11 square meters)
Designer: Sierra M. Hartley of Laurel Wreath Homes
Before: The traditional-style bathroom had a dark ceramic tile floor, light gray walls and a basic brown double vanity with oval sinks and a granite countertop. A large plain mirror and dated lighting hung above the vanity. “The vanity was too dark and they didn’t like the tone of the granite,” Hartley says.
An alcove tub sat across from the vanity, with a water closet tucked beside it at the back left. “We talked at length about if we should move the toilet because it sat in a prime position,” Hartley says. “From a cost perspective, it made sense to keep the toilet where it was.”
A small stall shower occupied the other side of a partition wall near the vanity (back right). “It was just too small for them,” Hartley says. “That was one of the key components they wanted to upgrade.” The white door partially visible at the front right led to a linen closet.