This is an example of a large modern master bathroom in Orange County with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, a freestanding tub, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, cement tile, white walls, cement tiles, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a double vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Small beach style 3/4 bathroom in San Diego with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, grey benchtops, a shower seat, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Summary of Scope: gut renovation/reconfiguration of kitchen, coffee bar, mudroom, powder room, 2 kids baths, guest bath, master bath and dressing room, kids study and playroom, study/office, laundry room, restoration of windows, adding wallpapers and window treatments Background/description: The house was built in 1908, my clients are only the 3rd owners of the house. The prior owner lived there from 1940s until she died at age of 98! The old home had loads of character and charm but was in pretty bad condition and desperately needed updates. The clients purchased the home a few years ago and did some work before they moved in (roof, HVAC, electrical) but decided to live in the house for a 6 months or so before embarking on the next renovation phase. I had worked with the clients previously on the wife's office space and a few projects in a previous home including the nursery design for their first child so they reached out when they were ready to start thinking about the interior renovations. The goal was to respect and enhance the historic architecture of the home but make the spaces more functional for this couple with two small kids. Clients were open to color and some more bold/unexpected design choices. The design style is updated traditional with some eclectic elements. An early design decision was to incorporate a dark colored french range which would be the focal point of the kitchen and to do dark high gloss lacquered cabinets in the adjacent coffee bar, and we ultimately went with dark green.

This Project was so fun, the client was a dream to work with. So open to new ideas. Since this is on a canal the coastal theme was prefect for the client. We gutted both bathrooms. The master bath was a complete waste of space, a huge tub took much of the room. So we removed that and shower which was all strange angles. By combining the tub and shower into a wet room we were able to do 2 large separate vanities and still had room to space. The guest bath received a new coastal look as well which included a better functioning shower.

This elegant bathroom pairs a grey vanity with sleek, black handles against a backdrop of 24x24 Porcelain wall tiles. A freestanding bathtub beside a large window creates a serene atmosphere, while wood paneling adds warmth to the modern space.

When you have a bathroom with plenty of sunlight, it's only fitting to utilize it for the most beauty possible! This bathroom upgrade features a stand-alone soaker tub, a custom ceramic tile shower with dual shower heads, and a double sink vanity.

Inspiration for a country bathroom in Buckinghamshire with flat-panel cabinets, red cabinets, a claw-foot tub, green walls, dark hardwood floors, an undermount sink, brown floor, red benchtops, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and planked wall panelling.

Master en-suite in a Central London Mews. A curved open shower area with Kit-Kat style mosaic tiles is paired with polished cement walls and floor and a bespoke fluted oak vanity unit.

Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts 3/4 bathroom in Dallas with furniture-like cabinets, green cabinets, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, beige tile, mosaic tile, white walls, wood-look tile, an integrated sink, marble benchtops, brown floor, a hinged shower door, multi-coloured benchtops, a niche, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Design and Photography by I SPY DIY
Inspiration for a transitional wet room bathroom in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, a freestanding tub, gray tile, grey walls, an undermount sink, white floor, white benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Charming bathroom for guests using a colourful muted green vanity and mosaic flooring to give life to this space. A large alcove was made in the shower with tile for soap and shampoo. The finishes are in brushed nickel and gold.

Neutral master ensuite with earthy tones, natural materials and brass taps.
Inspiration for a small scandinavian master bathroom in Wiltshire with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, marble, beige walls, terra-cotta floors, marble benchtops, pink floor, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Inspiration for a transitional bathroom in Moscow with recessed-panel cabinets, purple cabinets, gray tile, grey walls, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, white benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Zellige tile is usually a natural hand formed kiln fired clay tile, this multi-tonal beige tile is exactly that. Beautifully laid in this walk in door less shower, this tile is the simple "theme" of this warm cream guest bath. We also love the pub style metal framed Pottery barn mirror and streamlined lighting that provide a focal accent to this bathroom.

Design ideas for a large contemporary kids bathroom in London with open cabinets, orange cabinets, a freestanding tub, an open shower, a wall-mount toilet, orange tile, ceramic tile, white walls, porcelain floors, a console sink, concrete benchtops, grey floor, an open shower, orange benchtops, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity and recessed.

Design ideas for a small contemporary master bathroom in London with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, an alcove shower, a wall-mount toilet, multi-coloured tile, porcelain tile, multi-coloured walls, porcelain floors, a vessel sink, terrazzo benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a sliding shower screen, white benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

This mesmerising floor in marble herringbone tiles, echos the Art Deco style with its stunning colour palette. Embracing our clients openness to sustainability, we installed a unique cabinet and marble sink, which was repurposed into a standout bathroom feature with its intricate detailing and extensive storage.

Smokey turquoise glass tiles cover this luxury bath with an interplay of stacked and gridded tile patterns that enhances the sophistication of the monochromatic palette. Floor to ceiling glass panes define a breathtaking steam shower. Every detail takes the homeowner’s needs into account, including an in-wall waterfall element above the shower bench. Griffin Designs measured not only the space but also the seated homeowner to ensure a soothing stream of water that cascades onto the shoulders, hits just the right places, and melts away the stresses of the day. Space conserving features such as the wall-hung toilet allowed for more flexibility in the layout. With more possibilities came more storage. Replacing the original pedestal sink, a bureau-style vanity spans four feet and offers six generously sized drawers. One drawer comes complete with outlets to discretely hide away accessories, like a hair dryer, while maximizing function. An additional recessed medicine cabinet measures almost six feet in height. The comforts of this primary bath continue with radiant floor heating, a built-in towel warmer, and thoughtfully placed niches to hold all the bits and bobs in style.