Inspiration for a country bathroom in San Diego with an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, white tile, subway tile, white walls, grey floor and a shower curtain.

Julia Staples Photography
Design ideas for a traditional bathroom in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, blue tile, subway tile, mosaic tile floors and grey benchtops.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This modern farmhouse bathroom has an extra large vanity with double sinks to make use of a longer rectangular bathroom. The wall behind the vanity has counter to ceiling Jeffrey Court white subway tiles that tie into the shower. There is a playful mix of metals throughout including the black framed round mirrors from CB2, brass & black sconces with glass globes from Shades of Light , and gold wall-mounted faucets from Phylrich. The countertop is quartz with some gold veining to pull the selections together. The charcoal navy custom vanity has ample storage including a pull-out laundry basket while providing contrast to the quartz countertop and brass hexagon cabinet hardware from CB2. This bathroom has a glass enclosed tub/shower that is tiled to the ceiling. White subway tiles are used on two sides with an accent deco tile wall with larger textured field tiles in a chevron pattern on the back wall. The niche incorporates penny rounds on the back using the same countertop quartz for the shelves with a black Schluter edge detail that pops against the deco tile wall. Photography by LifeCreated.

Photography: Stephani Buchman
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master bathroom in Toronto with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, gray tile, subway tile, grey walls, marble floors and grey floor.

The layout of this bathroom was reconfigured by locating the new tub on the rear wall, and putting the toilet on the left of the vanity. The wall on the left of the existing vanity was taken out.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional bathroom in San Francisco with furniture-like cabinets, medium wood cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a bidet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Country kids bathroom in Chicago with shaker cabinets, distressed cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a wall-mount toilet, gray tile, subway tile, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, a shower curtain, grey benchtops, a double vanity and a built-in vanity.

Complete remodeling of existing guest bathroom, including new push-in tub, white subway tile on the walls and and dark vinyl flooring.
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an undermount tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, laminate floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, brown floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Inspiration for a small transitional bathroom in Atlanta with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, mosaic tile floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity, a built-in vanity and wallpaper.

vanity, tile, tub surround installation
Mid-sized country kids bathroom in New Orleans with furniture-like cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, white tile, subway tile, grey walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white floor, a shower curtain, grey benchtops, a niche, a double vanity and a freestanding vanity.

The simple, neutral palette of this Master Bathroom creates a serene atmosphere. The custom vanity allows for additional storage while bringing added warmth to the space.

Kids bathroom gets total renovation. New white subway tile shower bathtub combo with frameless glass hinged door, niche, and tiled sitting/storage area. Floating vanity with undermount sink, and quartz countertop. Decorative ceramic floor tile, new lighting, and new ventilation.

Black Kontour towel warmer. Photos by VLG Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern kids bathroom in Newark with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a drop-in tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a double vanity and a built-in vanity.

Tired shower niche for all shower and bath items! Photos by VLG Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized modern kids bathroom in Newark with a built-in vanity, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a drop-in tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche and a double vanity.

This project was a complete gut remodel of the owner's childhood home. They demolished it and rebuilt it as a brand-new two-story home to house both her retired parents in an attached ADU in-law unit, as well as her own family of six. Though there is a fire door separating the ADU from the main house, it is often left open to create a truly multi-generational home. For the design of the home, the owner's one request was to create something timeless, and we aimed to honor that.

Design ideas for a transitional bathroom in Los Angeles with an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, a console sink, grey floor, a shower curtain, a niche, a single vanity and vaulted.

Bathroom Remodel in Dune Road, Bethany Beach DE - Bathroom with Light Gray Subway Wall Tiles
Photo of a small beach style 3/4 bathroom in Other with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, gray tile, subway tile, white walls, an undermount sink, granite benchtops, a sliding shower screen and white benchtops.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional bathroom in New York with white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, grey walls, mosaic tile floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, grey benchtops and recessed-panel cabinets.