Timeless subway tile paired with a geometric, colored mosaic brings this bath to new life.
Photo of a small midcentury kids bathroom in DC Metro with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, green floor, an open shower, grey benchtops, a single vanity and a floating vanity.

Bathroom

Sophie Piesse Architect, PA

Design ideas for a small contemporary kids bathroom in Raleigh with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, blue tile, glass tile, white walls, concrete floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, an open shower, black benchtops and a single vanity.

Midtown East Co-op Renovation

Josh Manes Architecture

This is an example of a small transitional 3/4 bathroom in New York with open cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, black floor, an open shower, white benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Soho, NY

Katie Rosenfeld Design

Transitional bathroom in Boston with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, blue walls, mosaic tile floors, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, an open shower, white benchtops, a built-in vanity and wallpaper.

Oakbrook: Powder Room

Dream Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional 3/4 bathroom in Chicago with furniture-like cabinets, dark wood cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, multi-coloured walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, grey floor, an open shower and white benchtops.

Hall Bath Renovation with Marble Tile

Krieger + Associates Architects, Inc.

This hall bath has been beautifully renovated with marble tiled flooring and contemporary fixtures.
This is an example of a large transitional master bathroom in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, turquoise cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, white tile, porcelain tile, white walls, marble floors, an integrated sink, solid surface benchtops, white floor, an open shower and white benchtops.

Carnegie Hill Residence

Ruth Gyuse Architecture Design

Design ideas for a traditional bathroom in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, gray tile, white tile, white walls, pebble tile floors, an undermount sink, grey floor, an open shower and white benchtops.

2018 Parade Home

Building Group

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom in Salt Lake City with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, white tile, white walls, an undermount sink, beige floor, an open shower and white benchtops.

Lyceum LA Remodeling bathroom

FIDELITY Builders and Design

Candy
Inspiration for a small contemporary master bathroom in Los Angeles with open cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, white tile, matchstick tile, white walls, ceramic floors, a trough sink, granite benchtops, beige floor, an open shower and grey benchtops.

Tommy Bahama Cali Style

Pamela Sandall Design

clarified studios
Photo of a small beach style master bathroom in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, an alcove tub, an open shower, white tile, beige tile, green tile, blue walls, travertine floors, a two-piece toilet, porcelain tile, beige floor and an open shower.

George B. and Susan Elkins House

nC2 architecture llc

Winner of a NYC Landmarks Conservancy Award for historic preservation, the George B. and Susan Elkins house, dating to approximately 1852, was painstakingly restored, enlarged and modernized in 2019. This building, the oldest remaining house in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, has been recognized by the NYC Landmarks Commission as an Individual Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house was essentially a ruin prior to the renovation. Interiors had been gutted, there were gaping holes in the roof and the exterior was badly damaged and covered with layers of non-historic siding. The exterior was completely restored to historically-accurate condition and the extensions at the sides were designed to be distinctly modern but deferential to the historic facade. The new interiors are thoroughly modern and many of the finishes utilize materials reclaimed during demolition.

Industrial Shoreditch Apartment

Akiva Projects Ltd

Industrial bathroom in London with an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, black tile, grey walls and an open shower.

Past Present House

chadbourne + doss architects

The Bathroom layout is open and linear. A long vanity with medicine cabinet storage above is opposite full height Walnut storage cabinets. A new wet room with plaster and marble tile walls has a shower and a custom marble soaking tub.

Appartement familial tendance - Projet Pétion

Mon Concept Habitation

Les chambres de toute la famille ont été pensées pour être le plus ludiques possible. En quête de bien-être, les propriétaire souhaitaient créer un nid propice au repos et conserver une palette de matériaux naturels et des couleurs douces. Un défi relevé avec brio !

Back Bay - Beacon Street

the Design Studio, LLC

This is an example of a small traditional kids bathroom in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, white tile, marble, grey walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white floor, an open shower, white benchtops, a single vanity and a floating vanity.

Philly Finest

Kate Grzymala Design

Design ideas for a small contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Philadelphia with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, gray tile, matchstick tile, purple walls, an undermount sink, an open shower, white benchtops and granite benchtops.

2019 Oakland Luxury Spa Bath Meets Functional Family Bath

HDR Remodeling Inc.

Photo by Open Homes Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional bathroom in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a wall-mount toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, grey walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, an open shower and white benchtops.

Wilston Renovation

Bearcanvas Interiors

Hannah Puechmarin Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in Brisbane with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a wall-mount toilet, white tile, mosaic tile, a vessel sink, engineered quartz benchtops, an open shower and white benchtops.

Beachside Home

Jdesign Group

Warren Reed Photography
Large beach style master bathroom in Other with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, an alcove tub, a curbless shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, white walls, a vessel sink, grey floor, an open shower, ceramic tile, porcelain floors, engineered quartz benchtops and white benchtops.

Fairway Hall Reunion Resort

Landmark Custom Builder & Remodeling, LLC

Country 3/4 bathroom in Orlando with a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, brown walls, a trough sink, brown floor, an open shower and an alcove tub.

Bathroom Design Ideas with an Alcove Tub and an Open Shower

If you’re looking for bathroom ideas, look no further than Houzz. Our image gallery brings you a large range of photos with inspiration for your viewing pleasure, and not only that - you can also save your ideas in ideabooks and find the professional that has done the job. When planning your bathroom design or update, start by collecting images of designs you like and take it from there. Whether you are designing your bathroom from scratch, redesigning, updating or simply decorating, you’ll be sure to find ideas for every possible scenario. And once you're ready, you can find the architect and/or builder to get the job done. But let’s start with the bathroom design basics.

How to Plan Your Bathroom Design

A good bathroom design brings together beauty and functionality. It reflects your personality in its style, colours, fittings and fixtures, but serves your needs to a tee both when you’re getting ready for work in the morning and when you want to wind down in your bathtub after a long day.

1 Collect Bathroom Ideas to Decide on Your Layout

Firstly, consider your space. Is it rectangular or are you working with a long, narrow room? This will determine how many wet walls you can accommodate, and if a bathtub can fit. For example, in a narrow room a freestanding bathtub may not work, and a one-wall layout that lines up shower, toilet and vanity on the same wall will make sense in most cases. (It’s also the most budget-friendly option in terms of plumbing). Maybe separate rooms for toilet and shower make sense? Maybe you want to work with a window above a bathtub or in the shower. You may live in an old house where you can keep some of the original character of the home, or you may be working with a small apartment space. All these considerations are vital in deciding on which layout will work best for you. Have a look at some popular ideas to get started.

2 Consider How You Use Your Bathroom

Once you’ve gathered some inspiration, have a think about who is using the room, and how they will be using it. A single guy needs a lot less storage than a teenage girl, and a family bathroom may need to consider elderly family members. Making your bathroom wheelchair accessible could save you thousands down the line. You may also want to accommodate a washer and dryer in the bathroom, since it’s where clothes are taken off frequently. Also consider safety and cleaning. Ensure no-one will slip and hurt themselves, and consider that many little tiles will make for many little nooks for grime to accumulate, whereas big surfaces like a sink that is integrated with the vanity counter, or a big mirror will make wiping down the surface much easier than having sinks sitting on top or an intricately designed mirror.

3 Your Style Determines The Colours and Fixtures You Choose

When looking at bathroom photos on Houzz, you’ll probably lean towards a certain style pretty soon. Are you into rustic charm, modern beach house style or a mix of styles? This will determine if you opt for whites, greys and blues or if you go for dark cabinets, black floor tiles or bronze fixtures. Specifically, you want to consider:

Tiling

Are you going to tile floors and walls? There’s so many possibilities, from your choice of tile to how they are laid. If you’re budget conscious, you may want to consider a wallpaper or paint for certain areas. A simple grey tile can make room for other elements to shine, while mosaics or a subway tile can make a great feature wall.

Lighting

Lighting doesn’t only look pretty, but can impact your bathroom experience significantly. The mirror is a special area you want to light well, so that you don’t miss any hair when shaving or can apply that perfect line to your eye.

Furniture & Fixtures

Pay attention to how colours of cabinets and floor can impact a room. You may want to consider a wooden floor for something different and pair it with simple white vanity and cabinets, or you may want to go for the steampunk look with bronze tubes and black walls. Consider what type of shower, bathtub (if any), toilet, sink and vanity you want. Maybe you have space for a generous spa with walk-in shower, or maybe you want a freestanding bath to be the feature of the room.