Inspiration for an expansive contemporary master bathroom in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, an open shower, green tile, marble, ceramic floors, a vessel sink, marble benchtops, grey floor, an open shower, green benchtops, a double vanity, a floating vanity and exposed beam.

Andrea Rugg
Photo of a large traditional master bathroom in Los Angeles with medium wood cabinets, a double shower, white tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, a hinged shower door, a two-piece toilet, subway tile, marble benchtops and flat-panel cabinets.

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.

Photographer - Marty Paoletta
Photo of a large traditional master bathroom in Nashville with grey cabinets, a freestanding tub, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, grey walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, grey benchtops and raised-panel cabinets.

This vanity comes from something of a dream home! What woman wouldn't be happy with something like this?
Inspiration for a mid-sized country master bathroom in Other with dark wood cabinets, an alcove shower, a one-piece toilet, grey walls, ceramic floors, a drop-in sink, marble benchtops, black floor, a hinged shower door and recessed-panel cabinets.

The blue subway tile provides a focal point in the kids bathroom. The ceiling detail conceals an HVAC access panel. Blackstock Photography
Photo of a contemporary kids bathroom in New York with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, white tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white floor, a wall-mount toilet, subway tile and an open shower.

The Dura Supreme double vanity is painted in a bold but neutral gray. A tall central storage tower in the middle allows for extra storage and allowing the countertops to be free of clutter.

We planned a thoughtful redesign of this beautiful home while retaining many of the existing features. We wanted this house to feel the immediacy of its environment. So we carried the exterior front entry style into the interiors, too, as a way to bring the beautiful outdoors in. In addition, we added patios to all the bedrooms to make them feel much bigger. Luckily for us, our temperate California climate makes it possible for the patios to be used consistently throughout the year. The original kitchen design did not have exposed beams, but we decided to replicate the motif of the 30" living room beams in the kitchen as well, making it one of our favorite details of the house. To make the kitchen more functional, we added a second island allowing us to separate kitchen tasks. The sink island works as a food prep area, and the bar island is for mail, crafts, and quick snacks. We designed the primary bedroom as a relaxation sanctuary – something we highly recommend to all parents. It features some of our favorite things: a cognac leather reading chair next to a fireplace, Scottish plaid fabrics, a vegetable dye rug, art from our favorite cities, and goofy portraits of the kids. --- Project designed by Courtney Thomas Design in La Cañada. Serving Pasadena, Glendale, Monrovia, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, and Altadena. For more about Courtney Thomas Design, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.courtneythomasdesign.com/portfolio/functional-ranch-house-design/

Before and After
This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury 3/4 bathroom in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a curbless shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, black floor, a sliding shower screen, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity, a built-in vanity and decorative wall panelling.

Photo of a small arts and crafts bathroom in Tampa with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a drop-in tub, a two-piece toilet, beige tile, ceramic tile, beige walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white floor, grey benchtops, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Aubrie Pick Photography
Photo of a large contemporary master bathroom in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, an alcove shower, ceramic tile, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, a hinged shower door, a shower seat, a double vanity, a floating vanity, green tile, white walls, white floor and white benchtops.

Master Bath Architect: Thompson Naylor Interior Design: Shannon Scott Design Photography: Jason Rick
Inspiration for a large traditional master wet room bathroom in Santa Barbara with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, white tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, beige floor, a hinged shower door and beige benchtops.

This shower was transformed from 30"x30" stall to a 4ft x 4ft shower.
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops and black floor.

They say the magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave and even better to come back and that is exactly what this family wanted to create when they purchased their Bondi home and prepared to renovate. Like Marilyn Monroe, this 1920’s Californian-style bungalow was born with the bone structure to be a great beauty. From the outset, it was important the design reflect their personal journey as individuals along with celebrating their journey as a family. Using a limited colour palette of white walls and black floors, a minimalist canvas was created to tell their story. Sentimental accents captured from holiday photographs, cherished books, artwork and various pieces collected over the years from their travels added the layers and dimension to the home. Architrave sides in the hallway and cutout reveals were painted in high-gloss black adding contrast and depth to the space. Bathroom renovations followed the black a white theme incorporating black marble with white vein accents and exotic greenery was used throughout the home – both inside and out, adding a lushness reminiscent of time spent in the tropics. Like this family, this home has grown with a 3rd stage now in production - watch this space for more... Martine Payne & Deen Hameed

Vincent Ivicevic
Large transitional master bathroom in Orange County with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, a drop-in tub, a corner shower, white tile, white walls, ceramic floors and grey floor.

This small bathroom previously had a 3/4 shower. The bath was reconfigured to include a tub/shower combination. The square arch over the tub conceals a shower curtain rod. Carrara stone vanity top and tub deck along with the mosaic floor and subway tile give timeless polished and elegance to this small space. photo by Holly Lepere

Building Design, Plans, and Interior Finishes by: Fluidesign Studio I Builder: Anchor Builders I Photographer: sethbennphoto.com
Mid-sized traditional master bathroom in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, marble benchtops, blue walls and ceramic floors.

After completing their kitchen several years prior, this client came back to update their bath shared by their twin girls in this 1930's home. The bath boasts a large custom vanity with an antique mirror detail. Handmade blue glass tile is a contrast to the light coral wall. A small area in front of the toilet features a vanity and storage area with plenty of space to accommodate toiletries for two pre-teen girls. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Photo of a mid-sized modern master bathroom in Perth with light wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, white tile, ceramic tile, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white floor, white benchtops, a single vanity and a floating vanity.