Photos by Darby Kate Photography
Mid-sized country master bathroom in Dallas with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, gray tile, porcelain tile, grey walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink and granite benchtops.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray tile, white tile, stone slab, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink and marble benchtops.

This project was not only full of many bathrooms but also many different aesthetics. The goals were fourfold, create a new master suite, update the basement bath, add a new powder bath and my favorite, make them all completely different aesthetics. Primary Bath-This was originally a small 60SF full bath sandwiched in between closets and walls of built-in cabinetry that blossomed into a 130SF, five-piece primary suite. This room was to be focused on a transitional aesthetic that would be adorned with Calcutta gold marble, gold fixtures and matte black geometric tile arrangements. Powder Bath-A new addition to the home leans more on the traditional side of the transitional movement using moody blues and greens accented with brass. A fun play was the asymmetry of the 3-light sconce brings the aesthetic more to the modern side of transitional. My favorite element in the space, however, is the green, pink black and white deco tile on the floor whose colors are reflected in the details of the Australian wallpaper. Hall Bath-Looking to touch on the home's 70's roots, we went for a mid-mod fresh update. Black Calcutta floors, linear-stacked porcelain tile, mixed woods and strong black and white accents. The green tile may be the star but the matte white ribbed tiles in the shower and behind the vanity are the true unsung heroes.

Mid-sized modern kids bathroom in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, white floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a shower seat, a single vanity and a built-in vanity.

Snowberry Lane Photography
Large beach style master bathroom in Seattle with grey cabinets, a freestanding tub, an alcove shower, green tile, porcelain floors, a vessel sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, shaker cabinets, subway tile and green walls.

Dark and lacking functionality, this hard working hall bathroom in Great Falls, VA had to accommodate the needs of both a teenage boy and girl. Custom cabinetry, new flooring with underlayment heat, all new bathroom fixtures and additional lighting make this a bright and practical space. Exquisite blue arabesque tiles, crystal adornments on the lighting and faucets help bring this utilitarian space to an elegant room. Designed by Laura Hildebrandt of Interiors By LH, LLC. Construction by Superior Remodeling, Inc. Cabinetry by Harrell's Professional Cabinetry. Photography by Boutique Social. DC.

Bathroom Remodel in Melrose, MA, transitional, leaning traditional. Maple wood double sink vanity with a light gray painted finish, black slate-look porcelain floor tile, honed marble countertop, custom shower with wall niche, honed marble 3x6 shower tile and pencil liner, matte black faucets and shower fixtures, dark bronze cabinet hardware.

Photography: Tiffany Ringwald Builder: Ekren Construction
This is an example of a transitional master bathroom in Charlotte with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an undermount tub, white tile, porcelain tile, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, white floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a niche, a double vanity, a built-in vanity and a corner shower.

Farm house bathroom with shower accent wall
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in Raleigh with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, black and white tile, subway tile, grey walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, solid surface benchtops, a hinged shower door, white benchtops and grey floor.

Photo of a small contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Other with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, marble, white walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, white floor, a hinged shower door and white benchtops.

Mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in Austin with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white walls, cement tiles, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, white benchtops and solid surface benchtops.

This is an example of a small transitional 3/4 bathroom in Austin with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, gray tile, grey walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, stone tile, a one-piece toilet, white floor, a hinged shower door and white benchtops.

This is an example of a transitional wet room bathroom in Boston with marble, a niche, a shower seat, shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, a freestanding tub, gray tile, an undermount sink, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a double vanity and a built-in vanity.

Photo Credit: Treve Johnson Photography
Photo of a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, a curbless shower, a two-piece toilet, green tile, ceramic tile, black walls, slate floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a double vanity and a built-in 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.

Farmhouse style black and white, jack and jill bathroom with tiled alcove shower.
Photo of an expansive kids bathroom in Other with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, a double shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, porcelain tile, grey walls, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, white benchtops, a shower seat, a double vanity, a freestanding vanity, porcelain floors, black floor and a hinged shower door.

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.

Chantal Vu
Design ideas for a small contemporary 3/4 bathroom in San Diego with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove shower, a one-piece toilet, beige tile, porcelain tile, white walls, marble floors, solid surface benchtops, white floor, a hinged shower door and grey benchtops.

Spa bathroom with curb-less shower and freestanding tub. Dura Supreme cabinetry in Silverton, Storm Grey provide striking contrast to the crisp white wall tile. The countertop Cambria Roxwell and crystal chandelier adds a touch of elegance. Photography by Beth Singer.