This Wyoming master bath felt confined with an inefficient layout. Although the existing bathroom was a good size, an awkwardly placed dividing wall made it impossible for two people to be in it at the same time. Taking down the dividing wall made the room feel much more open and allowed warm, natural light to come in. To take advantage of all that sunshine, an elegant soaking tub was placed right by the window, along with a unique, black subway tile and quartz tub ledge. Adding contrast to the dark tile is a beautiful wood vanity with ultra-convenient drawer storage. Gold fi xtures bring warmth and luxury, and add a perfect fi nishing touch to this spa-like retreat.

Bathroom remodel. Wanted to keep the vintage charm with new refreshed finishes. New marble flooring, new claw foot tub, custom glass shower.
Mid-sized traditional master bathroom in Los Angeles with white cabinets, a claw-foot tub, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, blue walls, a drop-in sink, marble benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity, a freestanding vanity, decorative wall panelling and recessed-panel cabinets.

  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

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.

This is an example of a large transitional 3/4 bathroom in San Francisco with medium wood cabinets, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, multi-coloured walls, an undermount sink, an open shower, white benchtops, a shower seat, a double vanity, a built-in vanity and flat-panel cabinets.

The downstairs bathroom the clients were wanting a space that could house a freestanding bath at the end of the space, a larger shower space and a custom- made cabinet that was made to look like a piece of furniture. A nib wall was created in the space offering a ledge as a form of storage. The reference of black cabinetry links back to the kitchen and the upstairs bathroom, whilst the consistency of the classic look was again shown through the use of subway tiles and patterned floors.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional kids bathroom in Seattle with blue cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, black and white tile, subway tile, multi-coloured walls, a drop-in sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops and shaker cabinets.

This simple farmhouse bathroom includes natural color wood vanities and medicine cabinets.
Design ideas for a mid-sized country master bathroom in Other with medium wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, solid surface benchtops, white floor, white benchtops and flat-panel cabinets.

This is an example of a mid-sized country bathroom in Richmond with shaker cabinets, grey cabinets, an alcove shower, white tile, blue walls, mosaic tile floors, an undermount sink, white floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, subway tile and marble benchtops.

Shoootin
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Paris with a corner shower, a wall-mount toilet, white tile, subway tile, blue walls, wood benchtops, grey floor, light wood cabinets, a vessel sink, an open shower, beige benchtops, concrete floors and flat-panel cabinets.

Photo by Ryan Gamma Walnut vanity is mid-century inspired. Subway tile with dark grout.
This is an example of a mid-sized modern master bathroom in Other with medium wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, a curbless shower, white tile, subway tile, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, grey floor, white walls, flat-panel cabinets, a one-piece toilet, an enclosed toilet, a double vanity and a freestanding vanity.

Transitional bathroom in New York with white cabinets, white tile, subway tile, grey walls, an undermount sink, grey floor, grey benchtops and recessed-panel cabinets.

Inspiration for a traditional master bathroom in Other with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a freestanding tub, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white floor and a hinged shower door.

Harry Taylor
Mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in Other with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove shower, blue tile, subway tile, multi-coloured walls, marble floors, an undermount sink and marble benchtops.

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

Jake Rhode
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional master bathroom in Other with a double shower, white tile, subway tile, white walls, ceramic floors, a drop-in tub, a two-piece toilet and tile benchtops.

Traditional master bathroom in Sydney with blue cabinets, white walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops, white tile, subway tile and beaded inset cabinets.

Jodi Craine
Photo of a large modern master bathroom in Atlanta with white cabinets, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, dark hardwood floors, marble benchtops, grey walls, brown floor, a hinged shower door, an undermount sink and flat-panel cabinets.

Inspiration for a traditional bathroom in New York with a claw-foot tub, a corner shower, blue tile, subway tile and white walls.