Photo of a midcentury 3/4 bathroom in New York with medium wood cabinets, a corner shower, blue tile, white tile, subway tile, grey walls, a trough sink, grey floor, an open shower, concrete floors and flat-panel cabinets.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary master bathroom in Valencia with white cabinets, an alcove shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, mosaic tile floors, a vessel sink, wood benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a hinged shower door and flat-panel cabinets.

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom in San Francisco with a double shower, blue tile, subway tile and a shower seat.

  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 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.

Photo of an expansive transitional 3/4 bathroom in New York with blue floor, marble floors, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white tile, subway tile, white walls, an undermount sink and grey benchtops.

Inspiration for a transitional 3/4 bathroom in Other with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, a corner shower, blue tile, subway tile, white walls, an undermount sink, white floor, a hinged shower door and white benchtops.

The wall in the entry hall is now beautifully done in a Venetian finish - red was selected as an accent wall to compliment the touches of red in the living room. New wall sconces were selected (Houzz); the art - which was previously over the fireplace in his former home - was placed on the wall. The bench cushion was reupholstered and pillows were placed on the bench to soften the look. A lovely introduction to his special home.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Philadelphia with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, slate floors, grey floor, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, an integrated sink and a shower curtain.

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.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional 3/4 bathroom in New York with a corner shower, blue tile, subway tile, white walls, porcelain floors, grey floor and a hinged shower door.

Dustin Peck Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in Charlotte with dark wood cabinets, a curbless shower, a two-piece toilet, black tile, subway tile, beige walls, terra-cotta floors, a drop-in sink, solid surface benchtops and beaded inset cabinets.

Inspiration for a mid-sized arts and crafts kids bathroom in Chicago with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, white walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, white floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single vanity and a built-in vanity.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional master bathroom in DC Metro with medium wood cabinets, white tile, subway tile, white walls, an undermount sink, multi-coloured floor, white benchtops, a double vanity, a freestanding vanity and recessed-panel cabinets.

Design ideas for a large contemporary master bathroom in Indianapolis with an alcove tub, white tile, subway tile, white walls, mosaic tile floors and black floor.

Paul Craig
Photo of a transitional master bathroom in London with open cabinets, a claw-foot tub, blue tile, subway tile, white walls and a console sink.

Bold, blue guest bathroom with painted built-in, furniture look vanity and cabinetry. The cerulean blue pairs with matte black plumbing, hardware and scones. Its unique, impactful hidden space within this modern lake house.

Photo of a transitional 3/4 bathroom in Atlanta with medium wood cabinets, an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, blue walls, a drop-in sink, a hinged shower door, beige benchtops and flat-panel cabinets.

Inspiration for a large transitional master bathroom in San Francisco with blue cabinets, an alcove shower, white tile, subway tile, mosaic tile floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a double vanity, a freestanding vanity and beaded inset cabinets.