Traditional Hall Bath with Wood Vanity & Shower Arch Details
Inspiration for a small traditional master bathroom in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a drop-in tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, mosaic tile floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, white floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, a niche, a single 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.

Both the master bath and the guest bath were in dire need of a remodel. The guest bath was a much simpler project, basically replacing what was there in the same location with upgraded cabinets, tile, fittings fixtures and lighting. The most dramatic feature is the patterned floor tile and the navy blue painted ship lap wall behind the vanity. The master was another project. First, we enlarged the bathroom and an adjacent closet by straightening out the walls across the entire length of the bedroom. This gave us the space to create a lovely bathroom complete with a double bowl sink, medicine cabinet, wash let toilet and a beautiful shower.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This charming little attic bath was an infrequently used guest bath located on the 3rd floor right above the master bath that we were also remodeling. The beautiful original leaded glass windows open to a view of the park and small lake across the street. A vintage claw foot tub sat directly below the window. This is where the charm ended though as everything was sorely in need of updating. From the pieced-together wall cladding to the exposed electrical wiring and old galvanized plumbing, it was in definite need of a gut job. Plus the hardwood flooring leaked into the bathroom below which was priority one to fix. Once we gutted the space, we got to rebuilding the room. We wanted to keep the cottage-y charm, so we started with simple white herringbone marble tile on the floor and clad all the walls with soft white shiplap paneling. A new clawfoot tub/shower under the original window was added. Next, to allow for a larger vanity with more storage, we moved the toilet over and eliminated a mish mash of storage pieces. We discovered that with separate hot/cold supplies that were the only thing available for a claw foot tub with a shower kit, building codes require a pressure balance valve to prevent scalding, so we had to install a remote valve. We learn something new on every job! There is a view to the park across the street through the home’s original custom shuttered windows. Can’t you just smell the fresh air? We found a vintage dresser and had it lacquered in high gloss black and converted it into a vanity. The clawfoot tub was also painted black. Brass lighting, plumbing and hardware details add warmth to the room, which feels right at home in the attic of this traditional home. We love how the combination of traditional and charming come together in this sweet attic guest bath. Truly a room with a view! 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

Inspiration for a small traditional kids bathroom in Moscow with beige cabinets, an alcove tub, a wall-mount toilet, beige tile, ceramic tile, beige walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, solid surface benchtops, grey floor, a shower curtain, beige benchtops, an enclosed toilet, a single vanity and a freestanding vanity.

In a Brookline home, the upstairs hall bath is renovated to reflect the Parisian inspiration the homeowners loved. A black custom vanity and elegant stone countertop with wall-mounted fixtures is surrounded by mirrors on three walls. Graceful black and white marble tile, wainscoting on the walls, and marble tile in the shower are among the features. A lovely chandelier and black & white striped fabric complete the look of this guest bath. Photography by Daniel Nystedt

Small Bathroom Remodel we completed in 2018. Tub shower combo with tile surround and niche. Custom cabinetry, quartz top and tile floor.
Inspiration for a small traditional bathroom in St Louis with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a shower/bathtub combo, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops and a shower curtain.

Marcell Puzsar
Small traditional 3/4 bathroom in San Francisco with a corner tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, white tile, porcelain tile, blue walls, mosaic tile floors, a vessel sink, white floor and a shower curtain.

The tile in the kids' bath is all new, designed to look original to the 1936 home. The tile is from B&W Tile in Los Angeles.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional bathroom in Los Angeles with an alcove shower, a two-piece toilet, black and white tile, ceramic tile, white walls, ceramic floors, a pedestal sink, black floor and a shower curtain.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional master bathroom in Dallas with a two-piece toilet, white tile, white walls, ceramic floors, subway tile, a pedestal sink, a shower curtain, an alcove tub and a shower/bathtub combo.

This is an example of a small traditional 3/4 bathroom in DC Metro with a claw-foot tub, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a shower curtain, a pedestal sink and white floor.

Photography by: Connie Anderson Photography
Design ideas for a small traditional 3/4 bathroom in Houston with a pedestal sink, marble benchtops, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, grey walls, mosaic tile floors, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, an open shower, white floor and a shower curtain.

Design ideas for a traditional bathroom in Atlanta with a vessel sink, distressed cabinets, white tile, subway tile and a shower curtain.

Sanchez Ed Ritger Photography
Design ideas for a traditional bathroom in San Francisco with a claw-foot tub and a shower curtain.

Cream walls, trim and ceiling are featured alongside white subway tile with cream tile accents. A Venetian mirror hangs above a white porcelain pedestal sink and alongside a complementary toilet. A brushed nickel faucet and accessories contrast with the Calcutta gold floor tile, tub deck and shower shelves. A leaded glass window, vintage milk glass ceiling light and frosted glass and brushed nickel wall light continue the crisp, clean feeling of this bright bathroom. The vintage 1920s flavor of this room reflects the original look of its elegant, sophisticated home.

sequined asphault studio
Inspiration for a traditional bathroom in New York with an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, blue tile, subway tile and a shower curtain.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional master bathroom in Boston with a curbless shower, a one-piece toilet, beige tile, white walls, a shower curtain, louvered cabinets, white cabinets, porcelain tile, porcelain floors and an integrated sink.

Photo of a small traditional 3/4 bathroom in Baltimore with a two-piece toilet, grey walls, ceramic floors, a trough sink, black floor and a shower curtain.

A blue pinstripe of tile carries the line of the tile wainscot through the shower while the original tub pairs with new, yet classic plumbing fixtures.