My Bathroom Plan
Compartments inside the countertop cabinet store towels and assorted toiletries. “You have the three shelves but you get four sections for storage because of the base of that tower,” Jacobs says. “We tucked an electrical outlet inside the cabinet so they can charge their electric toothbrushes.” A drawer on the bottom of the tower holds smaller toiletries.
A safe place to sit in the shower is vital for an age-proof bathroom design. Decreasing the amount of time you stand in the shower not only eases the strain on your body, it also reduces the chances of slipping and falling. Be sure to install or buy a bench that is large enough to comfortably sit and bathe on.
“We saved cost on the shower glass by selecting a partial glass panel rather than a panel with a door system,” Hall says. “This also creates a more open feel in the bathroom by eliminating the need for a swinging door. And I always recommend built-in shower niches big enough to house the products that you use on a daily basis. This way you can avoid unsightly wire racks hanging from the shower head or products left on the floor that create soap scum. I always use a flat quartz or tile as the shelf area of the niche to avoid mold in the grout lines from water dripping from the products.”
Ceiling-mounted, or rain-style, shower heads are generally more expensive and require additional plumbing. Some people love rain-style shower heads for the soothing patter of water; others feel the pressure isn’t always strong enough to wash hair products out. Some people like having both options, as was done in the bathroom shown here.
A glass enclosure will make your bathroom feel light and airy and will allow accent tile in the shower to become a focal point. Hinged shower swing doors are the most popular option. They can open outward to a 90-degree angle, providing a safe, wide and open entry, or they can swing inward, or both.
If you’re wondering how much space you’ll need, consider that the most popular shower widths are 32, 36 and 60 inches. (Lengths will vary.) Shower dimensions can be as small as 32 by 32 inches, but most people prefer a shower that’s at least 36 by 48 inches. Shower ceiling heights typically fall between 84 and 120 inches, depending on the space and the design.
In a West Palm Beach, Florida, home designed by Heather Weisz and Lisa Hynes of HW Interiors using Houzz Pro software, this 90-square-foot bathroom reflects its waterfront locale with blue ceramic tile and abaca rope sconces. The look is especially refreshing thanks to the wall tile’s basketweave pattern and the honed marble floor tiles’ chevron pattern.
A curbless shower takes some extra construction planning to slope the subfloor for proper draining, but it can be worth it. A seamless transition creates a mobility-friendly threshold that can accommodate a wheelchair if needed, but it can also stylishly make a space look sleeker and feel larger, especially when you run the same tile throughout. Here, designers share details on how they integrated a curbless shower feature.
Rather than natural stone, consider a porcelain look-alike. Everyone loves natural stone, but the cost can blow your budget out of the water. A porcelain alternative can reduce costs significantly. If your heart is set on natural stone, ask your designer or builder whether a stonemason has remnants you can use for smaller projects.
Consider a smaller initial remodel but work with an experienced architect or building designer to create a master plan that can be executed at a later stage. Staging a build doesn’t mean the project is less expensive overall –—in fact, it often means the project will cost more in the long run — but it can enable homeowners to get some of the most urgent work done in manageable pieces.
The floors, curb, 18-inch baseboard, shower bench and floating shelves are all terrazzo, creating a visually seamless design that helps the space feel larger than it is. Stacked glass shower tiles virtually expand the height of the room. “We primarily achieved the marriage of styles by using bold materials (terrazzo) in a minimal and modern way (clean lines, exaggerated baseboard, floating shelves, etc.),”
The countertops are Black Mist granite. “This is my favorite granite,” Deneke says. “It looks a lot like soapstone but it’s less expensive, more durable and lower-maintenance. Soapstone is beautiful, but it’s softer and scratches easily. So for a bathroom a young boy uses, this was the more practical choice.” She played off the dark surface with the mirror frames, cabinet hardware and shower tile. The hardware is in two pieces and the backplates are optional. “I’ve used these pulls in other projects without the backplates, but I love them here,” Deneke says. “They look different from what you usually see.”
The custom vanity has six drawers and a cabinet with a pullout inside. Polished nickel knobs add a touch of bling. “They’re really clean and timeless,” Myers says. A three-door mirrored medicine cabinet provides additional storage and features interior outlets to plug in electric razors, toothbrushes and hair dryers. “I was very insistent on getting an operable medicine cabinet,” Myers says. “I think it’s critical in a small master bathroom not to miss storage opportunities.” Medicine cabinet: PL Series, 36 by 30 by 4 inches, Robern
Bogart Interiors Thoughtful details elevate the shower surround. Bogart chose a simple hexagonal marble tile that plays off the mosaic tile on the bathroom floor, then repeated it in the niche. She echoed that material with two narrow bands of marble pencil tile that run around the entire shower surround. These horizontal lines provide contrast to the verticality of the vanity reeding. And this detail can be viewed from outside of the shower, providing a nice view.
Older homeowners can install a bench underneath a handheld shower head to make bathing an easier and safer experience.
A shower bench helps create a cozy and comfortable shower design and offers a convenient place to sit while you shave. It also provides a safe space for older or disabled homeowners to sit and reduces slipping hazards. Larger showers (usually any space larger than 3 by 3 feet) can fit long benches that have ample seating space.
If you’re looking for a clean and minimal design, stick with the same style throughout your shower.
3. Your Tile Design There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of options available for your wall tile design. This can include porcelain and ceramic, natural stones such as travertine and marble, or even glass and glass mosaics. Porcelain usually trumps ceramic and natural stone, as it excels at water resistance and offers low maintenance. Natural stones must be sealed.
Glass must be cleaned regularly to avoid streak marks. It also can cost more depending on your design. The average cost of a glass shower enclosure totals several thousand dollars. It may be less expensive than building a wall and adding tile, though.
If you’re renovating an existing shower space and aren’t planning to expand, the size of your shower is predetermined. But those building a new home or tearing their bathroom down to the studs will have to determine the best size for their space. The standard shower measures 3 feet by 5 feet. Many homeowners find this size sufficient for their needs. A 15-square-foot shower allows for wiggle room and can normally fit a bench plus several niches or shampoo corners.
When replacing a sunken jetted tub with a standard shower-tub combo, designers Stephanie Lindsey and Jessica Nelson of Etch Design Group used blue tones to make various tile patterns work in this bath in Austin, Texas. In the bathing area, blue fish-scale tile on the feature wall and glossy white rectangular tile stacked on the side wall mix well with a subdued blue-and-gray pattern on the floor.
oncrete transitions to white mosaic tile. Sliding barn-door-style glass enclosure. “Curbless showers are easy to get in and out of regardless of age,” Boyd says. Other special features. Blue-and-gray accent tile wall and oversize shower niche. The back shower wall is large-format porcelain tile. Floating light wood vanity.
A well-lit bathroom can go a long way in helping prevent slips and falls. Design and remodeling professionals recommend a layered approach that includes overhead lighting, accent lighting and especially nightlights that will allow you to move carefully and confidently.
Small tiles and mosaic tiles can be beautiful anti-slip flooring materials for bathrooms, especially in the shower. They involve numerous textured grout lines, which means more grip and better control. “Small tile may create a better sense of grip on the foot since there are more grout lines,” designer Hideaki Kawato says. For this beach-style bathroom in Long Beach, California, builder White used Fireclay Mini Star & Cross tile for a playful look. Grout lines and raised textures provide extra grip throughout the space.
A bench or other seat in your shower allows you to sit when tired, wash up while seated or rest before exiting the shower, all of which can help prevent slips. Yamini Designs incorporated a bench in the low-curb shower design of this rustic bathroom in Lake Zurich, Illinois. The bathroom also features other anti-slip examples discussed below, including textured porcelain tile on the main floor and mosaic tile with many grout lines in the shower.
The grab bars in this Reston, Virginia, bathroom by Synergy Design & Construction provide protection on both sides of the shower without adding a sterile aesthetic. “When someone is falling, the natural reaction is to grab something, but shower doors and tile surfaces are not usually going to help,” Selby says. “Grab bars, shower door bars — inside and out — and other items that help people steady themselves when they become off-balance will help a lot.” Many manufacturers now make grab bars in more attractive styles than the kind of traditional-looking grab bar you might find in a hospital. Some products hide their function as a towel bar, doing double duty. Designer Kristen Stringer says her go-to is Delta’s 18-inch decorative grab bar, which meets the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.
If you’re designing or renovating a bathroom and are concerned about slips and falls, go for a low-curb or curbless shower entrance. “I feel that the vast majority of slips and falls happen when stepping over something, like a curb or a bathtub wall, and onto a surface that has potential to be slippery when wet,” design-build pro Doug Selby of Meadowlark Design + Build says.
Another notable featureis the shower faucet handle, which Tyler positioned on the left wall so the homeowners don’t get sprayed with cold water when reaching in to turn it on.
With the addition of a frameless glass shower enclosure, Tyler knew the first thing people would see when they walked into the bathroom was the back shower wall, so she wanted to make it something fun and beautiful. McGregor spent a long time looking for the right tile until finally walking into a showroom with Tyler one day and seeing the perfect choice: a mirrored tile with wispy accents of glass and metal.
Low-curb shower details. 2½-by-8-inch light blue handmade-look tile on the walls and curb. “When it comes to remodeling, it’s tough to get a curbless shower, especially when dealing with a slab foundation,” Spruill says. “Most of the time the curbless shower is decided before the slab is poured. While forming up a brand-new foundation, the foundation contractor will lower the slab in the shower area to create the drop you need for a curbless shower. When remodeling, there can be quite a bit of extra costs associated with dropping the shower, such as chipping out the concrete, repairing post tension cables, etc. Cost is a big part of why we normally go with a low-curb shower, but 99% of the time a customer that wants a curbless shower and goes with a low-curb shower does not care once they see the finished product.”
Curbless Shower with Heated Towel Rack Contemporary Bathroom Inspiration for a small contemporary master green tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile, gray floor and double-sink bathroom remodel in Other with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, white countertops, a niche and a built-in vanity - Houzz
Vanities more than 60 inches wide can comfortably accommodate two sinks. However, if one sink is enough, you can use the extra room for additional counter space.
Vanities smaller than 60 inches wide usually have only one sink. The sink can be in the center, to the right or to the left. Your sink cabinet can have drawers or standard cabinet doors.
Hi Angela! The shower wall tiles are from Heath and they're the G11.2 New Pieces Green. Here's a link to the tiles: https://www.heathceramics.com/products/g11-2-pisces-green-ceramic-tile. Thanks for checking out o
Homeowners’ request. A welcoming, casual, easy-to-clean guest bathroom with minimal transitions, allowing accessibility for an aging couple. Space saver. An open shower with a single pane of glass rather than a door helps the space feel more open. Continuing the floor tile seamlessly into the shower also contributed to the illusion of more space.
A modern-style floating vanity with black honed granite countertop helps make the space feel larger. A bathtub was sacrificed to make room for a streamlined shower with a floor-to-ceiling glass partition that makes the ceiling seem higher.
For a minimal, modern look, a floating bench may do the trick. This type can be made using a variety of materials. The San Francisco-area shower seen here has a bench of Caesarstone reinforced with a 1½-inch tube steel frame, according to design firm Hulburd Design. Teak and other materials are also common for floating benches. A narrow ledge like this may provide just enough of a shelf for resting one’s foot if shaving legs is the primary use.
Things to consider. A built-in bench typically takes up more space, may be pricier than other bench options and doesn’t allow for a wheelchair to roll under it. Custom building it, however, does allow for the bench to feel more integrated into the overall design and for some added creativity, as seen in this wavy design by John Kraemer & Sons.
Dallas-area master bath, the team at Hatfield Builders & Remodelers topped this subway-tiled shower seat with a slab of quartz. A shower bench is “an opportunity for a material change,” interior designer Angela Mechaley of m.o.daby design in Portland, Oregon, says.
Glossy charcoal ceramic tiles cover two of the shower walls. The two shower niches are edged with brass. “It’s the little details and finishes that really pull a room together and take it to the next level,” Mattison says.
The black undermount sinks are intended to fade into the background and are a low-maintenance option. “Top-mount sinks have grout lines where the sink meets the counter, and they tend to collect grime,” the designer says.
Large-format porcelain tiles that mimic the look of black marble cover the floor. “The swirls in the floor tiles are so beautiful and random that it’s hard to believe it’s not a natural stone,” the designer says. “They m
Note the hooks, not towel bars
smart toilets that save you having to use paper.
“A huge recommendation while working on any project that incorporates tiles or slabs is to ensure you add at least 10% to 15% more material to your purchase for incidentals,” Bryen says.
Our contractors were able to slope the floor joists to allow for the shower floor to gently slope to a linear drain along the back wall.”
“The clients wanted the flooring material to be seamless across the room and into the shower, and also liked the idea that it would be perfect for aging in place with no trip hazard.” Curbless details. White Carrara marble tile covers the floors and shower walls. McCarthy introduced the tile in a herringbone pattern for the shower floor to differentiate the space.
a BEFORE photo: The former shower wasn’t properly ventilated, so moisture often remained on the shower glass and window, where mold formed. The tile around the shower entrance shows how the installation wasn’t exactly on par with professional work. The Hoyles also felt the toilet area lacked privacy.
Two single-handle faucets in brushed nickel sit over the large sink. A wood shelf on the round mirror coordinates with the vanity cabinet and other wood details in the room. “Everything else was linear, so we wanted to balance that out with something round,” Merkel says of the mirror. “It helps soften things a little. The shelf matched the cabinetry perfectly and was a happy accident.”
Note the tiles a step up from subway tiles.
“To keep a space long-standing, we employ a variety of design techniques,” designer Lynae Parrott says. “Using classic materials and shapes is a start, then applying them as wainscoting or from floor to ceiling gives longevity and improved functionality for keeping a bathroom clean. In addition, mixing styles keeps a room relevant. We use traditional tile selections, transitional plumbing fixtures and hardware, contemporary floating vanities with stone top edge profiles and modern low-curb shower entries. By mixing styles, a room won’t be stuck in a decade or specific time period but instead feel timeless.”
Designer tip. “Install your shower tile to the ceiling to make the space feel taller,” Soricelli says. “Also, for small countertops you can easily find an inexpensive remnant instead of buying a whole slab.”
For the floor, 4-by-12-inch marble-look porcelain tiles set in a herringbone pattern add elegance and interest. A matte finish gives them grip. Radiant heat keeps them warm.
If you don’t take baths but have a bathtub, that’s basically a 5-foot by 2½-foot area that’s going to waste. Converting it to a shower would be cost effective, because it would make use of the space that’s already there and you wouldn’t have to reroute the plumbing.
Typical countertops are 32 to 34 inches off the floor. But you need to consider how your sink will add to or take away from the countertop’s height. If you have an above-counter vessel sink, for example, you’ll want to make your counter height lower so you can wash your hands or brush your teeth comfortably.
“The advantage of part-tiling is that the bathroom becomes much more flexible,” he says. “For example, you can paint the rest of the walls, which means the bathroom can be redesigned more easily in the future, using different colors.
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