Bath
1. Paint the walls a different color than the shelves. This pantry feels playful with its vibrant blue walls behind a standard shelving system. The color, Benjamin Moore's San Clemente Teal, is unexpected, and it feels like no bad meal could come from the ingredients stored here. Choose a wall color that evokes the mood you'd like to be in when you come to the pantry after a long day at work.
6. Wood paneling. Paneled walls are great for a hardworking bathroom, protecting walls without the hassle of preparing or installing drywall. Tip: If you have a lot of trim work, ask for a mockup to be made so you can see the difference between hand-brushed and sprayed applications. A hand-brushed application will probably cost you more, but I prefer its look.
Insulation. Your steam shower should have insulated walls. I recommend using a 2-pound spray foam, as shown in this photo. This is a task that should definitely be left to a professional. In fact, many cities require a specific certification for spray-foam installation. Tip: Although it's not always required by code or manufacturers, I recommend using a high-heat insulation wrap to cover your steam line. This copper pipe, which brings the steam from the generator into the shower, can get extremely hot and dangerous.
Vaporproofing and waterproofing. What's behind the walls in a steam shower is vital. A steam shower needs continuous waterproofing and vaporproofing to prevent structural damage to the home. This diagram from Noble Company shows the many levels involved in properly waterproofing a steam shower. Designing according to this diagram would satisfy the TCNA and TTMAC requirements for a steam shower built in North America. A steam shower needs vapor-proofing on the floors, walls, bench and ceiling. All penetrations in the barriers should be sealed prior to tile installation. Look for someone with experience with this when hiring your installer.
Soft yellow wallpaper depicts tree branches in a guest bathroom off the family room. “I love wallpaper and thought this was an economical way to incorporate it into the house instead of doing a whole room,” Carter says. A mason jar with dried flowers and a weathered window decorate the antique hutch.
Handicapped-Accessible and Universal Design Showers » Lighting in the shower shouldn't be just an afterthought when you're considering new construction or a remodel. Shower lighting is imperative, especially if you don't have any natural light coming into the room. Lighting your shower elevates your showering experience to more than just the basic scrub and ensures safety in a wet environment. You should include at least one light (or more depending on the size of your shower) and include a fixture that is appropriate for wet locations, for obvious safety reasons.
This faucet has a very high-end look for a reasonable price. It would be right at home on a wide pedestal sink.
This train rack is as practical as it is luxurious. Stow stacks of fluffy towels on top and hang bathrobes or additional towels below.
The double sink in the master bath “is the old sink from Nathan Hale High School,” Cari says. “I was very lucky to come across it.” The base of the sink had been painted the school's colors of red and blue; Cari pressure washed the paint away to reveal a deep, earthy charcoal. Apothecary-style cabinets store bathroom supplies in drawers, while accessories in shades of turquoise, gray and yellow provide subtle pops of color in the glassed-in cabinets. Sink, accessories: Second Use; hardware: Cape Cod Brass, House of Antique Hardware
It's the details that count — hang a smart hook behind the door for stowing extra towels or robes with class.
White hexagonal tiles are a timeless flooring option for a cottage bath. They look right at home paired with subway tile or beadboard wainscoting.
If your cottage bath is sporting fixtures from another (tackier) decade, bring it back to its original glory with beautifully simple pieces like this inset medicine cabinet from Restoration Hardware. It will look like it's been there forever. Cartwright Inset Medicine Cabinet $229
Recessed niches. This corner shower niche is a wonderful example of a custom tile upgrade — so much so that it becomes the feature of the shower. More care and work are needed for a tiled feature like this, though, and the added cost might not be worth it to you. Ask for some cost breakdowns so you better understand the pricing of items like benches, niches and custom tiling. I personally love recessed niches and include them on almost every project.
Corner Shower Seat With Basket, Brown - $149.00 » If a custom tile bench would blow your budget, a ready-made corner seat like this one is a no-brainer. In a pinch, you can omit the bench and save up for a custom wood seat later.
Antique mirror in the bathroom?!
Tip: "Placing the vanity away from the wall like this also allows you to hang a hand towel on the side wall to hang between the vanity and the wall, so it can be hung low at comfortable reach level, not way up high, which can be awkward — you know, reach up for the towel, water drips down [your] sleeve. It seems silly, but in the end these little things make a space a nicer experience," Murphy says.
Cabinet
Frosted windows
Roman shade and layout
Track lighting on cathedral ceiling
Linen closet
Mirrored cabinet - linen closet
Pedestal sink
Layout and the open bottom sink vanity
Layout -- sink - toilet - shower
Storage next to shower
China cabinets are great for displaying heirloom quilts and decorative pillows.
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