Bathroom of the Week: Classic Style in 75 Square Feet
Marble tile, a furniture-like vanity and thoughtful details help create a calm retreat for parents
This Weston, Massachusetts, couple were feeling squeezed by their dated primary bathroom. The main portion of it was 5 feet by 7½ feet, leaving very little space between the bathroom door’s swing and the vanity and toilet. And sharing one sink and mirror was not working well, particularly on busy mornings. Interior designer Katie Bogart was able to borrow some space from adjacent closets to gain 3 feet of width for the main portion, and it made all the difference. Of course, an updated style was important too. A custom vanity with a furniture-like look, a marble mosaic floor and a mix of metal finishes freshened things up while giving the couple the classic traditional style they wanted.
After: The main part of the bathroom is now 8 feet by 7½ feet. Including the shower stall, the total square footage of the renovated bathroom is 75 square feet. Gaining 3 feet of width in the room allowed Bogart to leave more space between the bathroom door and the vanity. She designed a vanity that provides a beautiful view when entering the space. It’s made of white oak with reeded detailing and a white quartz countertop.
“The reeding does a beautiful job of adding texture and interest to a utilitarian piece like a vanity,” Bogart says. “And using wood warmed up what otherwise could have been a cold space.” The feet on the vanity add to its furniture-like look.
“The reeding does a beautiful job of adding texture and interest to a utilitarian piece like a vanity,” Bogart says. “And using wood warmed up what otherwise could have been a cold space.” The feet on the vanity add to its furniture-like look.
Another way Bogart treated the vanity like a piece of furniture was with a special backsplash design. The countertop and backsplash are the same quartz, and the backsplash has a silhouette that resembles the top of an antique dresser or sideboard. Wall-mounted faucets maintain a fresh, clean look.
The beveled edges of the mirrored medicine cabinets add a hint of vintage apothecary style. They work well with the polished nickel faucets. The designer mixed in warmer aged brass on the sconces and vanity hardware. “To me, mixing metals creates a more curated look,” she says. “Otherwise it can lean more commercial-looking.”
Sconces: Bryant, Visual Comfort
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The beveled edges of the mirrored medicine cabinets add a hint of vintage apothecary style. They work well with the polished nickel faucets. The designer mixed in warmer aged brass on the sconces and vanity hardware. “To me, mixing metals creates a more curated look,” she says. “Otherwise it can lean more commercial-looking.”
Sconces: Bryant, Visual Comfort
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After: The expansion allowed Bogart to move the toilet to the opposite side of the room. This in turn let her center the vanity on the wall, giving it the presence it deserved. She left some space on either side of it rather than extending it wall to wall.
“I did this for a couple of reasons,” she says. “One, I wanted the vanity to shine like a special piece of standalone furniture. Two, I wanted to be able to place hand towel bars on either side. It’s convenient and meant we didn’t have to hang them on the walls.”
This also freed up the walls for artwork. The two paintings seen here are by artist Laurel Dawn. Knowing that the wife loved botanical prints, Bogart wanted to work one into the room for her. She found a sweet fabric with a lavender plant print by Peter Fasano to use for the Roman shade.
Browse wall-mounted bathroom sink faucets
“I did this for a couple of reasons,” she says. “One, I wanted the vanity to shine like a special piece of standalone furniture. Two, I wanted to be able to place hand towel bars on either side. It’s convenient and meant we didn’t have to hang them on the walls.”
This also freed up the walls for artwork. The two paintings seen here are by artist Laurel Dawn. Knowing that the wife loved botanical prints, Bogart wanted to work one into the room for her. She found a sweet fabric with a lavender plant print by Peter Fasano to use for the Roman shade.
Browse wall-mounted bathroom sink faucets
“I suggested a hexagonal marble mosaic tile for the floor,” Bogart says. “I wanted a shape that would contrast with the linear reeding on the vanity. And my clients like traditional style, so I wanted to give them something classic.” The Turkish rug provides warmth underfoot first thing in the morning, and it also adds warm color to the room.
Browse bathroom tile in the Houzz Shop
Browse bathroom tile in the Houzz Shop
Two towel bars provide plenty of space for each of the homeowners’ towels to dry. And they’re within easy reach of the shower stall.
Bogart kept the existing shower stall but gave it a full remodel. “Renovating is such an investment that I want to give my clients something that will last rather than something that’s too trendy,” she says. So she went with a classic 3-by-6-inch subway tile that appealed to the couple’s traditional tastes.
New to home remodeling? Click here to learn the basics
Bogart kept the existing shower stall but gave it a full remodel. “Renovating is such an investment that I want to give my clients something that will last rather than something that’s too trendy,” she says. So she went with a classic 3-by-6-inch subway tile that appealed to the couple’s traditional tastes.
New to home remodeling? Click here to learn the basics
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.
The new bathroom is fresh and airy while suiting the homeowners’ preference for traditional style. With their busy lives and growing family, they’re thrilled to have a roomier, more relaxing space for themselves.
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The new bathroom is fresh and airy while suiting the homeowners’ preference for traditional style. With their busy lives and growing family, they’re thrilled to have a roomier, more relaxing space for themselves.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with a growing family
Location: Weston, Massachusetts
Size: 75 square feet (7 square meters)
Designer: Katie Bogart of Bogart Interiors
Contractor: The Bogart Finish
Before: The main portion of the bathroom, which contained the vanity and toilet, was 5 by 7½ feet. There was a decent-size shower that added 15 square feet, for a total bathroom footprint of 52½ square feet. Bogart kept the original 3-by-5-foot shower stall where it was but expanded the main portion of the bathroom into a small hallway and a pair of closets that flanked it. These can be seen in the foreground of this photo. The shower stall is just out of frame to the right.
The room’s 5-foot depth made it feel compact. “They are both busy professionals, and sharing one sink wasn’t working well for them,” Bogart says. At the time they decided to renovate, the couple had a 2-year-old and were expecting another child, so they were dreaming of a nice, calming retreat.
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