Bathroom of the Week: Modern Farmhouse Style in White and Wood
A design-build team transforms a bathroom with a fresh look, a larger shower, statement flooring and improved storage
These homeowners disliked almost everything about their former bathroom — basic white vanities with hard-to-clean tile countertops, green walls, beige floor tile and a large built-in tub that took up valuable space and forced a tight shower stall. Wanting a larger shower and an updated farmhouse style that better matched the rest of the home, the Ladera Ranch, California, couple reached out to designers Natalie Carr and Aaron Golden.
The remodeling team replaced the built-in tub with a freestanding model that left room to create an expanded low-curb shower. White shiplap walls and vanity, an oak storage tower, soapstone-look countertops and backsplash and a focal-point floor that mixes wood-look porcelain tiles with patterned inserts give the space the fresh modern-farmhouse look the couple were after.
The remodeling team replaced the built-in tub with a freestanding model that left room to create an expanded low-curb shower. White shiplap walls and vanity, an oak storage tower, soapstone-look countertops and backsplash and a focal-point floor that mixes wood-look porcelain tiles with patterned inserts give the space the fresh modern-farmhouse look the couple were after.
After: Carr and Golden stripped the former bathroom. They kept the components in the same layout but updated everything.
Now white walls (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) and a crisp white ceiling and trim (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) coordinate with a white L-shaped Shaker-style vanity. “We chose to go with the white-on-white because the space isn’t large, and we used the white to make it feel larger,” Golden says.
Removing the tub deck and swapping in a freestanding tub created space for a quarter-sawn oak storage tower next to the vanity. “Having that storage tower was great because there’s not another place for towels in that bathroom,” Carr says.
The improved lighting scheme includes ambient can lights in the ceiling and elegant aged brass wall sconces with clear glass globe shades for task lighting over the vanity. “We definitely wanted to bring the sconces to eye level, because it doesn’t create shadows,” Carr says.
Cabinets: Blair door in white (vanity) and Riverbed in Onyx glaze (tower), Omega Cabinetry
Find a bathroom designer near you
Now white walls (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) and a crisp white ceiling and trim (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) coordinate with a white L-shaped Shaker-style vanity. “We chose to go with the white-on-white because the space isn’t large, and we used the white to make it feel larger,” Golden says.
Removing the tub deck and swapping in a freestanding tub created space for a quarter-sawn oak storage tower next to the vanity. “Having that storage tower was great because there’s not another place for towels in that bathroom,” Carr says.
The improved lighting scheme includes ambient can lights in the ceiling and elegant aged brass wall sconces with clear glass globe shades for task lighting over the vanity. “We definitely wanted to bring the sconces to eye level, because it doesn’t create shadows,” Carr says.
Cabinets: Blair door in white (vanity) and Riverbed in Onyx glaze (tower), Omega Cabinetry
Find a bathroom designer near you
Engineered quartz that mimics the look of soapstone forms the countertops and backsplash, a modern take on a traditional farmhouse material. “It also gave a nice contrast to the white cabinets,” Carr says.
Honey bronze cabinet pulls sit on a bronze backplate.
Above each sink is a rectangular mirror with rounded corners and a thin matte black frame. They can pivot as needed.
Backsplash and counter: Charcoal Soapstone, Silestone by Cosentino
Shop for bathroom vanities
Honey bronze cabinet pulls sit on a bronze backplate.
Above each sink is a rectangular mirror with rounded corners and a thin matte black frame. They can pivot as needed.
Backsplash and counter: Charcoal Soapstone, Silestone by Cosentino
Shop for bathroom vanities
Wall-mounted faucets in a black finish feature wood cross handles. “With the wall-mounted faucets, you can easily wipe around them to clean the area,” Golden says. “It’s also a great design look. It was important for them to have balance. We chose the different uses of black, brass, white and wood to achieve this.”
Sinks: Verticyl in white, Kohler; faucets: two-handle wall-mount lavatory faucet with wall-mount lavatory cross handles, Jason Wu for Brizo
Sinks: Verticyl in white, Kohler; faucets: two-handle wall-mount lavatory faucet with wall-mount lavatory cross handles, Jason Wu for Brizo
Need a pro for your bathroom remodeling project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
For the flooring, wood-look porcelain tiles outline patterned square inset tiles. “We have done this floor before, it’s kind of our signature,” Carr says. “It’s a way to add pattern without adding pattern all over the floor. It gives visual interest without being too busy.”
An existing water closet (partially visible on the right) now features a wall-hung toilet. “It’s easier to clean underneath it,” Golden says.
Before and After: 3 Dreamy White-and-Wood Bathroom Makeovers
An existing water closet (partially visible on the right) now features a wall-hung toilet. “It’s easier to clean underneath it,” Golden says.
Before and After: 3 Dreamy White-and-Wood Bathroom Makeovers
This second leg of the vanity has three soft-close drawers on each side of the sink cabinet. “The top drawers are more shallow for hairbrushes and those kinds of items, and the drawers below are deeper for bottles that need to stand,” Golden says.
White shiplap clads half the walls surrounding the new acrylic freestanding tub, giving more farmhouse feel to the room.
A small round ottoman chosen by the homeowners offers a spot to rest a book while enjoying a soak in the tub.
A small round ottoman chosen by the homeowners offers a spot to rest a book while enjoying a soak in the tub.
Before: This look at the former bathroom shows how the oversize built-in tub forced a tight shower stall, with a portion of the tub deck forming a shallow ledge and bench in the shower. “It was definitely a small shower, and it was a goal of theirs to get a larger shower footprint,” Carr says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
After: Removing the tub deck allowed for an expanded low-curb shower with interior bench. A frameless glass enclosure gives it an open appearance, while marble-look 12-by-24-inch porcelain wall tiles add elegance.
Porcelain penny round tiles cover the floor, offering good grip. A matte black linear drain brings a sleek, modern look.
Porcelain penny round tiles cover the floor, offering good grip. A matte black linear drain brings a sleek, modern look.
A matte black round multifunction wall-mounted shower head and sleek hand shower with oscillating full-coverage spray pattern coordinate with other black details in the room to add contrast.
The built-in shower bench features a discreet shampoo niche that keeps bottles hidden from view for a clean look.
Before: This plan of the home’s second floor shows the primary bathroom’s location (upper right) and its layout with the built-in tub, L-shaped vanity and shower stall.
After: This floor plan of just the updated bathroom shows how the freestanding tub (top right) freed up space for a roomier shower (top left) and storage tower (middle right).
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
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 couple with three daughters
Location: Ladera Ranch, California
Size: 215 square feet (20 square meters)
Design-build pros: Designers Natalie Carr and Aaron Golden and project manager Jim Mathews of Sea Pointe Design & Remodel
Before: The former bathroom had sage green walls, beige floor tile, basic white vanities with white tile countertops, dated lighting and an overwhelming built-in tub with a white tile deck, partially visible here on the left. All of it had to go.
One of the homeowners is “very petite and tiny,” Golden says, “and it was hard to get in and out of the tub with that big deck.”