Storage Area Is Transformed Into a Soothing Master Bath
A California bathroom shows that everything new can be old again when you consider a home’s past
Before: The space that is now the master bath was once a storage area with odd angles. The angles made it difficult to fit the large shower, separate water closet and two vanities that the client wanted.
Layout: The only positive of this unusual space? It made the decision on the placement of the shower a breeze. “The best place — the only place — was where the ceiling was higher,” Denham says.
Layout: The only positive of this unusual space? It made the decision on the placement of the shower a breeze. “The best place — the only place — was where the ceiling was higher,” Denham says.
After: Light-colored materials helped turn the dark storage space into a bright bathing area, complete with glass-doored shower.
Shower: A large shower was a priority in this master bath, Denham says. “A lot of master baths don’t have tubs [anymore],” she says. “People are finding they don’t have the time for baths, and mostly use a shower.”
She says as long as there is a tub somewhere else in the house, one in the master bath isn’t necessary. This home has a large claw-foot tub in a guest bath.
Challenges: Denham and her team encountered a few plumbing issues, and solved them by adding a small step at the shower.
Barn door: Space constraints required a sliding barn door to be used for the water closet. The V-groove paneling on the door is featured in other rooms and provides consistency throughout the house.
While the door style was chosen out of necessity, Denham feels it makes sense design-wise for a home that leans heavily toward farmhouse-Victorian style rather than overly ornate Victorian style.
Wall paint: Mountain Peak White, Benjamin Moore; barn door hardware: Specialty Doors & Hardware; see more barn door hardware
Shower: A large shower was a priority in this master bath, Denham says. “A lot of master baths don’t have tubs [anymore],” she says. “People are finding they don’t have the time for baths, and mostly use a shower.”
She says as long as there is a tub somewhere else in the house, one in the master bath isn’t necessary. This home has a large claw-foot tub in a guest bath.
Challenges: Denham and her team encountered a few plumbing issues, and solved them by adding a small step at the shower.
Barn door: Space constraints required a sliding barn door to be used for the water closet. The V-groove paneling on the door is featured in other rooms and provides consistency throughout the house.
While the door style was chosen out of necessity, Denham feels it makes sense design-wise for a home that leans heavily toward farmhouse-Victorian style rather than overly ornate Victorian style.
Wall paint: Mountain Peak White, Benjamin Moore; barn door hardware: Specialty Doors & Hardware; see more barn door hardware
Rug: This Oriental rug provides a rich color and personalizes the space. Denham says she is seeing Oriental and Persian rugs used in baths more frequently.
Pro tip: She suggests using a bath mat to keep rugs in good condition as well as shopping for rugs that are more bath-friendly. “Look for flat weaves — something that would be easy to take to the cleaners,” Denham says.
Flooring: Denham used hexagonal tile in the shower (seen at left here). Hexagonal tile was popular during the Victorian era; here, it helps functionally inside the shower. “Tile on the shower floor needs to be cut so it can move the water toward the drain,” Denham says. “With this shape, we didn’t need to cut it.”
Denham used a herringbone pattern for the bath’s flooring outside the shower, to mix things up. For a more dramatic look, she suggests using tiles of different colors and materials.
Tile: Cortopassi Tile & Stone; rug: Kamran’s Oriental Rug Bazaar; find Oriental rugs
Pro tip: She suggests using a bath mat to keep rugs in good condition as well as shopping for rugs that are more bath-friendly. “Look for flat weaves — something that would be easy to take to the cleaners,” Denham says.
Flooring: Denham used hexagonal tile in the shower (seen at left here). Hexagonal tile was popular during the Victorian era; here, it helps functionally inside the shower. “Tile on the shower floor needs to be cut so it can move the water toward the drain,” Denham says. “With this shape, we didn’t need to cut it.”
Denham used a herringbone pattern for the bath’s flooring outside the shower, to mix things up. For a more dramatic look, she suggests using tiles of different colors and materials.
Tile: Cortopassi Tile & Stone; rug: Kamran’s Oriental Rug Bazaar; find Oriental rugs
Vanities: Fitting in two vanities was difficult, but by making one a bit smaller, Denham pulled it off. Keeping the budget in mind, she used quartz that looks like Carrara marble on top of the Shaker-style cabinets, which provide a luxe look for less.
Light fixtures: Restoration Hardware; faucet: Rohl; cabinet paint: Clouded Vision, Dunn-Edwards Paints
See more of this home
More
Before and After: 6 Bathrooms That Said Goodbye to the Tub
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Shop for bathroom products
Light fixtures: Restoration Hardware; faucet: Rohl; cabinet paint: Clouded Vision, Dunn-Edwards Paints
See more of this home
More
Before and After: 6 Bathrooms That Said Goodbye to the Tub
Trending Now: The Top 10 New Bathrooms on Houzz
Shop for bathroom products
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family
Location: Sacramento, California
Size: 130 square feet (12.1 square meters)
Designer: Katie Denham
The backstory: When designer Katie Denham was tasked with giving a Victorian home in Sacramento’s historic Boulevard Park neighborhood a much-needed makeover, she knew it was important to stick to the home’s roots. Because of this, Denham dreamed up a balance of old and new for spaces throughout the home, and this master bath is the perfect example.