Photographer - Marty Paoletta
Large elegant master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and gray floor bathroom photo in Nashville with gray cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door, gray countertops and raised-panel cabinets

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

This small bathroom previously had a 3/4 shower. The bath was reconfigured to include a tub/shower combination. The square arch over the tub conceals a shower curtain rod. Carrara stone vanity top and tub deck along with the mosaic floor and subway tile give timeless polished and elegance to this small space. photo by Holly Lepere

The homeowner went retro fabulous with classic Black and White throughout - subway tile on the walls and hexagon mosaic on the floor - and a gorgeous console sink.

Andrea Rugg Photography
Example of a mid-sized classic master blue tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile and white floor bathroom design in Minneapolis with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, blue walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops and white countertops

Example of a mid-sized classic master multicolored tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom design in Dallas with a drop-in sink, beaded inset cabinets, distressed cabinets, beige walls and granite countertops

Jason Miller, Pixelate Ltd.
Bathroom - small traditional master multicolored tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile and beige floor bathroom idea in Cleveland with beaded inset cabinets, blue cabinets, a one-piece toilet, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops and a hinged shower door

Inspiration for a large timeless master gray tile and ceramic tile slate floor and gray floor bathroom remodel in Austin with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray walls, a drop-in sink, marble countertops and a hinged shower door

Kat Alves
Mid-sized elegant white tile and ceramic tile mosaic tile floor alcove shower photo in Sacramento with a console sink and gray walls

Bathroom - traditional white tile and ceramic tile bathroom idea in Other with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and white walls

Mid-sized elegant white tile and ceramic tile marble floor bathroom photo in Miami with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and white walls

Bathroom - large traditional master black and white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom idea in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, black walls, an undermount sink and solid surface countertops

Clermont Pix Photography, Ted McCrea Construction mccreaconstruction@earthlink.net , Lightstyle Lighting, Fergeson Plumbing, Top Knob Hardware, ADP Countertops

Full of classic details like a grey subway tile tub surround, Jillian Harris' cozy guest bathroom is inviting and timeless. Fireclay's handmade grey tile features a crackled patina and artisanal color variation. Sample grey tiles at fireclaytile.com/samples

Example of a mid-sized classic master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom design in Seattle with green walls and marble countertops

This gorgeous Orchard Lake Master Bathroom remodel was part of a larger whole house renovation. This luxurious remodel included extensive use of marble, a 2-person Maax whirlpool tub, an oversized walk-in-shower with steam and bench seating for two, and gorgeous custom-built inset cherry cabinetry.

josh vick, home tour america
Example of a classic white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom design in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and gray walls

Change your mind as often as you like on what you want to keep stored in this Wood-Mode drawer with its customizable dividers.
Bathroom - mid-sized traditional beige tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom idea in Houston with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets and solid surface countertops

Bret Gum for Cottages and Bungalows
Inspiration for a large timeless master blue tile and ceramic tile limestone floor double shower remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, marble countertops and white walls