Bathrooms
Notice that a shower curtain or door has not been installed in this bathroom yet. Carefully consider which you choose. For example, a shower curtain might make taking a bath more comfortable, but a clear glass shower door might make the room feel larger. A double vanity makes this bath comfortable for two. Also, the tub is deeper than average. While 5-foot tubs are easy to come by, deeper tubs can be harder to find. If you intend to use it primarily for taking showers, a shallower tub might be best. But if you intend to use the tub frequently, you might want a deeper one for better soaking.Find double vanities
7. Undermount sinks. It wasn’t that long ago that vessel sinks were the big bathroom must-have, and while there are still many beautiful options, designers are now overwhelmingly choosing a simple white undermount porcelain sink.Why? Probably because with beautiful vanities, faucets and countertops around it, the sink doesn’t really need to fight for attention. Plus, an undermount sink is easy to keep clean and doesn’t eat up counter space.
The most common bathroom layout is the single plumbed wall. All fixtures are lined up and served from one compact source of drains, water supplies and venting. This saves on plumbing installation and provides efficient distribution of heated water, especially when the wall is near a water heater. These walls need to be constructed of 2-by-6 studs, rather than 2-by-4s, mainly to accommodate the larger vent stack for the toilet. Even if your home has a large master bath, it likely has at least one bathroom elsewhere in the house that’s arranged this way.Tubs. Standard tubs with apron fronts are 60 inches (152 centimeters) long and 30 to 32 inches (76 to 81 centimeters) wide. The depth can be as little as 14 inches (35 centimeters) and as much as 20 inches (50 centimeters). Toilets. You need at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of clear width for toilets, but 32 to 36 inches (81 to 91 centimeters) is much better for most people. Single sinks. For a single sink, you need at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of width, but 36 to 48 inches (91 to 107 centimeters) is more comfortable. Double sinks. You can squeeze two sinks into 60 inches (152 centimeters) of width, but 72 inches (183 cent...
Tile an eye-catching backsplash. If your bathroom needs a pick-me-up, taking the time and effort to add a standout backsplash will pay off tenfold. DIY novices will need some help to achieve a professional look — consult with a tiler for best results.Tell us: Do you have a mini-makeover idea to add? Share your tips in the Comments.MoreBefore and After: 19 Dramatic Bathroom MakeoversShe’s Baaack! See a Savvy DIYer’s Dramatic $400 Bathroom Makeover
Hang some artwork. To help your bathroom flow harmoniously with the rest of your home, give it a personal touch with quirky prints or artwork. In this master bath, the couple’s framed wedding invitation brings some personality into the otherwise cool and clinical space. It also links the room with the rest of the home, where similar prints hang.See the rest of this home
Go for a vintage vibe. No storage? Repurpose a crate from yesteryear as towel storage. Continue the rustic vibe with an old stool and vintage mirror. Tip: Drilling into tile requires some skill and a specific drill bit. A trick to keep the bit from slipping off the slick surface is to put two strips of masking tape across the spot where you want to drill the hole.
Multiply your mirrors. Ho-hum mirrors can really let a bathroom down in the style department. Two or more mirrors instead of the traditional one create a contemporary feel, especially when their shapes are as pleasing to the eye as these.
11. Between-studs storage niches. Here, designer Robin Schwadron carved out space for hidden toiletry storage behind a wall panel. Read more about this bathroom
7. Glass insert for tub-shower combos. Many still love their shower curtains, but partial glass dividers are coming on strong. Glass shower panels keep compact spaces airy and open, allowing a clear view to a statement shower tile or more natural light. See our guide on getting a glass insert
8. Chrome. Polished chrome is found frequently in contemporary fixtures, because it’s sleek. And Little says a lot of the faucet and fixture designs that work so well come out of Europe, where chrome is favored because it is long lasting, is easy to clean and stays true to the material. “If [chrome is] the best thing, then you make it out of that and expose the material. You don’t hide it behind an ornate copper element,” Little says. Coming next: Eclectic bathroom styleMore: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?Find a bath designer near you: Browse pro portfolios on Houzz
1. Clean lines. Unbroken horizontal lines feature prominently in contemporary bathrooms. Curvy, undulating planes have little relevance here. Cabinet hardware is kept basic as well. Think rectilinear.
8. Open up to ombre. Sometimes a solid color can feel too overwhelming, especially a vivid hue like aqua blue. That’s where tile comes in, giving multitonality that is hard to achieve on a wall with paint and a brush. For a fun effect, try taking two different colors of the same tile and fading from one hue to the next to get an ombre fade, using the boldest hue toward the bottom and a paler one (or a simple white) more toward the top to keep that color in check.
10. Celebrate cement and concrete. A poured concrete floor can take a major overhaul to achieve, but a touch of cool concrete can be added to any room with a few concrete or concrete-look tiles.This textural material is a great addition to contemporary spaces, and especially in bathrooms, as it has a clean look but with a texture that contrasts and complements slick porcelain and brushed metals, bringing a new dimension to your palette.Browse cement tile
For traditional or transitional spaces, try an unrectified ceramic tile, which means the edges are a bit uneven in a beautifully imperfect way. This gives a sense of texture because the adjacent tiles don’t quite line up, creating a subtle rippling effect that feels touchable and stylish.
Textured tiles can be used all over, but often they look best when used as an accent, especially as a backsplash in a kitchen or behind a vanity.Notice how this bathroom uses a vertical band of subtly textural tiles just in the sink area, with a more plain ceramic tile on the adjacent walls. The overall effect is subdued but gives the room a sense of designer polish, and it plays beautifully against the dramatic black accents. Again, the color palette is simple, but the room feels richly detailed, and that brings a sense of luxury.
This rough-edge approach is another smart way to introduce a tile in a bold color or busy pattern without having it overwhelm a room. You can add a small area of tiles where needed to prevent against splashes and spills while adding just the right amount of style.
I often design bathrooms with mirrors inset into the tile for a flush, sleek composition, and a gleaming tile trim beautifully transitions from the tile to the glass pane within while also giving the mirror a subtle frame for an extra sense of polish.You can find tile trims online or in hardware stores, but you can also talk to a tile or mirror installer to find the best option for your installation.
6. Play with tile trim. Design is all about the details, and when tile reaches a corner or stops partway along a wall, how well the edge of the tile is finished can make a noticeable difference to the look. One way to beautifully cap off tile, and add a little hint of sparkle, is with a sleek metal tile trim
5. Add wall stripes. A stripe of intricate statement tiles, often just two to three tiles wide, can bring a lot of drama to a space without overwhelming it with a busy pattern. This is a great way to introduce a little European flair into your bathroom through an exotic or antique tile pattern without it looking like a “theme room.”
You can use an area of contrast tile inset amid a more plain tile like the previous project, or take inspiration from this photo and use a tile border to give subtle structure to an all-over pattern.Combine this look with in-floor heating and you’ll feel like you’re standing on a cozy rug.
4. Try a rug-like inset or borders. A rug in the bathroom can be beautiful, but for some it feels too impractical. A rug-like tile composition gives you the look of an area rug in the same hard-wearing finish as a standard floor tile.
Looking for a soothing deep blue-gray? Try this crisp harmonious color. It looks very fresh with coastal touches, woven woods and nickel finishes. One Houzz community member thinks Deep Silver (2124-30) by Benjamin Moore is a similar color to this one, and I agree. It is beautiful.
Example palette: Light blues and grays with dark woods give a very upscale, modern look. Clockwise from top left (all from Mythic Paint): All's Quiet, Bedford Blues and Shiny Nickel, with walnut-stained oak.
Photos by Pooya Miri Kitchen at a GlanceWho lives here: A young couple with two growing boysLocation: Downtown TorontoSize: 214 square feet (19.8 square meters)Designers: Dena Labbaf and Azar Sabzvari of Tango Design StudioAlthough this home was old and outdated, it had the undeniable appeal of being by the water in downtown Toronto. The homeowners decided to stay put, rather than sell, and invest in a major reworking of the space. The main floor was gutted and walls were removed to create a large open kitchen and dining area. “This new design fit more usable living space into the same amount of square footage,” says designer Dena Labbaf.Cabinetry: KitchenCraft; Goodman pendant in Natural Paper: Visual Comfort; Madeleine backless stool: Restoration Hardware; refrigerator: KitchenAid
Large-format porcelain tiles can authentically replicate the look, texture and tactility of natural wood and stone, giving you unprecedented design flexibility. “They look pretty much identical to the natural products, but they’re more durable and don’t need sealing or any special treatment or maintenance. So you can now bring the warmth and texture of timber into the bathroom or shower recess,” Gilding says.
Structured or 3D tiles are made using a mold, so the embossing can be quite pronounced. Beautiful patterns abound, including pillowy soft dimples and undulating curves. “When these tiles are laid on the wall, the light hits them at different angles. This creates a bit more depth, playing with the light and shade,” Gilding says. Despite their soft appearance, these tiles really make a statement. Apply them with a light touch, paired with a simple, pared-back tile for an elegant finish.
Pale blue walls, white tiles and a stand-alone tub create a calm and soothing master bath retreat. “Every day in this home feels like a gift,” Becki says.Floor tile: Rhombus, Merola Tile
14. Grout as a design feature. “Grout is no longer purely a mundane, if essential, element of pulling a bathroom together,” says McClellend. “People are seeing the possibility of using grout creatively in their bathrooms to show off the pattern of how a tile is laid, highlight specific tile types and use contrasting grout as a great modern spin on the traditional subway tile.”While McClelland loves the striking pairing of black grout and white tiles (as seen in this space), she predicts that colored grout alongside geometric shapes will become popular in 2015.Tell us: What are your thoughts on the latest bathroom trends? Would you incorporate any of these design ideas into your bathing space?More:See these ideas in compact master baths13 Kitchen Looks Expected to Be Big in 2015Design Basics to Help You Think Through a New Master Bath
Extend a Black-and-White Floor Tile Up a WallTile that extends across the floor and up the wall in one long line popped up in several of the newest black-and-white bathroom photos. Here it makes a strong statement in the shower, where a transparent glass partition allows for a clear view.Detail worth noting: The attractive P-trap underneath the sink — these details matter.Find black-and-white tile
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