They might seem like small details, but accessories such as towel hooks, rings and bars can make a world of difference in how your bathroom functions. I always recommend installing a hook or bar right by the shower entrance — or even better, inside the shower, as seen here. Tile grout is the safest spot to anchor these fixtures, but you can also secure hooks and bars through tile. Just be sure you have a skilled professional who uses the right drill bit and pressure so your tile doesn’t crack.
The placement of your fixtures is another important consideration. An ideal location is at the entrance to the shower, opposite the shower head, so you don’t get a blast of cold water when reaching in to turn on the water. This arrangement can cost more because of the labor involved and the extra lengths of plumbing pieces needed.
You can also opt for no door at all. A fixed panel of glass creates a modern look that’s easy to clean. These panels can be framed in metal or frameless, as seen here. Most shower glass is fabricated at ⅜ inch (or 10mm) thick so it’s durable, safe and long-lasting. Standard openings range from 22 to 26 inches depending on the shower size. The go-to opening size for our clients is 24 inches.
Low-curb shower details. 12-by-24-inch Iceberg marble floor tiles and curb transition to 3-inch Iceberg marble hex tiles for the shower floor and 4-by-8-inch Iceberg marble tiles for the shower walls, ceiling and bench. “Curbs allow for mistake-free water management,” Chumbley says. “That’s particularly important in a shower with a small footprint and multiple water ports — in this case, a hand shower and wall shower head.”
Designer tip. “Without any natural light from windows, bathrooms can get a little gloomy and heavy depending on tile selection,” White says. “Generally, your darkest tile should go on the floor, personality tiles should be used as accents and your classic tile should be used as your main tile. This combination leaves room for balanced personality.” “Uh-oh” moment. “When the wood shower tiles arrived, we were expecting gray tones,” White says. “Some of the tiles looked gray; others looked much more brown. We opened every box and sorted through each tile to review the colors and veining. After creating piles of tile that matched our vanity finish, we designated those for installation and opted to use the brown stash for waste.”
Daltile’s new Farrier collection of glazed ceramic wall tiles, shown here, has an old-world look with uneven surfaces, giving it handcrafted appeal. The six available colors reflect the trend of neutrals with the occasional burst of bold, such as the Blue Roan seen here. The tiles are available in squares and two rectangle options.
The soft glow emitted from a backlit mirror provides a contemporary look and a stylish alternative to nightlights. But backlit mirrors usually add more light to the wall than to your face, which is where you need it most. Therefore, consider adding sconces or pendants to both sides of a mirror for functional lighting. The round mirror in this Washington, D.C., bathroom by Design Milieu solves the problem with an LED frame that emits light onto your face while still giving the effect of being backlit.
Turning on lights in the middle of the night can be a hassle and an uncomfortable adjustment for your eyes. Instead, consider adding floor lights, such as built-in step lights or lights beneath a floating vanity. Their soft glow makes it easy to see where you’re going without having to turn on additional, glaring lights. Lights mounted to the bottom of this floating vanity in a Vancouver bathroom designed by Kenorah Design + Build help light the way for the homeowners at night.
acklighting illuminates shoulders and hair, making it easier to see clothing and shapes. This comes in handy around the vanity, so consider placing a light behind and above where you’ll be standing. A surface mount or semiflush-mount fixture with a frosted shade, such as the one featured in this Toronto bathroom by Custom CADD, will block glare and provide functional overhead lighting.
Once you’ve decided on the perfect light fixtures for the sides of your bathroom mirror, it’s important to get the height right. The exact height to hang your fixtures will depend on who uses the bathroom most. But a general rule is to hang the fixture at eye level, usually somewhere between 65 and 70 inches from the floor. The team at Zimal Contracting and Restorations hung two white pendant lights from the sloped ceiling of this bathroom in British Columbia.
Light fixtures, pendants or sconces on both sides of a mirror will bring diffuse, even lighting to your bathroom vanity. If you have a double vanity with one large mirror, consider adding a light to the middle of it. If you have a double vanity with two mirrors, as in this New York bathroom designed by Gertler & Wente Architects, add lights on both sides of each mirror. This way, two people can primp at the same time without hogging each other’s light.
“Originally we were going for natural white oak on the vanity, but to save on the budget my clients wound up opting for laminate,” Bastone says. “It’s a very high-end laminate and looks like the real thing. It didn’t take away from the design at all.” The drawer fronts are bookmatched, which means the grain pattern continues across the entire front of the vanity.
Bastone gave the double vanity a 5-inch apron for a more modern look. And she opted for drawers over cabinet doors. “I like to use drawers because they are easier to use than doors,” she says. The top drawers are U-shaped inside to accommodate the sinks’ P-traps. The bottom drawers are full-size. The inset slab drawers add to the modern look.
In the shower, the designer used 8-by-24-inch tiles on the walls and light blue small hexagonal tiles on the floor. “I loved the wall tile size because it isn’t standard. And something smaller would have looked too busy and competed with the herringbone floor tiles,” Bula says. “Also, there are fewer grout lines with a larger tile, so it’s easier to clean.” She added the same hexagonal tiles used on the shower floor to the back of the shower niche. She also added a small niche below it that makes washing and shaving legs easier.
This shower has a wall-mounted rain shower head, a handheld shower head and a ceiling-mounted rain shower head, so it really gives them that luxe spa feeling,” Bula says. She also notes that she placed all the valves next to the shower door so the user can turn on the water without getting wet. Another detail worth noting is the shower door handle. The door swings both ways, and the 20-inch handle on the outside doubles as a towel bar. It allows the user to grab a towel after showering without having to step outside the stall.
Curbless showers have been a popular bathroom feature for a while. Often the shower flooring is tile in a smaller size or different material than the main flooring, to provide a nonslip surface in the wet area. But more recently, many designers are running that mosaic tile continuously through the entire bathroom, including the curbless shower area. This approach further enhances the sleek, streamlined effect of a curbless shower design, extends the nonslip surface and helps a small space appear larger than it is.
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.”
Adding a small foot ledge for shaving is another option that works well, and it can be installed in an existing shower at a lower cost than a built-in shaving niche. “Foot ledges are a great option for functionality and safety when shaving in the shower,” says bathroom remodeler Carly Gockeler of KraftMaster Renovations. “They take up minimal space and use corners wisely. They allow for the user to rest their foot on the ledge to help them balance while shaving, reducing the potential for falls and slips.”
Bathroom designer Leah Dunne of Kate Roos Design says the versatility of a hand shower is hard to beat. “Besides the obvious ease of use for rinsing off in the shower, it’s also great for cleaning pets, kids or the shower itself,” she says. “It’s a useful feature that enhances the function of any type of shower, from a simple shower-tub combo to a large spa-style shower.”
In this clean-lined bathroom in Sydney, Australia, HecticrAt Architects installed a wall-hung toilet and vanity and a barrier-free, frameless glass shower. The uninterrupted expanse of floor makes the roughly 5-by-9-foot bathroom appear clean, modern and larger than it is. Meanwhile, a skylight washes the pale gray floor tile and white finger mosaic wall tiles in sunshine. And the vanity’s wormy chestnut adds a warm, earthy touch.
All the experts agree that the key is to list everything you’ll need and might need. Factor in the builder’s costs to do any reconfiguring, electrical, plumbing, tiling and decorating, plus the cost of the fixtures, Hoad says. “And don’t forget tiles, storage and accessories such as a toilet roll holder and shower shelf. “I recommend you create a spreadsheet,” Merry says. “List every item from the floor up — tedious, but I promise it will pay dividends. Levy says that if your water pressure isn’t strong enough for a big shower head, but you really want to have one, you can ask your builder to add a pump. But this will impact the budget too.
“A bathroom designer will know if it’s feasible to change your layout,” Levy says. “For instance, you may not be able to swap a bath for a low-level shower tray — it depends on the plumbing underneath, and sometimes you won’t know until you look behind the existing bath panel. Usually, however, you can raise the shower tray on a small step to allow the appropriate slope in the waste.” Hoad says that to some extent, how much you can change a layout will depend on whether you live in a house or an apartment, how it’s constructed (wood joisted floors or solid concrete slabs), where the existing soil pipes are and whether it’s feasible (economically and practically) to move them.
Two round polished chrome robe hooks to the side of the linen closet are mounted at a lower height so they can be accessed from a wheelchair if necessary. The vertical grab bar next to the shower bench is visible in the foreground, adding to the many elements that make this new bathroom highly functional as well as stylish.
The shower floor features smaller slate-colored 2-by-2-inch mosaic tiles that provide contrast and good grip for wet feet. The 84-inch-wide curbless shower has a 42-inch-wide opening, with a linear drain between the bathroom floor and shower floor. A chrome hand shower with slide bar near the bench allows a user to sit and rinse.
Get away with combining similar-size tiles and busy patterns by choosing one matte style and one shiny. These high-gloss subway tiles on the vanity wall work beautifully with the matte finish hexagon floor tiles.
Use small statement tiles, such as these small glass tiles, to create a feature on a backsplash or another small area rather than across an entire room. Combine them with large-scale plain tiles and you’ll avoid a design that makes your eyes go funny.
A close-up photo of the shower floor shows its white penny round tiles and brass drain cover with an intricate pattern. “We found a pattern for the drain cover that complements the mosaic floor tile,” Jacobson. “I love to add those little details that really elevate a space.” There’s a small (2-inch) drop down from the bathroom floor to the shower floor, which Jacobson likes to add to all her bathroom projects to help keep water contained in the shower area.
“You’ll reduce your expenditure by purchasing a product that’s been on display in a showroom but is unlikely to be damaged,” Ghaly says. “Clearance items will also save you a lot. These may include discontinued items, so it’s stock that bathroom retailers need to get rid of and will offer at a reduced price.
Bear in mind that bathroom pros often get the best deals. It’s in the interest of suppliers, including brick-and-mortar showrooms and online distributors, to nurture relationships with bulk buyers, Wedgbury says. “Discounts, favors and offers all help to provide the end customer with plenty of options.” Work with a bathroom remodeler
If you want to avoid expensive mistakes, getting the floor plan right is rule No. 1. “Ask your [bathroom pro] for suggestions and opinions as to what might work before you get your heart set on a layout, product or idea that can’t be realized — either at all or within a sensible budget,” Justin Wedgbury of Flush Fitting says. “I’ve been to houses where people have bought shower enclosures that totally dominate a room and leave tiny spaces to sidestep around, or devised a layout that means the door hits the basin when opened.
Also look at the entry-level ranges by quality bathroom manufacturers, as you’ll often get better materials for less money,” Baker adds.
Also look at the entry-level ranges by quality bathroom manufacturers, as you’ll often get better materials for less money,” Baker adds.
Porcelain is also much more durable than natural stone, and less prone to cracking and chipping, and it doesn’t require regular sealing to stop it staining,” he adds. “Go for a [through-body] porcelain tile, which means your tiler will be able to polish the edges instead of using unsightly trims.”
When it comes to tile prices, Ghaly says, ceramic tiles are generally cheaper. “Imitation tiles — marble-look, for example — can be inexpensive yet will give your bathroom a similar luxury look and feel like the real thing.”
Specify Clear Goals in a Contract Avoid a long list of annoying jobs at the end of your project — which will cost extra — by drawing up a clear contract at the start. Know where you stand so that you can budget accordingly. “Make sure it’s written down by the company or by you and agreed which tasks will be done,” Wedgbury says. The 4 Potentially Most Expensive Words in Remodeling
Dispense with the shower shelf and opt for a niche instead,” Teune says. “It provides a neat, practical spot to store shampoos and soap, and it won’t encroach on your standing space in the shower. Plus, a niche creates a far more sophisticated and streamlined look.”
When it comes to a bathroom remodel, you do not want iffy waterproofing. Trust me, when it comes to your budget, this is where you should invest. Do it right the first time by working with trained and certified waterproofing contractors.
Here, Etch Design Group mixed matte white picket wall tile on the shower walls with penny tiles on the shower floor and hexagonal tiles on the main floor, establishing a diverse visual palette supported by brass plumbing fixtures and a royal blue vanity. The smart moves with tile helped the design firm earn a Best of Houzz Design award for this Austin, Texas, bathroom. It is also one of the top 10 bathrooms of 2019.
Alcove shower - small modern 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and white floor alcove shower idea in Orange County with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops - Houzz
the mirror is in a lighted recess that eliminates the need for sconces; and there’s no shower door (the shower head is high and angled to keep water where it belongs).
On the floors and side walls, geometric tiles and contrasting grout have a retro flair, and the vanity has a clean-lined white quartz countertop and tapered legs characteristic of midcentury furniture.
The bench and side wall have a wood frame that was waterproofed and clad on all sides with ¾-inch engineered quartz.
After: The spacious curbless shower gives the couple a roomy, spa-like experience. The single-sink vanity and storage tower to the left of it maximize storage in the same general footprint. Heated flooring allowed the couple to ditch the radiator. A towel bar now hangs on the wall in the same area. “I feel like we tripled or quadrupled our storage space,” Chin says. “The bathroom also has a more personal feel and a lot of color and uniqueness but is still very calming.”
A tiled shelf on the bottom of the niche allows Chin to prop up a foot while shaving her legs.
A shower niche with four tempered glass shelves keeps shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap off the shower floor.
Large (24-by-24-inch) textured steel blue porcelain tiles wrap the shower walls and feature varying tones and shapes. “The blue of these tiles is like water and complements the orange-yellow bamboo tones,” Herbert says. Blue penny round mosaic tiles line the shower floor. The shower includes a rain shower head and a wall-mounted hand shower in matte black.
“This house was 24 years old, and so was its bathroom fan. Older fans are ineffective and don’t extract allergens and moisture like they should,” she says. “It’s so easy for mold to build up. Even a subtle amount can create poor indoor air quality.” In general, Freeman recommends fans that are Energy Star-rated and have a CFM (the amount of air movement measured in cubic feet per minute) of 80 or higher. “I like specifying the Broan-NuTone light-and-fan combo units — as a combo it provides a cleaner look in the ceiling, especially in small bathrooms,” she says.
Before you start, consider collecting products and tools used on a daily basis for bathing, hairstyling, teeth cleaning, nail care, shaving and skincare. Include frequently used makeup, eye care products and a few cleaning products. Corral items into a basket or other container and relocate them to use elsewhere.
The one-piece toilet is the dual-flush O Jazz model from Kollezi. It has a simple curved skirt that makes it easy to clean. Other details include an elegant LED light bar over the mirror, chrome plumbing fixtures and a pair of nature-inspired prints purchased at an online shop that Khuong framed in wood. Read more about this bathroom remodel
he homeowners shared inspiration photos that featured lots of elegant Carrara marble. This provided a strong jumping-off point. Khuong was able to get the look for less by sourcing digitally printed large-format porcelain tiles that looked like marble. She carefully matched up the veining patterns in the 36-by-36-inch tiles to give the shower surround the look of large continuous marble slabs. Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop Ke Design Collective Inc. With the shower door placement dictated by the location of the toilet and a budget that didn’t have room for thermal controls outside of the stall, Khuong had to get creative. She chose a shower fixture with a handheld unit. The homeowners can divert the water flow to the handheld before getting in the shower so they don’t get soaked by cold water.
Urrutia Design used a frameless glass enclosure for this Greenbrae, California, bathroom, which won a 2014 Best of Houzz design award. The ⅜-inch tempered glass helps visually enlarge the 5-by-10-foot space and put emphasis on the gray 2-by-8½-inch glass tiles on the back shower wall. The side walls and wainscoting are the same tile in a white finish. White Carrara marble floor tile and countertop and a white custom vanity also lighten the look.
A low-profile barrier can create a safe entry point to a shower. But a short curb can also help lighten the look and feel of a space, which is especially important when square footage is limited. Plus, the airy look frees up visual space to allow tile and other stylish details to stand out more. Here, design and remodeling pros share how they used a low-curb shower to create a fresh and open look in a midsize bathroom.
Same bathroom with overhead lights
Note the sink and counter
Note hooks but not much use as grab bars
I like the clean, linear look here.
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