6 Small Bathrooms With Dramatic Walk-In Showers
In 65 square feet or less, these designers make big design statements using stylish tile and bold contrast
Walk-in showers are great for the obvious usefulness and ease they provide when it comes to showering. But in a relatively small space, they also offer a serious opportunity to create a big design statement. For one, showers are tall elements that typically stand at the end of a narrow room, making them natural focal points. Wrapping a shower space in a compact bathroom won’t eat up a ton of the budget either. That means you can create a dramatic focal point with relatively little money and effort. And that’s exactly what the following designers did with these statement-making walk-in showers.
2. Small Marble Tile in Herringbone Pattern
Designers: Liz Diseati (project manager) and VW Fowlkes (principal designer) of Fowlkes Studio
Location: New York City
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. A midcentury modern bathroom with a double vanity and a large shower. “The original layout had a small closet that was not very functional. We took over the closet space with the new layout to increase the size of the bathroom and allow room for a double vanity and a more generous shower,” designer VW Fowlkes says.
Main feature. Honed Calacatta Gold marble tile laid in a herringbone pattern on the shower walls.
Other special features. Custom walnut vanity. Custom steel shower bench topped with a marble slab that matches the vanity countertop. Matte black shower fixtures. Small matte black hexagonal floor tile.
Designer tip. “The custom vanity was made to look more like a piece of furniture, set off from the side wall with tapered legs,” Fowlkes says. “This softened the feeling of the room, with the walnut wood adding warmth to the black-and-white scheme.”
“Uh-oh” moment. The sink traps were originally installed so they protruded from the wall. They stopped the vanity drawers from sliding all the way back. “We had the plumber redo the traps so they fit tighter to the wall, and the cabinetmaker edited the upper drawer so it would notch around the plumbing, maintaining maximum storage,” Fowlkes says.
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Designers: Liz Diseati (project manager) and VW Fowlkes (principal designer) of Fowlkes Studio
Location: New York City
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. A midcentury modern bathroom with a double vanity and a large shower. “The original layout had a small closet that was not very functional. We took over the closet space with the new layout to increase the size of the bathroom and allow room for a double vanity and a more generous shower,” designer VW Fowlkes says.
Main feature. Honed Calacatta Gold marble tile laid in a herringbone pattern on the shower walls.
Other special features. Custom walnut vanity. Custom steel shower bench topped with a marble slab that matches the vanity countertop. Matte black shower fixtures. Small matte black hexagonal floor tile.
Designer tip. “The custom vanity was made to look more like a piece of furniture, set off from the side wall with tapered legs,” Fowlkes says. “This softened the feeling of the room, with the walnut wood adding warmth to the black-and-white scheme.”
“Uh-oh” moment. The sink traps were originally installed so they protruded from the wall. They stopped the vanity drawers from sliding all the way back. “We had the plumber redo the traps so they fit tighter to the wall, and the cabinetmaker edited the upper drawer so it would notch around the plumbing, maintaining maximum storage,” Fowlkes says.
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3. Handmade Tile That Looks Like Tree Bark
Designer: Danielle Loven of Vivid Interior
Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Size: 40 square feet (3.7 square meters); 5 by 8 feet
Homeowners’ request. Remove a bathtub and add a walk-in shower that would feature rustic textured tile that nods to the home’s wooded surrounding.
Main feature. Three-by-12-inch handmade shower tile that evokes the warmth of birch bark and worn wood. “It has a rustic and refined quality, adding timeless appeal and visual texture,” designer Danielle Loven says.
Other special features. The custom vanity is rift- and quarter-sawn white oak with a custom stain and a matte finish. The countertop is marble-look quartz. The floor is 19-by-19-inch porcelain tiles made to look like whitewashed parquet.
Designer tip. “The biggest thing is creating a sense of balance and connectivity to bring your eye through and around the space,” Loven says. “The darker-contrast grain in the floor tile and darker contrast on the shower tile coordinate with the vanity wood stain color and create visual balance and consistency between the contrasting materials.”
Collingwood wall paint: Benjamin Moore
Designer: Danielle Loven of Vivid Interior
Location: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Size: 40 square feet (3.7 square meters); 5 by 8 feet
Homeowners’ request. Remove a bathtub and add a walk-in shower that would feature rustic textured tile that nods to the home’s wooded surrounding.
Main feature. Three-by-12-inch handmade shower tile that evokes the warmth of birch bark and worn wood. “It has a rustic and refined quality, adding timeless appeal and visual texture,” designer Danielle Loven says.
Other special features. The custom vanity is rift- and quarter-sawn white oak with a custom stain and a matte finish. The countertop is marble-look quartz. The floor is 19-by-19-inch porcelain tiles made to look like whitewashed parquet.
Designer tip. “The biggest thing is creating a sense of balance and connectivity to bring your eye through and around the space,” Loven says. “The darker-contrast grain in the floor tile and darker contrast on the shower tile coordinate with the vanity wood stain color and create visual balance and consistency between the contrasting materials.”
Collingwood wall paint: Benjamin Moore
4. Marble Basket-Weave Tile
Designer: Laura Fox
Location: McLean, Virginia
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters); 5 by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a 1960s-era bathroom and its baby-blue tile, toilet and bathtub to create a brighter, more luxurious and elegant design with more storage.
Main feature. Honed Calacatta marble dot mosaic wall tile in a basket-weave pattern.
Other special features. Custom vanity with countertop tower linen storage. Honed Calacatta marble 12-by-24-inch floor tile. “The ornate antique mirror over the vanity was being used to hang baseball hats before I insisted on using it in the remodel,” designer Laura Fox says. “This became the driver of the new design — how to incorporate something so dated and over the top and make it feel fresh and super sophisticated.”
Alderly flush-mount light: E.F. Chapman collection, Visual Comfort; custom vanity: Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens; Revere Pewter wall paint: Benjamin Moore
Designer: Laura Fox
Location: McLean, Virginia
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters); 5 by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a 1960s-era bathroom and its baby-blue tile, toilet and bathtub to create a brighter, more luxurious and elegant design with more storage.
Main feature. Honed Calacatta marble dot mosaic wall tile in a basket-weave pattern.
Other special features. Custom vanity with countertop tower linen storage. Honed Calacatta marble 12-by-24-inch floor tile. “The ornate antique mirror over the vanity was being used to hang baseball hats before I insisted on using it in the remodel,” designer Laura Fox says. “This became the driver of the new design — how to incorporate something so dated and over the top and make it feel fresh and super sophisticated.”
Alderly flush-mount light: E.F. Chapman collection, Visual Comfort; custom vanity: Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens; Revere Pewter wall paint: Benjamin Moore
5. Black Hexagonal Floor Tile
Designer: Michele McIntyre
Location: Newport Beach, California
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This was new construction for an investor client, so I had complete creative freedom,” designer Michele McIntyre says. “However, it’s a guest bath visible from a walk to the powder room for all guests in the home, so I chose easy-on-the-eye yet interesting details.”
Main feature. Hexagonal shower floor tile. “It was the jumping-off point,” McIntyre says. “It gave the white subway some pop of fun without being too busy. The hex mirror and cabinet hardware followed.”
Other special features. “A black-and-white bath can look inexpensive, so I added the white oak vanity stained in a natural finish to bring in the hardwood floor color from the rest of the house,” McIntyre says. “It warmed up the space and added a touch of quality.”
Designer tip. “The subway tile was a budget-friendly way of keeping this small space light and bright, but can look cheaply done if you don’t add other elements with a quality look, like the wood-grain cabinetry, unique mirror, lighting and fixtures.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The biggest problem we had in this bath was the tilework,” McIntyre says. “The installer didn’t use black Schluter edges around the shampoo niche and sides with the black grout as the design specs indicated. Of course, no one wants to tear out newly installed tile, but that’s exactly what we did to stay consistent with our black-and-white look.”
Designer: Michele McIntyre
Location: Newport Beach, California
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This was new construction for an investor client, so I had complete creative freedom,” designer Michele McIntyre says. “However, it’s a guest bath visible from a walk to the powder room for all guests in the home, so I chose easy-on-the-eye yet interesting details.”
Main feature. Hexagonal shower floor tile. “It was the jumping-off point,” McIntyre says. “It gave the white subway some pop of fun without being too busy. The hex mirror and cabinet hardware followed.”
Other special features. “A black-and-white bath can look inexpensive, so I added the white oak vanity stained in a natural finish to bring in the hardwood floor color from the rest of the house,” McIntyre says. “It warmed up the space and added a touch of quality.”
Designer tip. “The subway tile was a budget-friendly way of keeping this small space light and bright, but can look cheaply done if you don’t add other elements with a quality look, like the wood-grain cabinetry, unique mirror, lighting and fixtures.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The biggest problem we had in this bath was the tilework,” McIntyre says. “The installer didn’t use black Schluter edges around the shampoo niche and sides with the black grout as the design specs indicated. Of course, no one wants to tear out newly installed tile, but that’s exactly what we did to stay consistent with our black-and-white look.”
6. Black Marble Tile
Designers: Morgan and Jamie Molitor of construction2style
Location: Elk River, Minnesota
Size: 42 square feet (3.9 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update a guest bathroom and free up space by removing the tub and large vanity and installing a walk-in shower and floating vanity.
Main feature. Black rectangular marble tile in a stacked pattern, creating an all-black wall.
Other special features. Custom floating oak wood vanity. Black porcelain hexagonal shower floor tile. White porcelain mosaic main-floor tile. “Since the space is small with no windows, we didn’t want to make it feel too dark,” designer Morgan Molitor says. “By putting in a glass half shower door, all-white floor and white walls, and incorporating pops of color through the decor, it helped keep the space open and bright. We also tied in the black tile with black crown molding to draw the eye up to the ceiling and around, which helped make the room feel larger than it is.”
Designer tip. “We’re all about bringing pieces into spaces that have meaning and purpose,” Molitor says. “When it came to the decor on the walls, it was all hand paintings that the homeowner’s grandma had made.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “We were undergoing a six-week challenge when taking on this bathroom remodel project,” Molitor says. “Due to permitting and inspections, which is in the beginning of the project and can sometimes take the longest, we had two weeks to go to finish this project when we just started laying the tile. Once tile goes in, typically it is another four to six weeks before a bathroom project is wrapped up. So what did we do? We pulled all-nighters for those last two weeks to ensure we hit our deadline — and we did.”
More on Houzz
5 Ways With a 5-by-8-Foot Bathroom
Before and After: 9 Small-Bathroom Makeovers That Wow
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for matte black shower heads
Designers: Morgan and Jamie Molitor of construction2style
Location: Elk River, Minnesota
Size: 42 square feet (3.9 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update a guest bathroom and free up space by removing the tub and large vanity and installing a walk-in shower and floating vanity.
Main feature. Black rectangular marble tile in a stacked pattern, creating an all-black wall.
Other special features. Custom floating oak wood vanity. Black porcelain hexagonal shower floor tile. White porcelain mosaic main-floor tile. “Since the space is small with no windows, we didn’t want to make it feel too dark,” designer Morgan Molitor says. “By putting in a glass half shower door, all-white floor and white walls, and incorporating pops of color through the decor, it helped keep the space open and bright. We also tied in the black tile with black crown molding to draw the eye up to the ceiling and around, which helped make the room feel larger than it is.”
Designer tip. “We’re all about bringing pieces into spaces that have meaning and purpose,” Molitor says. “When it came to the decor on the walls, it was all hand paintings that the homeowner’s grandma had made.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “We were undergoing a six-week challenge when taking on this bathroom remodel project,” Molitor says. “Due to permitting and inspections, which is in the beginning of the project and can sometimes take the longest, we had two weeks to go to finish this project when we just started laying the tile. Once tile goes in, typically it is another four to six weeks before a bathroom project is wrapped up. So what did we do? We pulled all-nighters for those last two weeks to ensure we hit our deadline — and we did.”
More on Houzz
5 Ways With a 5-by-8-Foot Bathroom
Before and After: 9 Small-Bathroom Makeovers That Wow
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for matte black shower heads
Designer: Brooke Brown of L&B
Location: Houston
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner wanted this main floor bathroom to wow her guests the moment they walked in,” designer Brooke Brown says. “The brass fixtures soften and warm up the sharp black-and-white contrast, which creates a timeless yet modern space.”
Main feature. Black limestone shower tile in herringbone pattern with white grout.
Other special features. Porcelain countertop. Custom-made metal mirror. “The cement floor tile ties in the entire color palette,” Brown says.
Designer tip. “When discussing the architectural plans for this home, we decided to make this bathroom into a full bath by adding the shower, making a nearby bedroom more functional for guests,” Brown says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “Originally we had planned to buy a mirror to go in between the sconces, but after installing the light fixtures, the space in between was too small for a purchased mirror,” Brown says. “We solved the problem by having our metal and glass fabricators create a custom mirror and install the lights on top.”
Purist sink faucet in brushed gold: Kohler