Bathroom Design
Inside Houzz
A 45-Square-Foot Bathroom Gets Suave Style and a Steam Shower
A designer uses a Houzz vanity to inspire a transformation of her teenage boys’ bathroom into a contemporary spa retreat
Texas designer Jennifer Kizzee’s two teenage boys were ready for an updated bathroom that could grow with them into adulthood. “Besides being unappealing, the shower-tub combo lacked functionality and personality,” Kizzee says of the former space. “Additionally, there were issues with the window, ventilation and water pressure that gave us more reasons to transform it into a whole bath experience.”
Kizzee ditched the shower-tub combo for a spacious new low-curb shower with a steam function. She used a weathered wood floating vanity from Houzz with a gray stone-look countertop as her starting point for creating a moody, contemporary style. Black marble-look porcelain wall tiles create a dramatic backdrop and coordinate with other bold black details. Slatted wood-look tile in the shower adds visual texture and interest. Two additional tile looks maximize style in the 45-square-foot space.
Kizzee ditched the shower-tub combo for a spacious new low-curb shower with a steam function. She used a weathered wood floating vanity from Houzz with a gray stone-look countertop as her starting point for creating a moody, contemporary style. Black marble-look porcelain wall tiles create a dramatic backdrop and coordinate with other bold black details. Slatted wood-look tile in the shower adds visual texture and interest. Two additional tile looks maximize style in the 45-square-foot space.
Kizzee used Houzz Pro business software to manage the project and help visualize her ideas. “We started putting it all together, creating Mood Boards [shown here], creating renderings, utilizing all the tools on Houzz that allow us to be able to see it all together,” she says. “And once we did that, you know, we were ready to roll and ready to start hammering things down.”
Using a wall-mounted vanity allowed Kizzee to run floor tile underneath to visually expand the narrow footprint of the bathroom. It also makes it easier to keep the floor clean.
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
Kizzee replaced the shower-tub combo arrangement with a roomy new low-curb shower. The shower includes a steam function, and Kizzee installed a floor-to-ceiling glass divider to contain the steam. Black grid details elevate the look.
“We wanted to make it a little more modern than your typical shower glass,” Kizzee says. “So we designed this metal striping to run horizontally and dividing the whole shower glass in three sections.” The glass divider also helps visually expand the space, allowing the eye to be drawn to the length of the room rather than its width.
The main floor tile and shower curb are gray stone-look glazed porcelain. The shower flooring and ceiling are gray-toned glazed ceramic mosaic. “It felt modern and masculine for the boys,” Kizzee says. “We also utilized it in the shower ceiling to function as a moisture barrier for the steam feature.”
Shower floor and ceiling tile: Savoy Classic Mosaics in Driftwood, large, Ann Sacks; main floor tile: Paradiso Argento, Anatolia; robe hooks: Montero, Allied Brass; wall paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
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“We wanted to make it a little more modern than your typical shower glass,” Kizzee says. “So we designed this metal striping to run horizontally and dividing the whole shower glass in three sections.” The glass divider also helps visually expand the space, allowing the eye to be drawn to the length of the room rather than its width.
The main floor tile and shower curb are gray stone-look glazed porcelain. The shower flooring and ceiling are gray-toned glazed ceramic mosaic. “It felt modern and masculine for the boys,” Kizzee says. “We also utilized it in the shower ceiling to function as a moisture barrier for the steam feature.”
Shower floor and ceiling tile: Savoy Classic Mosaics in Driftwood, large, Ann Sacks; main floor tile: Paradiso Argento, Anatolia; robe hooks: Montero, Allied Brass; wall paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
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Slatted wood-look tile on two shower walls adds warmth and visual texture. “To achieve a spa-like design, an organic element like this wood slatted tile was incorporated into the shower to seamlessly blend with all elements,” Kizzee says. In addition to steam, the shower features a rain shower head and an adjustable hand shower.
Shower accent wall tile: Dash in Oak, Ottimo Ceramics; shower head: Axor; handheld and shower controls: Hansgrohe
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Shower accent wall tile: Dash in Oak, Ottimo Ceramics; shower head: Axor; handheld and shower controls: Hansgrohe
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The vanity area features slim tube pendant lights in two sizes, a medicine cabinet and a black faucet that coordinates with the black vanity hardware and painted bathroom door.
Pendant lights: Navada in small and medium, Eurofase Lighting; door paint: Black, Benjamin Moore
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Pendant lights: Navada in small and medium, Eurofase Lighting; door paint: Black, Benjamin Moore
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The medicine cabinet provides additional storage and includes LED lights.
Medicine cabinet: Maxstow, Kohler
Medicine cabinet: Maxstow, Kohler
Wall switches resemble toggle switches on retro audio equipment. “We definitely stepped out of our comfort zone with this bathroom design, but we are so happy and so thrilled with the outcome,” Kizzee says. “And I know I’m going to enjoy it and so are my boys.”
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A compact floating wood vanity from Houzz was the jumping-off point for Kizzee’s style choices. The weathered wood cabinet with drawer storage and gray stone-look integrated ceramic countertop and sink led to her choosing the bold black marble-look porcelain wall tiles that span the sink wall and run floor to ceiling. “I wanted to do something fun and something bold,” Kizzee says. “It really made a huge statement with all of that black porcelain tile, and it really made the vanity stand out.”
Vanity: Stowe, Mod; black wall tile: Anatolia
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