Airy Primary Bathroom Makes a Serene Private Retreat
A new ground-floor addition gives an empty nester a spa-like bathroom with a floating wood vanity and a curbless shower
This empty-nest homeowner loves the scenic setting of her Cape Cod-style home in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. But as she entered a new chapter of life, she wanted to update the house for her changing needs and make room for extended visits from her grown children, who live far away.
She hired designer Kelly Taylor to help her create calm and sophisticated interiors. Taylor brought in Jonathan Chambers Architects to spearhead a new ground-floor addition that includes this spa-like primary bathroom. An airy and open layout features a floating wood vanity, freestanding concrete tub and an inviting curbless shower behind a custom glass enclosure. A mix of soft colors inspired by the water outside and touches of texture also highlight this soothing space that gives the homeowner her own private oasis.
She hired designer Kelly Taylor to help her create calm and sophisticated interiors. Taylor brought in Jonathan Chambers Architects to spearhead a new ground-floor addition that includes this spa-like primary bathroom. An airy and open layout features a floating wood vanity, freestanding concrete tub and an inviting curbless shower behind a custom glass enclosure. A mix of soft colors inspired by the water outside and touches of texture also highlight this soothing space that gives the homeowner her own private oasis.
The shower includes a fixed shower head, a rain shower (not shown) and a spray wand, all in polished nickel. The wand is positioned near the bench for easy use while seated. The walls feature 2-by-8-inch ribbed field tiles in a glossy rice paper color. “I love the texture on those tiles,” Taylor says. “Because of the way the glaze hits the individual ribs, you can see how varied the tile looks.”
Taylor custom-designed the shower bench from the same quartzite used on the vanity countertop. “We love a floating bench, but when you have glass on one side of your shower, there’s no way to anchor the stone there,” Taylor says. “This is a technique we use where our stone fabricator miters this in one piece, then they set it into the tile to help keep it structurally sound.” A shallow ledge in the same quartzite spans the width of the shower, providing convenient storage for hair and body products.
Shower walls: Savoy Ribbed Field Tile in Ricepaper, 2 by 8 inches, Ann Sacks
10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By
Taylor custom-designed the shower bench from the same quartzite used on the vanity countertop. “We love a floating bench, but when you have glass on one side of your shower, there’s no way to anchor the stone there,” Taylor says. “This is a technique we use where our stone fabricator miters this in one piece, then they set it into the tile to help keep it structurally sound.” A shallow ledge in the same quartzite spans the width of the shower, providing convenient storage for hair and body products.
Shower walls: Savoy Ribbed Field Tile in Ricepaper, 2 by 8 inches, Ann Sacks
10 Aging-in-Place Features Pros Swear By
A 72-inch freestanding concrete bathtub in an ash-colored finish has a thick construction that helps insulate the water, keeping it warm during a long soak. A drum-style chandelier with a corrugated cast-metal frame, polished nickel finish and natural Spanish alabaster diffuser provides a sculptural focal point overhead. The fixture is on a dimmer, allowing the homeowner to adjust the light as needed. “We had a cathedral ceiling, so I’m not a big fan of recessed lighting on a pitched ceiling,” Taylor says. “We felt like in this room, the only place we needed a lot of light was at the vanity. For the rest of the bathroom, a soft, warm light made sense.”
Abundant windows with custom faux-wood blinds provide natural light and privacy as needed. A valance in a printed cotton satin with a modern botanical pattern brings pattern to the windows.
Tub: Avalon in Ash, 72 inches, Native Trails; chandelier: Lynden in polished nickel, Hudson Valley Lighting Group; paint colors: Perspective (walls) and Chantilly Lace (ceiling and trim), Benjamin Moore
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
Abundant windows with custom faux-wood blinds provide natural light and privacy as needed. A valance in a printed cotton satin with a modern botanical pattern brings pattern to the windows.
Tub: Avalon in Ash, 72 inches, Native Trails; chandelier: Lynden in polished nickel, Hudson Valley Lighting Group; paint colors: Perspective (walls) and Chantilly Lace (ceiling and trim), Benjamin Moore
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
The modern tub filler has soft curves and a polished nickel finish that matches the vanity sink faucet. It offers a high flow rate for quickly filling the tub and includes a single-function hand shower for rinsing off or cleaning the tub.
Nearby, a hard-wired ladder-style towel warmer in polished stainless steel keeps towels warm and within easy reach. “I have used this towel warmer several times,” Taylor says. “There are lots of windows in this bathroom, and you have to think where you’re going to hang your towels. These dry your towels so they don’t get musty and smell.”
Towel rack: Jeeves Model A, Amba Products
5 Home Design Trends Pros Say Have Staying Power in 2026
Nearby, a hard-wired ladder-style towel warmer in polished stainless steel keeps towels warm and within easy reach. “I have used this towel warmer several times,” Taylor says. “There are lots of windows in this bathroom, and you have to think where you’re going to hang your towels. These dry your towels so they don’t get musty and smell.”
Towel rack: Jeeves Model A, Amba Products
5 Home Design Trends Pros Say Have Staying Power in 2026
The compact bathroom layout makes room for a spacious shower (top left), floating vanity and bench (bottom left) and freestanding tub (bottom). A dedicated water closet (top right) includes a separate toilet and bidet. “I’m most proud of how happy she is with everything,” Taylor says. “The problem in this case was not having a bathroom of her own. This gives her a place that was calm and exactly how she wanted it.”
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find home professionals
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find home professionals
Sponsored
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty nester
Location: Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Architect: Jonathan Chambers Architects
Designer: Kelly Taylor of Rocksalt Studio
The primary bathroom was designed as a retreat for the homeowner. “Before this addition, the primary bedroom was upstairs and shared a bathroom with two other bedrooms,” Taylor says.
A custom rift-sawn white oak floating vanity brings warmth to the airy space. All-drawer storage keeps bathroom essentials within easy reach, while a cushioned bench provides a comfortable spot to sit. “She can sit down to put on her robe or paint her fingernails,” Taylor says. A gap between the vanity’s upper and lower drawers helps the bench and vanity look cohesive. The vanity is topped with Madreperola quartzite, a pearl-toned natural stone from Brazil with gray, white and taupe undertones. Polished nickel pulls, a faucet and other details add a refined touch.
An LED mirror provides task lighting as well as a gentle glow at night. A pair of hand-blown, flush-mount glass sconces flank the mirror, bringing light to eye level for applying makeup and other grooming tasks. “We didn’t want something frosted or opaque there,” Taylor says. “If you see them really close, you see the glass is ribbed. They add softness and texture to the room.”
The reflection in the mirror offers a glimpse of the homeowner’s walk-in closet. “The closet becomes the segue between the primary bedroom to the bathroom,” Taylor says.
On the right, a curbless shower entry provides easy access for the homeowner and a seamless transition for the textured 12-by-24-inch Bambusa Bianco porcelain floor tile.
Sconces: Trumpet sconce, Tracy Glover Studio; faucet: Lombardia in polished nickel, Rohl; vanity hardware: Emerson drawer pull in polished nickel, Rejuvenation
Find home design and building pros on Houzz