Bathroom of the Week: Bright Spa Feel With an Airy Layout
A designer renovates a couple’s bathroom to create more openness and a soothing style inspired by Houzz photos
Mike and Jessica Beckman of Ladera Ranch, California, enjoyed working with designer James Bailey three years ago when they updated the first floor of their 20-year-old, two-story Craftsman-style home. So when the couple were ready to ditch their upstairs bathroom’s dark enclosed shower, basic oak vanity and aging jetted tub, they went straight to Bailey for help in rethinking the space.
Bailey listened to the couple’s needs, looked at their inspiration photos on Houzz and responded with a more modern and open spa-like space with a floating double vanity, glass-enclosed low-curb shower, custom linen cabinet and a freestanding tub accented with a stone pebble tile “shadow.”
Bailey listened to the couple’s needs, looked at their inspiration photos on Houzz and responded with a more modern and open spa-like space with a floating double vanity, glass-enclosed low-curb shower, custom linen cabinet and a freestanding tub accented with a stone pebble tile “shadow.”
After: Bailey stripped the bathroom, removing the enclosed shower, built-in tub, makeup area and vanity.
Photos the couple found on Houzz inspired the new soothing, spa-like look. “We are always on Houzz, looking for photos and ideas,” Mike says. “We would save some photos and show them to [Bailey], so he would have a better sense of what we were looking for.”
Porcelain tiles in various cuts, sizes and finishes cover the floor, shower walls and wall behind the tub. The new heated floor is covered in 24-by-24-inch tiles that resemble striated stone or wood grain. A matte finish adds grip. The wall behind the tub is stone-look polished porcelain tile in a herringbone pattern. The same tile was used in the shower but in a different size and in a brick pattern. “I love porcelain tiles, especially these days with all the colors and patterns,” Bailey says. “They’re super durable and low-maintenance.”
The more streamlined layout includes an airy frameless glass shower enclosure with a low-curb entrance and a freestanding tub that sits on a natural stone pebble tile “shadow.” The shower floor features the same tile, making the space feel cohesive. “That was [Bailey’s] idea, and it really highlighted that area,” Mike says.
A new window features rain glass for privacy.
Tile under tub and on shower floor: Cultura Spring, Emser Tile
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Photos the couple found on Houzz inspired the new soothing, spa-like look. “We are always on Houzz, looking for photos and ideas,” Mike says. “We would save some photos and show them to [Bailey], so he would have a better sense of what we were looking for.”
Porcelain tiles in various cuts, sizes and finishes cover the floor, shower walls and wall behind the tub. The new heated floor is covered in 24-by-24-inch tiles that resemble striated stone or wood grain. A matte finish adds grip. The wall behind the tub is stone-look polished porcelain tile in a herringbone pattern. The same tile was used in the shower but in a different size and in a brick pattern. “I love porcelain tiles, especially these days with all the colors and patterns,” Bailey says. “They’re super durable and low-maintenance.”
The more streamlined layout includes an airy frameless glass shower enclosure with a low-curb entrance and a freestanding tub that sits on a natural stone pebble tile “shadow.” The shower floor features the same tile, making the space feel cohesive. “That was [Bailey’s] idea, and it really highlighted that area,” Mike says.
A new window features rain glass for privacy.
Tile under tub and on shower floor: Cultura Spring, Emser Tile
Shop for freestanding bathtubs
Before: The couple felt it was time for the basic oak vanity and tile countertop to go. “We knew we wanted a flat surface without grout lines,” Mike says.
After: A semicustom floating double vanity has a durable marble-look quartz countertop and backsplash. “I like quartz in general for kitchens and baths,” Bailey says. “It doesn’t stain, it’s easy to clean, and the colors mimic natural stone without having all the maintenance issues.”
The quarter-sawn oak cabinet has a warm graphite stain that picks up on other grays in the room. Matte black hardware coordinates with matte black plumbing fixtures and other black details. Undercabinet lighting adds to the floating effect.
All of the recessed ceiling lights, undercabinet lighting and sconces are on dimmers.
Vanity hardware: Lily, Top Knobs
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The quarter-sawn oak cabinet has a warm graphite stain that picks up on other grays in the room. Matte black hardware coordinates with matte black plumbing fixtures and other black details. Undercabinet lighting adds to the floating effect.
All of the recessed ceiling lights, undercabinet lighting and sconces are on dimmers.
Vanity hardware: Lily, Top Knobs
Shop for floating double vanities
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The vanity’s two concrete vessel sinks with a slate finish have a soft rectangular shape, for an organic look. Wall-mounted faucets help keep the counters clean and uncluttered.
The large custom mirror has a thin black metal frame that coordinates with the vanity hardware. Pop-out electrical outlets flank the mirror.
Vessel sink: Nipomo in Slate, Native Trails
The large custom mirror has a thin black metal frame that coordinates with the vanity hardware. Pop-out electrical outlets flank the mirror.
Vessel sink: Nipomo in Slate, Native Trails
Two floating shelves in the same wood and finish as the vanity store clean towels and offer display space for decorative items.
Marble mosaic tile backs a recessed niche above the tub. “It’s an accent to the rest of the wall,” Bailey says. “It gives you that horizontal symmetry with the floating shelves to the right.”
The same marble mosaic tile backs a niche in the shower. And, as mentioned, Bailey used the same porcelain tile as he did behind the tub but switched up the format and pattern for the shower. “I didn’t want to do something totally different, since I was going for cohesion,” he says. “We wanted to keep the material the same, because it helps the room feel larger, but the changing of the pattern adds interest.”
Two matte black robe hooks mounted on the shower glass keep robes and towels handy.
Two matte black robe hooks mounted on the shower glass keep robes and towels handy.
Bailey replaced the unusable makeup counter with a linen storage cabinet that sits off the floor. “We did that linen cabinet as a floating cabinet, so it helps the bathroom look and feel larger,” he says.
Doors open to reveal a pullout laundry hamper to keep dirty clothes off the floor. “It’s one of the details that makes this bathroom more functional,” Bailey says.
The door to the left leads to the water closet, which was also updated.
“My wife works very hard and deserves a place to relax,” Mike says. “We wanted a more spa-like bathroom, and we were able to do that. It’s probably our favorite part of the house now.”
More on Houzz
10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Shower
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Browse bathroom photos
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The door to the left leads to the water closet, which was also updated.
“My wife works very hard and deserves a place to relax,” Mike says. “We wanted a more spa-like bathroom, and we were able to do that. It’s probably our favorite part of the house now.”
More on Houzz
10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Shower
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Mike and Jessica Beckman and their granddaughter
Location: Ladera Ranch, California
Size: 130 square feet (12 square meters)
Design-build: James Bailey of Sea Pointe Construction
Before: In the former bathroom, the fully enclosed shower made for a dark and depressing experience. The heavy use of beige and brown throughout the room also brought the energy down. The large built-in jetted tub took up lots of space and sat beneath a window looking directly at a neighbor’s home, giving the couple little privacy.
On the left, an unusable makeup area seemed squeezed between the shower and the water closet as an afterthought. “It was just dated and beige, with no flair to it,” Mike says. “I wanted my wife to have a spa-like bathroom.”
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