Bathroom of the Week: Fresh Take on an Old Layout
A walled-off, outdated bath is transformed with an open plan, custom walnut vanity and soothing neutrals
This retired empty nester loves living solo in her single-story San Jose, California, home. But her primary bathroom was a puzzle gone wrong. The chopped-up layout had a small white vanity opposite a walled-off space that included the toilet and a cramped shower. A lack of storage, paired with outdated finishes — such as plain white square tiles on the shower walls and floor — added to the uninspired feel.
The homeowner turned to design-build firm May Construction, bringing along an ideabook of Houzz photos for inspiration. The team removed the walls around the shower and toilet, tore out the old fixtures and combined the spaces into one open, serene layout. The result is a generously sized shower, a custom walnut vanity with tower storage and a soothing neutral palette that transforms the bathroom into the calm, private retreat the owner had been dreaming of.
The homeowner turned to design-build firm May Construction, bringing along an ideabook of Houzz photos for inspiration. The team removed the walls around the shower and toilet, tore out the old fixtures and combined the spaces into one open, serene layout. The result is a generously sized shower, a custom walnut vanity with tower storage and a soothing neutral palette that transforms the bathroom into the calm, private retreat the owner had been dreaming of.
After: The remodeling team tore out the floor, shower, toilet and vanity. By removing the walls and door to the shower and toilet area, they opened up the space, creating a light, airy layout. Clearing out the freestanding cabinet made room for a longer, locally crafted walnut vanity. The stylish piece has a protective finish and a tower cabinet for linen storage. “She wanted something more timeless,” Gutto says. “She really wanted the walnut cabinetry. She wanted something that would last forever and stand the test of time.”
The vanity includes a rectangular undermount white sink paired with a widespread faucet in glamorous brushed gold. A Taj Mahal quartzite counter and backsplash, with creamy beige tones and a leathered finish, completes the look. “She didn’t want something so polished that would show water spots and things,” Gutto says.
Paint colors: Cedar Key (walls) and Swiss Coffee (trim), Benjamin Moore
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The vanity includes a rectangular undermount white sink paired with a widespread faucet in glamorous brushed gold. A Taj Mahal quartzite counter and backsplash, with creamy beige tones and a leathered finish, completes the look. “She didn’t want something so polished that would show water spots and things,” Gutto says.
Paint colors: Cedar Key (walls) and Swiss Coffee (trim), Benjamin Moore
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The tower cabinet, with adjustable shelves, gives the homeowner the storage she wanted for linens and other bathroom essentials. It also includes built-in electrical outlets for hair appliances. “She had all that makeshift storage before,” Gutto says. “This allows her to tuck everything away, so it looks neat and clean.”
Above the vanity, a rectangular frameless pivot mirror has oil-rubbed bronze hardware, while a four-light fixture in satin brass and new recessed LED ceiling lights brighten the space.
Mirror: Eastmoreland frameless wide rectangle pivot mirror in oil-rubbed bronze, Rejuvenation; vanity light: Belcarra in satin brass, Studio collection, Visual Comfort
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Above the vanity, a rectangular frameless pivot mirror has oil-rubbed bronze hardware, while a four-light fixture in satin brass and new recessed LED ceiling lights brighten the space.
Mirror: Eastmoreland frameless wide rectangle pivot mirror in oil-rubbed bronze, Rejuvenation; vanity light: Belcarra in satin brass, Studio collection, Visual Comfort
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Before: The shower stall was cramped, with a basic shower pan and plain white square tiles that did little to enliven the space. Its only saving grace was the 22-by-36-inch window. “You never want to give up natural light,” Gutto says. “We designed around that existing window.”
After: The new open layout let the team triple the shower’s footprint. The enclosure features clear tempered glass with a satin brass handle for a clean, modern look. Inside, 5-by-5-inch ivory ceramic tiles with a glossy, tone-varied finish wrap the shower walls and both sides of the pony wall. “We mixed in different textured tiles to add more interest to the bathroom and inside the shower,” Gutto says.
The team cleverly added a niche on the pony wall beside the new smart bidet toilet, along with another niche inside the shower. “It gives her that extra storage,” Gutto says. “It’s all about storage, storage and storage for her.” Large 12-by-24-inch beige porcelain floor tiles with a matte finish and coordinating grout complete the soothing neutral palette, tying the whole room together.
Shower wall tiles: Enso collection, Wow
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The team cleverly added a niche on the pony wall beside the new smart bidet toilet, along with another niche inside the shower. “It gives her that extra storage,” Gutto says. “It’s all about storage, storage and storage for her.” Large 12-by-24-inch beige porcelain floor tiles with a matte finish and coordinating grout complete the soothing neutral palette, tying the whole room together.
Shower wall tiles: Enso collection, Wow
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The shower has a wall-mounted shower head and a handheld shower on a slide bar, both in brushed gold. “We really wanted to mix the metals in this bathroom for interest,” Gutto says. Brown hexagonal glass tiles with a matte finish cover the shower floor, adding subtle contrast and texture.
The niche keeps hair and body products neatly off the floor. “And you’re not putting them on top of the pony wall,” Gutto says.
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The niche keeps hair and body products neatly off the floor. “And you’re not putting them on top of the pony wall,” Gutto says.
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The shower’s pressure-balanced valve was placed on the pony wall beside the niche, allowing the homeowner to turn on the water without getting wet. A new space-saving pocket door separates the bathroom from the primary bedroom. “This makes the bathroom more private,” Gutto says. “Even though she lives alone, it’s important.”
With its improved flow, added storage and soothing palette, the bathroom now provides the calm, spa-like retreat the homeowner wanted. “The style is no longer a tract home,” Gutto says.
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With its improved flow, added storage and soothing palette, the bathroom now provides the calm, spa-like retreat the homeowner wanted. “The style is no longer a tract home,” Gutto says.
More on Houzz
Read more stories
Browse photos for ideas
Find a home professional
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired empty nester
Location: San Jose, California
Size: 63 square feet (5.9 square meters)
Design-build firm: May Construction
Before: The basic bathroom had a vinyl floor and a white vanity coated in three layers of paint, with barely any storage. The homeowner resorted to wire shelves on one wall for her makeup and other small items, and added a freestanding cabinet by the vanity for extra storage. “She had a desire to go to a custom cabinetmaker because of her need for storage,” says Donna Gutto, designer at May Construction.
Above the vanity hung a plain oblong mirror with a small vanity light. Across from it, a door led to a cramped secondary room with the toilet and tight shower. “She wanted to age in place,” Gutto says. “That teeny, tiny shower wasn’t going to work. We wanted to think ahead for the future.” The homeowner wanted to keep the existing windows — one near the vanity and one inside the shower — in place.