Bathroom of the Week: Improved Storage and a Fresh Coastal Style
A hardworking vanity, a larger shower and elegant blue and chrome finishes create a new look and feel for empty nesters
Tired of the mostly beige and brown tones, aging jetted bathtub and frosted glass shower, this empty-nest couple set out to breathe new color, texture, storage and style into their primary bathroom.
For help, they turned to designer Jenni Jacobs, who ditched the imposing tub for a petite freestanding model that loosened up the layout. She also replaced the angled shower setup with a larger rectangular design. A new double vanity with a countertop tower and a deep blue finish adds storage and style. And blue-gray V-groove wall paneling and oversize white subway tile on the shower walls bring a touch of the traditional East Coast style the couple wanted to maintain.
For help, they turned to designer Jenni Jacobs, who ditched the imposing tub for a petite freestanding model that loosened up the layout. She also replaced the angled shower setup with a larger rectangular design. A new double vanity with a countertop tower and a deep blue finish adds storage and style. And blue-gray V-groove wall paneling and oversize white subway tile on the shower walls bring a touch of the traditional East Coast style the couple wanted to maintain.
After: Jacobs knocked the bathroom back to the studs and removed the baseboard heating unit. “They decided to go with an electric radiant heat floor system to maximize the size of the vanity cabinet, so we didn’t have to work around the existing heating fixture,” Jacobs says.
The new double vanity features a linen tower and a steel blue finish with polished chrome hardware for an elegant look. Blue-gray V-groove paneling (Boothbay Gray by Benjamin Moore) wraps the bottom half of the walls, complementing the vanity color and delivering the fresh traditional style the owners were going for. “We wanted to maintain some type of wall treatment but update it, going with this wider beadboard material that streamlines the space a little bit and brings a level of sophistication,” Jacobs says.
Double vanity: Gettysburg door style in maple, with Steel Blue painted finish, Tedd Wood; hardware: Julian pulls and Ellis knobs in polished chrome, Top Knobs; paint colors: Swiss Coffee (walls) and Ceiling White (ceiling), Benjamin Moore
How to Choose a Bathroom Vanity: Your Step-by-Step Guide
The new double vanity features a linen tower and a steel blue finish with polished chrome hardware for an elegant look. Blue-gray V-groove paneling (Boothbay Gray by Benjamin Moore) wraps the bottom half of the walls, complementing the vanity color and delivering the fresh traditional style the owners were going for. “We wanted to maintain some type of wall treatment but update it, going with this wider beadboard material that streamlines the space a little bit and brings a level of sophistication,” Jacobs says.
Double vanity: Gettysburg door style in maple, with Steel Blue painted finish, Tedd Wood; hardware: Julian pulls and Ellis knobs in polished chrome, Top Knobs; paint colors: Swiss Coffee (walls) and Ceiling White (ceiling), Benjamin Moore
How to Choose a Bathroom Vanity: Your Step-by-Step Guide
The polished marble-look countertop and backsplash feature wispy gray veining against a warm white background. “We carried that material through to the shower for the bench, shower curb, corner shelves and privacy wall sill for the glass,” Jacobs says. “I always tell people for a bathroom of this size it’s a great way to use the entire slab so it’s harmonious throughout.”
Widespread lavatory faucets in chrome coordinate with chrome mirrors, lighting and other details in the room. “Chrome is a nice economical choice, but it also brings a squeaky-clean and shiny element to the space, which we thought would complement the cool blues,” Jacobs says. “It also pops against the cabinetry.”
Faucets: Rook widespread lavatory, Brizo
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Widespread lavatory faucets in chrome coordinate with chrome mirrors, lighting and other details in the room. “Chrome is a nice economical choice, but it also brings a squeaky-clean and shiny element to the space, which we thought would complement the cool blues,” Jacobs says. “It also pops against the cabinetry.”
Faucets: Rook widespread lavatory, Brizo
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Compartments inside the countertop cabinet store towels and assorted toiletries. “You have the three shelves but you get four sections for storage because of the base of that tower,” Jacobs says. “We tucked an electrical outlet inside the cabinet so they can charge their electric toothbrushes.”
A drawer on the bottom of the tower holds smaller toiletries.
A drawer on the bottom of the tower holds smaller toiletries.
The flooring is 12-by-24-inch rectified porcelain tiles with the woven look of linen, set in a herringbone pattern.
Flooring: Belgian Linen porcelain tile, 12 by 24 inches, Anatolia
Flooring: Belgian Linen porcelain tile, 12 by 24 inches, Anatolia
One of the cabinet fronts conceals a pullout laundry hamper. “It was a way to make sure they had that functionality but have it out of sight,” Jacobs says.
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
Before: In the former space, the large, aging jetted tub filled a corner and crowded the vanity area.
After: A new petite easy-to-clean white freestanding acrylic soaking tub takes up less floor space but still offers a spa-like experience.
Bathtub: Madrigal Petite, Fleurco
Bathtub: Madrigal Petite, Fleurco
A chrome freestanding tub filler with metal handle includes a hand shower for rinsing off after a soak or for cleaning the tub. “The freestanding tub filler adds a level of bling to the bathroom,” Jacobs says. “Also with that window wall being an exterior wall, it wouldn’t be the best idea plumbing-wise to put those pipes there.”
Tub filler: Freestanding tub filler with hand shower, Cheviot Products
Before and After: Fresh Styles, Same Layouts for 3 Bathroom Redos
Tub filler: Freestanding tub filler with hand shower, Cheviot Products
Before and After: Fresh Styles, Same Layouts for 3 Bathroom Redos
Before: The former shower had an angled design that limited its size. “The frosted glass made it feel even smaller, and with the available floor space in the bathroom we knew we could do a larger shower,” Jacobs says.
After: Jacobs created a 36-by-52-inch shower with a low-curb entry. “It takes any bathroom to the next level when you can customize the shape and size of the shower,” she says.
The custom shower features a frameless glass door and glass section atop a half wall in the same blue-gray V-groove wall paneling that wraps the bathroom.
Frameless shower glass door and return panel: Banner Glass Shelmar
Frameless shower glass door and return panel: Banner Glass Shelmar
The shower walls are 4-by-8-inch glossy white ceramic tiles with taupe grout. “We definitely wanted to balance the bold color of the vanity by keeping the shower nice and bright,” Jacobs says. “These tiles are a bit more oversized than standard subway tiles, so it gives you a fresh take on the look.”
The shower also includes a four-function rain can shower head with pressure balance valve.
Shower fixtures: Rook, Brizo; shower wall tile: ColorMatch 4-by-8-inch glossy ceramic tile in Lace, Daltile
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The shower also includes a four-function rain can shower head with pressure balance valve.
Shower fixtures: Rook, Brizo; shower wall tile: ColorMatch 4-by-8-inch glossy ceramic tile in Lace, Daltile
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The floating bench is made from the same marble-look quartz as the vanity countertop and backsplash.
The shower flooring is the same linen-look tile as the main flooring but in a 2-by-2-inch basket weave mosaic pattern.
The shower flooring is the same linen-look tile as the main flooring but in a 2-by-2-inch basket weave mosaic pattern.
A new two-piece cotton white toilet near the bathroom door has an elegant look that fits the upgraded traditional style of the space.
The control seen on the wall is the thermostat for the new floor heating system.
“This couple already had a cozy aesthetic to their house, so we wanted to make sure the bathroom felt inviting,” Jacobs says. “We were able to make the space a lot more efficient and functional but stay in the same footprint.”
Toilet: Promenade II, Toto
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The control seen on the wall is the thermostat for the new floor heating system.
“This couple already had a cozy aesthetic to their house, so we wanted to make sure the bathroom felt inviting,” Jacobs says. “We were able to make the space a lot more efficient and functional but stay in the same footprint.”
Toilet: Promenade II, Toto
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
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Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Stoneham, Massachusetts
Size: 105 square feet (9.8 square meters)
Designer: Jenni Jacobs of McGuire + Co. Kitchen & Bath
Before: The couple felt their former bathroom, which they had hastily remodeled 20 years ago, lacked storage and style. The single-sink vanity, medicine cabinet and wall-hung shelf unit offered limited storage capacity. And tan walls, beige floor tile, dark brown vanity and white beadboard walls did little to create the fresh feel the couple wanted. “They threw it together with what they could,” Jacobs says. “They didn’t work with a designer who could really think things through and help them maximize the space.”