Bathroom of the Week: Light, Airy and Elegant Master Bath Update
A designer and homeowner rethink an awkward layout and create a spa-like retreat with stylish tile and a curbless shower
This single, retired homeowner with two adult children bought a Spanish-style ranch home in an active adult community along a golf course in Lincoln, California. She has friends in the neighborhood and loves the location, about half an hour from Sacramento. But she knew the late-1990s home needed some updating to fit her style.
For the spacious but awkward former master bath — with its carpeted floor, a shower stall crammed between two closets and a corner tub stuck between two dark wood vanities — the homeowner wanted something more light, airy and elegant. She hired designer Alison Haltom to help rethink the layout and create a spa-like space with a clean, contemporary and feminine aesthetic that includes floral-pattern marble tile, shiny glass details and a spacious curbless shower lined with 10-foot-tall porcelain panels.
For the spacious but awkward former master bath — with its carpeted floor, a shower stall crammed between two closets and a corner tub stuck between two dark wood vanities — the homeowner wanted something more light, airy and elegant. She hired designer Alison Haltom to help rethink the layout and create a spa-like space with a clean, contemporary and feminine aesthetic that includes floral-pattern marble tile, shiny glass details and a spacious curbless shower lined with 10-foot-tall porcelain panels.
After: Haltom stripped everything from the former bathroom and relocated the shower to one of the walk-in closets, leaving one expanded walk-in closet (see before-and-after floor plans below).
A freestanding white volcanic limestone tub with a floor-mounted polished nickel tub filler lightens up the corner. “It looks like a piece of art,” Haltom says. “The tub combined with the tub filler is a beautiful moment to look at.”
The new high-gloss gray laminate vanities are smaller than the old vanities but feature more hardworking drawer storage. Rectangular glass knobs on polished nickel bases act as jewelry. “We made the vanities smaller to let the tub be the showcase and let the tile be viewed,” Haltom says.
A freestanding white volcanic limestone tub with a floor-mounted polished nickel tub filler lightens up the corner. “It looks like a piece of art,” Haltom says. “The tub combined with the tub filler is a beautiful moment to look at.”
The new high-gloss gray laminate vanities are smaller than the old vanities but feature more hardworking drawer storage. Rectangular glass knobs on polished nickel bases act as jewelry. “We made the vanities smaller to let the tub be the showcase and let the tile be viewed,” Haltom says.
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Water-jet-cut tile in a floral pattern completely covers two walls. The bottom third features interlocking creamy white onyx tiles with white Thassos marble tiles. The top two-thirds is all-white Thassos marble tiles. “Natural stone just has a texture and detail to it,” Haltom says. “It’s the most prominent feature of the bathroom and the basis for the entire design.”
Large matte white porcelain floor tiles (30 by 30 inches) offer slip resistance. A diamond-cut crystal LED ring pendant above the tub adds sparkle.
Haltom replaced the seeded glass windows with clear, operable, energy-efficient windows that allow in fresh air, natural light and views to the backyard.
Vanity cabinets: 1900 series, Porta with Mocaccino gloss finish, Bellmont Cabinet; hardware: 52-PN polished nickel cabinet knob, Schaub & Co.
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Large matte white porcelain floor tiles (30 by 30 inches) offer slip resistance. A diamond-cut crystal LED ring pendant above the tub adds sparkle.
Haltom replaced the seeded glass windows with clear, operable, energy-efficient windows that allow in fresh air, natural light and views to the backyard.
Vanity cabinets: 1900 series, Porta with Mocaccino gloss finish, Bellmont Cabinet; hardware: 52-PN polished nickel cabinet knob, Schaub & Co.
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The pure white quartz vanity countertops feature a 4-inch mitered edge for a heftier appearance. Polished nickel faucets over white volcanic limestone undermount sinks complement the bathtub and tub filler.
Large custom mirrors (38 by 60 inches) feature mirrored frames. “This bathroom has 10-foot-high ceilings, which is really uncommon, so we had to customize the height of the mirrors,” Haltom says.
Diamond-cut clear crystal LED sconces with a polished chrome finish coordinate with the light fixture over the tub. Recessed LED lights on the ceiling add more illumination and are on dimmers that allow the homeowner to control the level of light and the mood in the room.
Counters: White Cliff, Cambria
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Large custom mirrors (38 by 60 inches) feature mirrored frames. “This bathroom has 10-foot-high ceilings, which is really uncommon, so we had to customize the height of the mirrors,” Haltom says.
Diamond-cut clear crystal LED sconces with a polished chrome finish coordinate with the light fixture over the tub. Recessed LED lights on the ceiling add more illumination and are on dimmers that allow the homeowner to control the level of light and the mood in the room.
Counters: White Cliff, Cambria
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A polished stainless steel towel warmer hangs between one of the vanities and the entrance to the new shower.
Towel warmer: Quadro, Amba
Towel warmer: Quadro, Amba
The shower has a curbless, doorless, floor-to-ceiling opening. The walls are 10-foot-tall porcelain panels. The hand shower and two wall-mounted shower heads are polished nickel. “The shower is enormous, about 6 by 6½ feet, so splashing water isn’t an issue,” Haltom says.
The mosaic marble petal floor tiles replicate the floral design on the bathroom walls. The project’s tile contractor removed some petal tiles from their mesh backing and applied them to a metal drain cover for a decorative look.
Porcelain panels also cover the built-in bench. “We decided to angle the base instead of straight up and down,” Haltom says. “It’s something we never did before, and it turned out great.”
Haltom placed the operable window in the shower high for privacy.
Porcelain panels also cover the built-in bench. “We decided to angle the base instead of straight up and down,” Haltom says. “It’s something we never did before, and it turned out great.”
Haltom placed the operable window in the shower high for privacy.
New double doors with beaded glass inserts connect the master bedroom to the updated master bathroom.
Before: This floor plan of the former bathroom shows the awkward location of the shower stall, center right, which stood between two walk-in closets, bottom right and top right. The corner tub, top left, sat squeezed between the vanities.
After: Haltom eliminated the top right closet and moved the new shower to its place, allowing her to expand the remaining closet. The new freestanding corner tub lightens up the layout and lets the accent tile stand out. “The white of the different stones makes this bathroom tranquil and spa-like, and also light and airy,” Haltom says. “It’s definitely a statement room in the house. When [the homeowner] has guests, she brings them inside to show it off. It’s a private retreat, but also one of her favorite rooms in the house.”
Builder: Ted Francis Construction
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Builder: Ted Francis Construction
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Read more bathroom stories
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Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A single, retired homeowner with two adult children who visit often
Location: Lincoln, California
Size: 230 square feet (21 square meters)
Designer: Alison Haltom of Design for Living
Before: The homeowner disliked the former bathroom’s beige carpeted floors, green walls and dark wood vanities with dark granite tile countertops. A basic frosted glass shower stall, on the right, stood awkwardly between two walk-in closets. A built-in cultured marble tub was squeezed between the two vanities, while seeded glass windows blocked light and views. “It was essentially dated and not her style,” Haltom says. “It was a really large space, but poorly laid out and broken up with the separate closets.”