Bathroom of the Week: Soothing Spa Retreat With Dramatic Flair
A designer helps a North Carolina couple transform a boring bathroom into an airy space with a warm contemporary style
“Cramped” and “dated” aren’t typically words that evoke a spa-like atmosphere. So to gain the look and feel of a relaxing bathroom retreat, this couple reached out to designer Melissa Rieser for help. Rieser scrapped the no-elbow-room shower, large built-in tub and basic vanity and established a light and airy layout with a wet-room setup and a furniture-style wood vanity. Meanwhile, dramatic large-format blue porcelain wall tiles with stunning striations create a jaw-dropping yet soothing focal point in this warm and welcoming new space.
After: Rieser eliminated the old shower, tub, tub deck, vanity and flooring and updated the plumbing and electrical.
With the former tub and imposing deck out of the way, she was able to create a more open and airy curbless shower wet-room layout in the same footprint. A 67-inch freestanding white acrylic slipper tub adds a curvy profile that complements the wavy 24-by-48-inch blue polished porcelain wall tiles.
Wall tiles: Viviano Lagos Blue polished porcelain, 24 by 48 inches, Floor & Decor
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With the former tub and imposing deck out of the way, she was able to create a more open and airy curbless shower wet-room layout in the same footprint. A 67-inch freestanding white acrylic slipper tub adds a curvy profile that complements the wavy 24-by-48-inch blue polished porcelain wall tiles.
Wall tiles: Viviano Lagos Blue polished porcelain, 24 by 48 inches, Floor & Decor
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Matte gray porcelain penny mosaic tile flooring flows throughout the bathroom, providing a nonslip surface. The shower floor slopes toward the linear black drain to prevent water from spreading into the main part of the bathroom.
Floor tile: Festival porcelain penny mosaic in matte gray, Floor & Decor
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Floor tile: Festival porcelain penny mosaic in matte gray, Floor & Decor
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A single-function pressure-balanced shower system includes a shower head and hand shower in a matte black finish. Rieser custom-designed the niche to accommodate the size of the shampoo bottles the homeowners use. “It has to be right for you,” she says. “You want to make sure to discuss this with your designer and contractor to get one that fits your needs. This often gets overlooked, and it ends in disappointment when your items don’t fit into the space.”
The ponytail palm seen here on the teak stool in the shower, along with a jade plant in the main part of the bathroom, add natural elements to the space.
Shower system: Monitor 14 series in matte black, Delta
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The ponytail palm seen here on the teak stool in the shower, along with a jade plant in the main part of the bathroom, add natural elements to the space.
Shower system: Monitor 14 series in matte black, Delta
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The tub features a nonslip bottom and matte black overflow and drain that match the floor-mount filler. “This one quickly fills the tub,” Rieser says. “It’s worth it to do your research and find one with a good PSI flow rate.”
Tub filler: Parallel, Kohler
Tub filler: Parallel, Kohler
Before: The former wood vanity lacked storage and style. Two cabinets and one operable drawer in the middle were the extent of the storage capacity. “The other two drawers are dummies because of the sink and plumbing,” Rieser says. “For two adults, that’s not enough storage.”
Integrated sinks, a large unframed mirror, basic lights and beige ceramic tile flooring contributed to the dated look.
Integrated sinks, a large unframed mirror, basic lights and beige ceramic tile flooring contributed to the dated look.
After: A new solid wood double vanity adds a generous amount of warmth to the room and features a sleek profile and greater storage with two cabinets and three drawers. “I wanted to bring in a natural wood tone somewhere in this bathroom,” Rieser says. “I also chose one with legs because it gives it more breathing room.”
Rieser selected a marble-look quartz top from a local distributor. “The quartz was chosen for the ease of daily maintenance,” she says. A modern mirror with thin black frame hangs over each sink. “I chose them with rounded corners to help with the flow of the bathroom,” Rieser says. “I think it’s important to bring in rounded shapes because more often than not there’s going to be lots of sharp, right angles.” The left mirror reflection shows the entrance to the bathroom from the bedroom. The right mirror shows entrances to the water closet and main closet.
Three 27-inch dimmable two-light LED vanity lights in natural brass flank the mirrors and provide a soft, white light that keeps colors in their natural state. “We wanted to provide more light in this space,” Rieser says. “These were also chosen for their look and style.”
Double vanity: Kenwood, Room & Board; lights: Indeco, Kichler
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Rieser selected a marble-look quartz top from a local distributor. “The quartz was chosen for the ease of daily maintenance,” she says. A modern mirror with thin black frame hangs over each sink. “I chose them with rounded corners to help with the flow of the bathroom,” Rieser says. “I think it’s important to bring in rounded shapes because more often than not there’s going to be lots of sharp, right angles.” The left mirror reflection shows the entrance to the bathroom from the bedroom. The right mirror shows entrances to the water closet and main closet.
Three 27-inch dimmable two-light LED vanity lights in natural brass flank the mirrors and provide a soft, white light that keeps colors in their natural state. “We wanted to provide more light in this space,” Rieser says. “These were also chosen for their look and style.”
Double vanity: Kenwood, Room & Board; lights: Indeco, Kichler
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Round beige limestone vessel sinks have a honed, satin-smooth finish. “I was trying to bring natural elements of the outdoors inside,” Rieser says. “I chose the vessel style to make it more interesting and create a spa look.”
Each round sink has a contemporary single-handle faucet with zinc construction and matte black finish. “Those were chosen for their simplicity,” Rieser says. “It’s a small space, so we wanted to keep it less cluttered.”
Sinks: Moca Cream round limestone, Floor & Decor; faucets: Trinsic, Delta
How to Choose a Bathroom Vanity
Each round sink has a contemporary single-handle faucet with zinc construction and matte black finish. “Those were chosen for their simplicity,” Rieser says. “It’s a small space, so we wanted to keep it less cluttered.”
Sinks: Moca Cream round limestone, Floor & Decor; faucets: Trinsic, Delta
How to Choose a Bathroom Vanity
The more open layout leaves breathing room between the vanity and tub, with space for a teak stool with live-edge top where the homeowners can place a book or cup of tea while enjoying a soak. “That teak stool was one of my inspiration pieces from the start,” Rieser says.
An industrial-style six-light black-and-bronze abstract chandelier with brass accents and adjustable arms has a design that allows for installation on sloped ceilings. “It brings together all the hardware elements in the space while highlighting the tub,” Rieser says.
The existing glass-block window now includes a soft white linen Roman shade with a blackout liner.
Chandelier: Lyrique, Savoy House
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An industrial-style six-light black-and-bronze abstract chandelier with brass accents and adjustable arms has a design that allows for installation on sloped ceilings. “It brings together all the hardware elements in the space while highlighting the tub,” Rieser says.
The existing glass-block window now includes a soft white linen Roman shade with a blackout liner.
Chandelier: Lyrique, Savoy House
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
This outline of the bathroom provides a look at the overall layout.
The window (upper left) sits over the tub in the curbless shower. The water closet (bottom right) includes a new white bidet. The primary closet entrance is on the right wall. The entrance to the bedroom is at the bottom. “In our very first meeting, they said every time they traveled they stayed in places with spa bathrooms and wanted to spend time in that kind of space,” Rieser says. “My design was to create that wow factor that also functions well, and now they don’t have to leave home to get it.”
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The window (upper left) sits over the tub in the curbless shower. The water closet (bottom right) includes a new white bidet. The primary closet entrance is on the right wall. The entrance to the bedroom is at the bottom. “In our very first meeting, they said every time they traveled they stayed in places with spa bathrooms and wanted to spend time in that kind of space,” Rieser says. “My design was to create that wow factor that also functions well, and now they don’t have to leave home to get it.”
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple in their 40s
Location: Mooresville, North Carolina
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Melissa Rieser Interiors
Before: The aging 1990s bathroom had light blue walls that gave the space a faded look. A soaking tub with a large deck squished a generic stall shower into a corner. “It was a cramped, awkward space,” Rieser says.
The window over the tub was something the homeowners considered eliminating. “We had to keep it but had to make it flow with the rest of the design,” Rieser says. “It has glass block, so we had to find a new treatment that was light-blocking but also attractive.”