Bathroom Design
Bathroom of the Week
Bathroom of the Week: Spa Feel With a Welcoming Wet Room
A design and build team helps empty nesters rethink their primary bathroom with bright style and a breezier layout
After updating their kitchen a couple of years ago, empty nesters Corey Kearsley and Katie Gurney of Sherwood, Oregon, turned their attention to their primary en suite bathroom. The aging space had dark green walls that gave it a heavy appearance. And a drop-in tub with step-up tile deck felt like an accident waiting to happen. A closed-in shower and toilet sat in a water closet in another part of the space, creating a layout that felt overstuffed.
Wanting a brighter, more inviting and spa-like space with an improved layout, the couple turned to designers Katie Pennington and Daniel Cummings and builder Javier Montalvo. The team incorporated an outdoor closet from an adjoining deck to expand the square footage and create space for an airy wet room with a shower and freestanding tub. Durable marble-look porcelain shower tiles, soft green backsplash tiles and a rift-sawn white oak vanity add fresh style.
Wanting a brighter, more inviting and spa-like space with an improved layout, the couple turned to designers Katie Pennington and Daniel Cummings and builder Javier Montalvo. The team incorporated an outdoor closet from an adjoining deck to expand the square footage and create space for an airy wet room with a shower and freestanding tub. Durable marble-look porcelain shower tiles, soft green backsplash tiles and a rift-sawn white oak vanity add fresh style.
After: The remodeling team took the bathroom down to the studs. Incorporating the closet from the outdoor deck allowed them to create an open wet room with a spacious shower area and a freestanding jetted tub.
“When we first started the design, we came up with three different ways we could create a wet room,” Pennington says. “This was the best decision because we could utilize one shower head with operable hand shower and have the tub where they could see outside and enjoy the views.”
Large-format (30-by-30-inch) glossy white marble-look porcelain tiles cover the walls, creating a bright atmosphere. “We went with the larger tiles for a seamless look, with less grout lines,” Pennington says. “We went with the porcelain tiles for the durability. The cost of real marble wasn’t in the budget, and the upkeep required was a concern.”
The top two window sections swing out for ventilation. The wet room also includes a new exhaust fan.
Shower wall tile: Magnifica porcelain in Luxe White, 30 by 30 inches, Bedrosians Tile & Stone
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“When we first started the design, we came up with three different ways we could create a wet room,” Pennington says. “This was the best decision because we could utilize one shower head with operable hand shower and have the tub where they could see outside and enjoy the views.”
Large-format (30-by-30-inch) glossy white marble-look porcelain tiles cover the walls, creating a bright atmosphere. “We went with the larger tiles for a seamless look, with less grout lines,” Pennington says. “We went with the porcelain tiles for the durability. The cost of real marble wasn’t in the budget, and the upkeep required was a concern.”
The top two window sections swing out for ventilation. The wet room also includes a new exhaust fan.
Shower wall tile: Magnifica porcelain in Luxe White, 30 by 30 inches, Bedrosians Tile & Stone
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The new tub has a low profile. “It’s easier to get out of, much more relaxing, and it’s bigger,” Gurney says. “And I love that when you get out of the tub, it’s still warm, because it’s a wet room.”
Small (2-by-2-inch) white porcelain tiles in a matte finish cover the floor. “They add texture,” Pennington says. “All the other surfaces in there are polished, so it was nice to mix this texture with the marble-look tiles.”
Tub: Essencia collection, BainUltra
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Small (2-by-2-inch) white porcelain tiles in a matte finish cover the floor. “They add texture,” Pennington says. “All the other surfaces in there are polished, so it was nice to mix this texture with the marble-look tiles.”
Tub: Essencia collection, BainUltra
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A floor-mounted one-handle tub filler with hand shower has a polished nickel finish. “It’s nice to have a hand shower, they’re great for cleaning purposes,” Pennington says. “Because it’s a wet room, you can take the hand shower and clean around the tub.”
Tub filler: Belfield in polished nickel, Moen
Tub filler: Belfield in polished nickel, Moen
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In the shower, a simple round shower head and hand shower also have a polished nickel finish. Two niches store products.
A nearby hook holds a body brush. A matching hook hangs on the wall above the tub.
A nearby hook holds a body brush. A matching hook hangs on the wall above the tub.
This wider view shows the custom glass shower enclosure with nickel trim and a pony wall that separates the wet room from the new custom vanity. “It just warms the space up,” Pennington says of the white oak.
The same porcelain tiles used for the wet room flooring cover the main bathroom floor, but in a 12-by-24-inch size.
Bright white ceiling and trim paint (Ceiling Bright White by Sherwin-Williams) offers a touch of contrast to the creamy white walls (Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams). “We wanted it brighter in there,” Gurney says. “We wanted it to reflect as much light as possible.”
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The same porcelain tiles used for the wet room flooring cover the main bathroom floor, but in a 12-by-24-inch size.
Bright white ceiling and trim paint (Ceiling Bright White by Sherwin-Williams) offers a touch of contrast to the creamy white walls (Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams). “We wanted it brighter in there,” Gurney says. “We wanted it to reflect as much light as possible.”
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The double vanity features nine drawers and two cabinets, all with polished nickel knobs. “We discussed doing a mix of hardware and went back and forth but liked the simple, pretty look of the knobs better,” Pennington says.
The countertop is honed porcelain that mimics the look of marble. “It’s seamless and matches the wet room walls,” Pennington says.
Two white undermount rectangular sinks have two-handle polished nickel faucets with a modern vintage look.
Glossy 2-by-8-inch green ceramic backsplash tiles have a crackled texture. “They’re handmade tiles, so they have that variation in tone,” Pennington says.
The large rectangular custom mirror above the vanity has a thin matte black frame. Modern glass-and-metal wall sconces with a matte black finish flank the mirror.
A new single door with frosted glass (seen in the reflection of the mirror) connects to the bedroom and allows light to be shared between the spaces while still providing privacy. A door to the right of the vanity leads to the reconfigured water closet.
Sconces: Mara, Circa Lighting; sinks: Kathryn, Kohler
The countertop is honed porcelain that mimics the look of marble. “It’s seamless and matches the wet room walls,” Pennington says.
Two white undermount rectangular sinks have two-handle polished nickel faucets with a modern vintage look.
Glossy 2-by-8-inch green ceramic backsplash tiles have a crackled texture. “They’re handmade tiles, so they have that variation in tone,” Pennington says.
The large rectangular custom mirror above the vanity has a thin matte black frame. Modern glass-and-metal wall sconces with a matte black finish flank the mirror.
A new single door with frosted glass (seen in the reflection of the mirror) connects to the bedroom and allows light to be shared between the spaces while still providing privacy. A door to the right of the vanity leads to the reconfigured water closet.
Sconces: Mara, Circa Lighting; sinks: Kathryn, Kohler
This floor plan shows the reconfigured space, with the toilet in the water closet at the bottom, the double vanity in the center and the wet room with bathtub at the top.
The updated bathroom gives the homeowners reason to smile. “Whenever I go in there now, I just feel a little bit of joy,” Gurney says. “It’s peaceful and modern but cozy and comfortable at the same time.”
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The updated bathroom gives the homeowners reason to smile. “Whenever I go in there now, I just feel a little bit of joy,” Gurney says. “It’s peaceful and modern but cozy and comfortable at the same time.”
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: Corey Kearsley and Katie Gurney
Location: Sherwood, Oregon
Size: 175 square feet (16 square meters)
Designers: Katie Pennington and Daniel Cummings of Tailored by KD
Builder: Javier Montalvo of Build Forward Design & Remodel
Before: In the previous bathroom, the dark green walls, dark granite countertop and aging built-in tub gave the space a heavy feel. A decorative film on the arched window blocked views of the surrounding lush landscape.
A small step (not shown) wasn’t enough to ease the homeowners’ worries about getting into and out of the tub. “The tub was small, and the deck was ginormous,” Gurney says. “The step was also super thin and narrow.”