Bathroom Makeovers
Bathroom of the Week
Bathroom of the Week: Warm Neutrals With a Curbless Shower
A designer creates a soothing retreat by leaning on cream, beige and wood to establish a relaxing look and feel
The discovery of a slow leak convinced these homeowners it was time to do something about their dated primary bathroom. They hired designer Terri Brien to fix the water damage and spearhead a major remodel. Brien worked within the same footprint but made things look and feel more spacious with a curbless shower with a frameless glass enclosure. Layers of warm neutrals — creamy tile, greige walls and a beige vanity with a wood storage tower — create a welcoming style.
The custom paint-grade maple double vanity features European-style full-overlay cabinets with 1-inch-rail Shaker-style doors and drawers. Honey bronze knobs and pulls add a warm metal that complements the satin bronze widespread faucets. “To reduce wasted space under the sinks, we made the cabinets more shallow in order to have a drawer below that optimizes usable storage space,” Brien says.
The Taj Mahal quartzite countertop has beige and gold veining on a creamy background. “The Taj Mahal was selected to add warmth to the space,” Brien says. “The leathered finish adds texture and interest. I worked with the fabricator to decide which side of the vanity the veins were on. I didn’t want the natural beauty of the vein structure to be covered up by the tower.”
Hardware: Lily in honey bronze, Top Knobs
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The Taj Mahal quartzite countertop has beige and gold veining on a creamy background. “The Taj Mahal was selected to add warmth to the space,” Brien says. “The leathered finish adds texture and interest. I worked with the fabricator to decide which side of the vanity the veins were on. I didn’t want the natural beauty of the vein structure to be covered up by the tower.”
Hardware: Lily in honey bronze, Top Knobs
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The white oak storage tower features cabinets and drawers in a matte stain. “When I first met with them, she had stacks of makeup and styling tools,” Brien says. “Part of my process is taking photos of everything they need to store. That’s why I brought to them the idea of the tower. You can see the natural beauty of the wood and it’s also functional. I also think without that natural white oak, the bathroom would feel very different and not as interesting or warm.”
The top cabinet doors have reeded glass fronts. “It adds interest, adds texture and lightens it up,” Brien says.
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The top cabinet doors have reeded glass fronts. “It adds interest, adds texture and lightens it up,” Brien says.
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The backsplash consists of creamy glazed ceramic tiles in two sizes: 3 by 12 inches and 5 by 5 inches. “When working with such a neutral palette, anywhere you can add different sizes or shapes adds interest,” Brien says.
A double sconce with a hand-rubbed antique brass finish and a clear ribbed glass shade hangs between the black-framed capsule mirrors. “I wanted to add a touch of a vintage feel,” Brien says. The room also includes new LED ceiling lights on dimmers.
Wall tile: Flash in Ivory, 3 by 12 inches and 5 by 5 inches, Arizona Tile; sconce: Asalea, Visual Comfort
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A double sconce with a hand-rubbed antique brass finish and a clear ribbed glass shade hangs between the black-framed capsule mirrors. “I wanted to add a touch of a vintage feel,” Brien says. The room also includes new LED ceiling lights on dimmers.
Wall tile: Flash in Ivory, 3 by 12 inches and 5 by 5 inches, Arizona Tile; sconce: Asalea, Visual Comfort
10 Ideas for Bathroom Vanity Lighting and Mirror Arrangements
The new curbless shower with a custom half-inch-thick frameless glass enclosure gives the room a light and airy feel. “The shower they had before wasn’t curbless,” Brien says. “All the fixtures were quite a bit lower. The husband is 6 foot, 5 inches and the wife is about 5 foot, 3 inches, so we have the handheld shower significantly lowered for her and the shower head higher for him. Previously, they also didn’t have any shampoo niches or that footrest.” The solid brass fixtures are in a satin bronze finish that adds warmth and coordinates with other finishes in the room.
The same tiles used for the backsplash wrap the upper portion of the walls. Below ¾-inch step molding are 12-by-24-inch Mystery White marble tiles. “The Mystery White happens to be really well-priced and has some warmth running through it,” Brien says. “That warmth coordinates with the warmth you see in the Taj Mahal.”
The pale beige hexagonal stone floor tile continues seamlessly into the shower. “The walls are neutral, so I wanted to mix up the textures and materials to add more interest and depth,” Brien says.
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The same tiles used for the backsplash wrap the upper portion of the walls. Below ¾-inch step molding are 12-by-24-inch Mystery White marble tiles. “The Mystery White happens to be really well-priced and has some warmth running through it,” Brien says. “That warmth coordinates with the warmth you see in the Taj Mahal.”
The pale beige hexagonal stone floor tile continues seamlessly into the shower. “The walls are neutral, so I wanted to mix up the textures and materials to add more interest and depth,” Brien says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A 59-inch white freestanding soaking tub with center drain sits in an angled corner. “Placing the tub on an angle allowed us to enlarge the shower. We added about 10 inches to the shower,” Brien says.
A wall-mounted tub faucet pairs with a wall-mounted hand shower that lets the homeowners easily clean the tub and rinse off after a soak. “And sometimes their children use the tub, so she wanted the hand shower there,” Brien says.
The updated bathroom gives the homeowners the warm and welcoming space they wanted. “It’s a beautiful bath, but it’s also about how they live,” Brien says. “Giving them all that function and storage is very important and very rewarding.”
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A wall-mounted tub faucet pairs with a wall-mounted hand shower that lets the homeowners easily clean the tub and rinse off after a soak. “And sometimes their children use the tub, so she wanted the hand shower there,” Brien says.
The updated bathroom gives the homeowners the warm and welcoming space they wanted. “It’s a beautiful bath, but it’s also about how they live,” Brien says. “Giving them all that function and storage is very important and very rewarding.”
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 and their two young daughters
Location: Ladera Ranch, California
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Designer: Terri Brien Interiors
Brien took the bathroom down to the studs and addressed the water damage. She kept the major components in the same locations but angled the tub on the right to expand the footprint of the new curbless shower.
She then leaned on layers of warm neutral tones to create a soothing style. Creamy white tiles form the vanity backsplash and wrap the top two-thirds of the shower and bath areas. The lower third is large-format marble tiles. The walls are painted greige (Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams). The vanity is beige (Brandon Beige by Benjamin Moore) with a beige-y quartzite countertop and a white oak storage tower. The hexagonal floor tiles are pale beige stone. “The majority of the house is overwhelmingly gray, and she realized she wanted the bathroom updated and not exactly like the rest of the house,” Brien says. “She wanted it to feel warmer. We wanted to warm it up but not have it feel out of place with the rest of the home.”
The mirrored door connects to the couple’s main closet, which was also updated. The reflection partially shows the arched alcove where the toilet is located.
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