Before and After: 4 Inviting Bathrooms in 150 Square Feet
See how designers create beautiful, functional and roomy bathrooms with ample storage and appealing spa-like features
A bathroom in 150 square feet offers a chance to create a roomy space for rejuvenation and relaxation. This size offers flexibility, and it often includes a double vanity and a separate shower and large soaking tub. Have a look at these four bathroom makeovers to see how new layouts, clever additions and modern features took these just-right-size spaces to the next level.
After: This photo of the new bathroom was taken from about the same angle as the previous one. Lapinskas kept the window in the same spot but stripped the space down to the studs and removed the wall next to the standalone shelving unit. This opened up the layout into what was formerly a large walk-in closet, allowing Lapinskas to rejigger the floor plan and create a spacious low-curb steam shower with a custom tempered glass enclosure that traps the steam inside. This key change increased the size of the bathroom by 65 square feet.
The new Shaker-style semicustom double vanity includes drawers with electrical outlets and inserts for specialized storage. Teal paint (Underseas by Sherwin-Williams) in a satin finish and champagne bronze pulls give the vanity style and personality. Warm gray porcelain elongated hexagonal tiles that make the ceiling feel taller create an accent wall behind the vanity and wrap around the room. A freestanding bathtub sits where the old toilet and built-in tub were located. Gray, white and cream marble tiles in a geometric pattern give the floor movement and visual interest and tie together the colors in the room.
Read more about this bathroom makeover
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
The new Shaker-style semicustom double vanity includes drawers with electrical outlets and inserts for specialized storage. Teal paint (Underseas by Sherwin-Williams) in a satin finish and champagne bronze pulls give the vanity style and personality. Warm gray porcelain elongated hexagonal tiles that make the ceiling feel taller create an accent wall behind the vanity and wrap around the room. A freestanding bathtub sits where the old toilet and built-in tub were located. Gray, white and cream marble tiles in a geometric pattern give the floor movement and visual interest and tie together the colors in the room.
Read more about this bathroom makeover
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
“After” photo by Trevor Kobrin
2. Updated Style and Storage
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Coppell, Texas
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Heidi Arwine Interiors
Before: This 1990s en suite bathroom had basic finishes that the Texas homeowners had grown tired of, including square beige ceramic floor tiles, cultured marble countertops and standard white cabinets. They also didn’t like that the sink seen straight ahead was lower than the one on the left, and how a large soffit that loomed overhead forced an angled corner countertop that the couple rarely used. A plastic portable tower of drawers sat below for extra storage. To the right is the couple’s primary closet and to the right of that, out of view, a built-in tub. To fix the issues and add personality, a larger shower and better storage, the couple brought in designer Heidi Arwine.
2. Updated Style and Storage
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Coppell, Texas
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Heidi Arwine Interiors
Before: This 1990s en suite bathroom had basic finishes that the Texas homeowners had grown tired of, including square beige ceramic floor tiles, cultured marble countertops and standard white cabinets. They also didn’t like that the sink seen straight ahead was lower than the one on the left, and how a large soffit that loomed overhead forced an angled corner countertop that the couple rarely used. A plastic portable tower of drawers sat below for extra storage. To the right is the couple’s primary closet and to the right of that, out of view, a built-in tub. To fix the issues and add personality, a larger shower and better storage, the couple brought in designer Heidi Arwine.
After: Arwine removed the soffit and straightened out the vanity wall, creating a lighter look. Two custom Shaker-style vanities provide hardworking storage in a stylish blue-gray (Foggy Day by Sherwin-Williams). A bench sits between the cabinets and includes open storage below.
Ditching the tub allowed Arwine to create a spacious low-curb shower with a frameless glass entry and long bench. Two-inch white-and-gray stone mosaic hexagonal tiles cover the floor and back wall, providing a nonslip surface as well as visual texture. Light gray-and-tan 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain tile covers the floor, the shower curb and surround, and the shower side walls and bench. Warm gray walls (Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams) complement the tones in the tile.
Floor tile: Tuscan Villa in Arezzo Ivory, Florida Tile; mosaic tile: Tesoro, GBTile Collections
Read more about this bathroom makeover
7 Exciting Design Trends for Kitchen and Bath Products in 2025
Ditching the tub allowed Arwine to create a spacious low-curb shower with a frameless glass entry and long bench. Two-inch white-and-gray stone mosaic hexagonal tiles cover the floor and back wall, providing a nonslip surface as well as visual texture. Light gray-and-tan 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain tile covers the floor, the shower curb and surround, and the shower side walls and bench. Warm gray walls (Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams) complement the tones in the tile.
Floor tile: Tuscan Villa in Arezzo Ivory, Florida Tile; mosaic tile: Tesoro, GBTile Collections
Read more about this bathroom makeover
7 Exciting Design Trends for Kitchen and Bath Products in 2025
Photos by C Gauthier Photography
3. Light and Airy With a Fresh Look
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Michael and Yoshie Davison
Location: Ashburn, Virginia
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Remodeling team: Designer Shelley Vilov and project manager David Jordan of Jordan Design-Build Group
Before: In the former bathroom, travertine tiles covered the floor, tub deck and walls wrapping the tub and shower. Combined with tan surrounding walls and stained wood vanities, the space looked dark and heavy. A built-in tub ate up valuable square footage. Wanting to give the room a light and airy feel with a fresh style, the Virginia homeowners turned to designer Shelley Vilov and project manager David Jordan, both of whom had helped the couple update another bathroom in their home.
3. Light and Airy With a Fresh Look
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Michael and Yoshie Davison
Location: Ashburn, Virginia
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Remodeling team: Designer Shelley Vilov and project manager David Jordan of Jordan Design-Build Group
Before: In the former bathroom, travertine tiles covered the floor, tub deck and walls wrapping the tub and shower. Combined with tan surrounding walls and stained wood vanities, the space looked dark and heavy. A built-in tub ate up valuable square footage. Wanting to give the room a light and airy feel with a fresh style, the Virginia homeowners turned to designer Shelley Vilov and project manager David Jordan, both of whom had helped the couple update another bathroom in their home.
After: The remodeling team kept the windows and doors in the same places but demoed everything else down to the studs. A new freestanding acrylic tub loosened up the layout and allowed room for a larger shower, while lighter finishes helped brighten the overall look. Large-format marble-look porcelain tiles now cover the floor and the walls wrapping the shower and bath areas, with dramatic veining that has pops of gray and gold. A frameless glass shower enclosure keeps sightlines to the tile open. A matte finish on the floor tile provides a nonslip surface, while a polished finish on the wall tile helps enhance light. Light gray walls (Gossamer Veil by Sherwin-Williams), midtone gray vanities and white walls and trim complement the tile colors but don’t take away from them.
Vanities: Beckett in dark gray, 48 inches, customized, Wyndham Collection; faucets: Purist in polished chrome, Kohler
Read more about this bathroom makeover
Vanities: Beckett in dark gray, 48 inches, customized, Wyndham Collection; faucets: Purist in polished chrome, Kohler
Read more about this bathroom makeover
“After” photo by Picture Perfect House
4. Luxe Refresh in Marble
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with young children
Location: Willowbrook, Illinois
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Chad Esslinger of Esslinger Design
Before: The former cold and dated bathroom had insufficient and boring lighting, tan walls, brown tile around a hulking built-in jetted tub, simple off-white cabinets and basic white tile flooring. A shower with the same tile as that around the tub stood about where this photo was taken from. The general layout and a vaulted ceiling were about all the homeowners liked about the space. Wanting a fresher look and feel, the couple created an ideabook on Houzz with inspiration photos. They shared the photos with designer Chad Esslinger, whom they hired to brighten up the space and add personality and visual interest.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
4. Luxe Refresh in Marble
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with young children
Location: Willowbrook, Illinois
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Chad Esslinger of Esslinger Design
Before: The former cold and dated bathroom had insufficient and boring lighting, tan walls, brown tile around a hulking built-in jetted tub, simple off-white cabinets and basic white tile flooring. A shower with the same tile as that around the tub stood about where this photo was taken from. The general layout and a vaulted ceiling were about all the homeowners liked about the space. Wanting a fresher look and feel, the couple created an ideabook on Houzz with inspiration photos. They shared the photos with designer Chad Esslinger, whom they hired to brighten up the space and add personality and visual interest.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
After: Esslinger worked within the same basic footprint but ditched all the former materials and components. Lots of light and bright finishes now liven up the space. Esslinger used the same marble tile in various areas, but to create visual interest and texture he played with pattern and shape — hexagons behind the tub, herringbone on the floor, large-format rectangles in the shower. Deep blue vanities and brass details elevate the style. Pale blue walls with a silver cast (Silver Mist by Benjamin Moore) and white trim and ceiling (Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore) join the honed marble tile running on the floor and up the back tub wall, instantly creating a light and bright look.
Tile: Volakas marble in various shapes and sizes, The Tile Shop
Read more about this bathroom makeover
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Tile: Volakas marble in various shapes and sizes, The Tile Shop
Read more about this bathroom makeover
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Sponsored
Fairfax County's Specialized, Comprehensive Renovations Firm
1. Roomier Layout With a Steam Shower
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with two kids
Location: Chicago
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Haylie Lapinskas of HaylieRead Design
Builder: Pro One Builders Group
Before: The former bathroom had a narrow layout crowded into 85 square feet. A large built-in tub sat at one end and a standard shower was at the other. A toilet was crammed between the tub and an aging double vanity that lacked storage. An open shelving system made up for the insufficient storage, but it was an eyesore. The only thing the homeowners wanted to keep was the operable window, which allowed natural light and fresh air inside. To help them create an airy layout with better storage and a livelier look, the Chicago homeowners hired designer Haylie Lapinskas.
Find a bathroom designer near you