Before and After: 4 Polished White-and-Wood Bathrooms
See how a single palette concept can yield a range of elevated bathroom looks
Combine two classic tones, wood and white, and what do you get? A whole range of possibilities, it turns out. Here, see how designers mixed light, midtone and dark woods with pure white, cream and other hues to transform ho-hum baths into distinct designs that turn daily tasks into uplifting experiences. Have a favorite look? Let us know in the Comments.
Photo by Natalia Robert Photography
After: Elegance abounds in the redesigned bath. The room is anchored by classic checkerboard flooring in neutral tones — set on the diagonal to make the room appear larger — and a graceful arch above the makeup station, which beautifully frames a curved mirror. The semicustom Shaker-style vanities and makeup station, in a clove brown stain, lean traditional, but their honey-bronze knobs add a modern touch. The dark wood pieces cut a striking figure against the off-white walls and white tile.
While the team kept the footprint the same, the partitions and soffit got the boot, giving the space some breathing room. A sculptural freestanding tub and a taller glass-enclosed shower enhance the open feel.
Floor tiles: Synchronic in beige and white, Daltile; makeup vanity mirror: Lyenda, Bassett Mirror; wall paint: Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams; wall tiles: Celine in white, 2 by 6 inches, Bedrosians
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After: Elegance abounds in the redesigned bath. The room is anchored by classic checkerboard flooring in neutral tones — set on the diagonal to make the room appear larger — and a graceful arch above the makeup station, which beautifully frames a curved mirror. The semicustom Shaker-style vanities and makeup station, in a clove brown stain, lean traditional, but their honey-bronze knobs add a modern touch. The dark wood pieces cut a striking figure against the off-white walls and white tile.
While the team kept the footprint the same, the partitions and soffit got the boot, giving the space some breathing room. A sculptural freestanding tub and a taller glass-enclosed shower enhance the open feel.
Floor tiles: Synchronic in beige and white, Daltile; makeup vanity mirror: Lyenda, Bassett Mirror; wall paint: Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams; wall tiles: Celine in white, 2 by 6 inches, Bedrosians
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2. Mixed Woods + Warm Off-White
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple of empty nesters
Location: Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Size: 167 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer-builder: Dana Bender of Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio
Before: Dated finishes and a cramped layout made this Pennsylvania bath prime makeover material. The homeowners tasked designer Dana Bender with creating a warm, modern space with plenty of natural light but keeping privacy in mind. Oh, and they didn’t want a tub, let alone the big one partially seen here.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple of empty nesters
Location: Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Size: 167 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer-builder: Dana Bender of Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio
Before: Dated finishes and a cramped layout made this Pennsylvania bath prime makeover material. The homeowners tasked designer Dana Bender with creating a warm, modern space with plenty of natural light but keeping privacy in mind. Oh, and they didn’t want a tub, let alone the big one partially seen here.
Photo by Jon Friedrich Photography
After: An expansive shower fills the former tub area, but its glass walls keep the look open. Bender removed the windows from that area for privacy, instead creating a large picture window nearby with a sheltered view. The shower’s river rock base complements the teak bench, light wood-look porcelain main flooring and cherry vanity, with a warm off-white paint offering a bright backdrop. A handful of thin pendant lights with sculptural shades brings in artistic flair.
Paint colors: City Loft (walls) and Snowbound (trim), Sherwin-Williams
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After: An expansive shower fills the former tub area, but its glass walls keep the look open. Bender removed the windows from that area for privacy, instead creating a large picture window nearby with a sheltered view. The shower’s river rock base complements the teak bench, light wood-look porcelain main flooring and cherry vanity, with a warm off-white paint offering a bright backdrop. A handful of thin pendant lights with sculptural shades brings in artistic flair.
Paint colors: City Loft (walls) and Snowbound (trim), Sherwin-Williams
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Before Photo
3. Light Wood + Radiant White
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their three children
Location: Concord, New Hampshire
Size: 160 square feet (15 square meters)
Design-build firm: Granite State Cabinetry
Before: This New Hampshire bath, with the original finishes from 1999, had natural light but a dingy feel. The layout was clunky, with the vanity seen here, a linen closet on the right, a tub with a big tiled surround across from it, an unused fireplace in a bump-out on the right and, on the left side, a toilet closet and a shower. The homeowners wanted something more open, airier and with a makeup vanity, and they brought on kitchen and bath designer Whitney Nelson of Granite State Cabinetry for the makeover.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their three children
Location: Concord, New Hampshire
Size: 160 square feet (15 square meters)
Design-build firm: Granite State Cabinetry
Before: This New Hampshire bath, with the original finishes from 1999, had natural light but a dingy feel. The layout was clunky, with the vanity seen here, a linen closet on the right, a tub with a big tiled surround across from it, an unused fireplace in a bump-out on the right and, on the left side, a toilet closet and a shower. The homeowners wanted something more open, airier and with a makeup vanity, and they brought on kitchen and bath designer Whitney Nelson of Granite State Cabinetry for the makeover.
Photo by Morgan Karanasios
After: Lighter wood, white walls and marble-look flooring (with digitally printed veining) give the bath a luminous look, while removing certain features opened up the layout. In place of the fireplace bump-out, there’s now a makeup vanity, and eliminating the linen closet allowed for a larger double vanity with a storage tower.
Wall paint: Cloud Cover, Benjamin Moore
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After: Lighter wood, white walls and marble-look flooring (with digitally printed veining) give the bath a luminous look, while removing certain features opened up the layout. In place of the fireplace bump-out, there’s now a makeup vanity, and eliminating the linen closet allowed for a larger double vanity with a storage tower.
Wall paint: Cloud Cover, Benjamin Moore
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Across from the vanity, a new freestanding tub and all-white surfaces keep the open look going. Removing the big tub deck allowed for an expanded shower. Note how the vertically oriented shower tiles visually elongate the room, which has a 9-foot ceiling. That installation choice, along with the slab-style cabinet doors seen in the previous photo, give the overall classic design a bit of edge.
Bathtub: Unwind, Sterling; tub filler: Artifacts floor-mount trim with hand shower, Kohler
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Bathtub: Unwind, Sterling; tub filler: Artifacts floor-mount trim with hand shower, Kohler
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4. Walnut Stain + Mixed Whites
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with two children
Location: Terrell Hills suburb of San Antonio, Texas
Design-build firm: Haven Design and Construction
Before: Despite an ornate screen next to the toilet, this Texas primary bath lacked personality. Plus, a dropped soffit above the shower hid air conditioning ductwork and the original sloped ceiling common to midcentury homes such as this one. As part of a whole-home remodel, the homeowners brought on Haven Design and Construction to enhance the look while bringing back some of the era’s hallmark features.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with two children
Location: Terrell Hills suburb of San Antonio, Texas
Design-build firm: Haven Design and Construction
Before: Despite an ornate screen next to the toilet, this Texas primary bath lacked personality. Plus, a dropped soffit above the shower hid air conditioning ductwork and the original sloped ceiling common to midcentury homes such as this one. As part of a whole-home remodel, the homeowners brought on Haven Design and Construction to enhance the look while bringing back some of the era’s hallmark features.
Photo by Matthew Niemann Photography
After: Widening the bath by 2 feet, no small engineering feat here, gave the team room to create an enclosed toilet room for a more streamlined look. Walnut-stained cabinetry with a cream-colored countertop, along with geometric wall tile and light fixtures, strikes a beautiful midcentury note, while wood mirror frames and decor add complementary warmth.
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After: Widening the bath by 2 feet, no small engineering feat here, gave the team room to create an enclosed toilet room for a more streamlined look. Walnut-stained cabinetry with a cream-colored countertop, along with geometric wall tile and light fixtures, strikes a beautiful midcentury note, while wood mirror frames and decor add complementary warmth.
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three sons
Location: Encinitas, California
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Designers: Lynn Siemer and Dani Pestka of Blythe Interiors
Before: While the layout of this Southern California en suite primary bathroom worked just fine, the space lacked an elevated and soothing feel. Plus, a corner shower and big jetted tub took up a lot of room, and two partitions and a soffit created a closed-in feel. The homeowners found designers Lynn Siemer and Dani Pestka of Blythe Interiors on Houzz and asked them to create a traditional-modern bath that would feel polished and more open, with better storage.