Bathroom Design
Couples Are Splitting Up ... Their Bathroom Spaces
Partners are renovating with personalized touches in their individual bathrooms
One year when my brother and I returned home from college for a visit, we noticed something peculiar: Our father had taken over our bathroom and my mother had the master bathroom all to herself. But it made sense — both bathrooms were tiny, and he was able to make his shaving mess while she could blow-dry her hair. In separate spaces, they didn’t have to take turns, and they weren’t getting on each other’s nerves with their particular bathroom habits. In many cases, long-overdue bathroom renovations are inspired by a newly emptied nest. One partner takes over the master and the other customizes the former kids’ bathroom to make it their own, both functionally and stylistically. Here are three examples where parting ways in the bathroom inspired individually personalized remodels.
The homeowner preferred a larger shower stall to the existing tub-shower combo. Elleman nestled the vanity right up against the shower’s pony wall, which helped her carve out a 38-by-63-inch shower stall.
Before and After: 6 Bathrooms That Said Goodbye to the Tub
Before and After: 6 Bathrooms That Said Goodbye to the Tub
The husband had some bold ideas for his bathroom even before they started. “He had already chosen a matte black finish for the faucets before we started and just had to have it in here,” Elleman says. She knew white would brighten up the 5-by-8-foot space and that strong graphic contrast would suit his style. Black pencil trim, dark slate floor tiles and a black light fixture pick up on the matte black accents in the room.
Noticing that his shaving stuff had cluttered up the countertop when he shared the small master bathroom with his wife, the designer advocated for a vanity with storage. The sleek wall-mounted vanity blends in and floats off the floor, maintaining an open, minimalist look. Floating shelves provide additional storage.
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Noticing that his shaving stuff had cluttered up the countertop when he shared the small master bathroom with his wife, the designer advocated for a vanity with storage. The sleek wall-mounted vanity blends in and floats off the floor, maintaining an open, minimalist look. Floating shelves provide additional storage.
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Elleman presented her client with an array of black-and-white tiles to choose from for the shower wall and he picked this dynamic terrazzo. Subway tiles that measure 4 by 16 inches make the rest of the walls feel less busy. “It made the walls seem longer and just makes things feel good in here,” Elleman says.
Read more about these bathroom renovations
Read more about these bathroom renovations
Victorian for Her, Modern for Him
When designer Joni Spear and her husband, Dan, moved into their two-story Queen Anne home in Smithfield, Virginia, each had the opportunity to stake their claim on a second-floor bathroom. Joni has a long list of the benefits of separate bathrooms. “Everyone has their own grooming habits, and toothpaste or hair shavings in the sink gross me out,” she says. “Dan likes liquid hand soap and I prefer bar style. I prefer a hotter shower than Dan, and we never have to adjust the thermostatic valve from one person to the other. We use the same brand of razors, and this way they don’t get mixed up.”
In her bath, she went with a Victorian-inspired look that connects the space to the rest of the home. She mixed old and new in a way that leans more classic, with a basketweave floor tile and vintage-style vanity. The freestanding bathtub also nods to the home’s era, but its silhouette brings modern style into the room.
Wall color: Rain, Sherwin-Williams
Browse white freestanding bathtubs
When designer Joni Spear and her husband, Dan, moved into their two-story Queen Anne home in Smithfield, Virginia, each had the opportunity to stake their claim on a second-floor bathroom. Joni has a long list of the benefits of separate bathrooms. “Everyone has their own grooming habits, and toothpaste or hair shavings in the sink gross me out,” she says. “Dan likes liquid hand soap and I prefer bar style. I prefer a hotter shower than Dan, and we never have to adjust the thermostatic valve from one person to the other. We use the same brand of razors, and this way they don’t get mixed up.”
In her bath, she went with a Victorian-inspired look that connects the space to the rest of the home. She mixed old and new in a way that leans more classic, with a basketweave floor tile and vintage-style vanity. The freestanding bathtub also nods to the home’s era, but its silhouette brings modern style into the room.
Wall color: Rain, Sherwin-Williams
Browse white freestanding bathtubs
In addition to the tub, Joni’s bathroom has a roomy shower complete with a marble mosaic accent. Clear glass keeps the space feeling open.
“The biggest benefit of having my own bathroom is in the middle of the night I know the toilet seat is down. I can’t tell you how many times while staying at a hotel with Dan I’ve basically fallen into the toilet in the middle of the night because the seat was up,” Joni says with a laugh.
“The biggest benefit of having my own bathroom is in the middle of the night I know the toilet seat is down. I can’t tell you how many times while staying at a hotel with Dan I’ve basically fallen into the toilet in the middle of the night because the seat was up,” Joni says with a laugh.
Dan’s bathroom has a more graphic modern look. There’s still a mix of old and new, but the style leans more toward the new than Joni’s space does. Bold geometric floor tile, octagonal shower tile, streamlined hardware, a clear glass shower enclosure and sharp black-and-white contrast help lend the modern look.
Shaker-style cabinetry and traditional sconces bring in the old.
Because Dan’s bathroom becomes the guest bathroom when their grown kids and other family and friends visit, Joni added extra storage through the tower on the countertop and double sinks in the vanity.
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Because Dan’s bathroom becomes the guest bathroom when their grown kids and other family and friends visit, Joni added extra storage through the tower on the countertop and double sinks in the vanity.
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Craftsman-Inspired for Him, Soothing and Traditional for Her
This 50-square-foot bathroom’s location right off the home office where the husband spends a lot of time made it the logical choice for him. His requirements were that it fit in with the rest of the Craftsman-style home and that the windowless space be bright.
He loved moody blue hues and the idea of a wooden vanity with an integrated sink. Designer Michelle Fee of Change Your Bathroom found a beautiful glass mosaic tile to use as a shower accent and then matched up Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue for the walls. She used white subway tile on the shower surround and the wainscoting to keep the room bright.
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This 50-square-foot bathroom’s location right off the home office where the husband spends a lot of time made it the logical choice for him. His requirements were that it fit in with the rest of the Craftsman-style home and that the windowless space be bright.
He loved moody blue hues and the idea of a wooden vanity with an integrated sink. Designer Michelle Fee of Change Your Bathroom found a beautiful glass mosaic tile to use as a shower accent and then matched up Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue for the walls. She used white subway tile on the shower surround and the wainscoting to keep the room bright.
Find a local tile professional
Fee designed this dark-stained maple vanity to suit the husband’s needs and personal style. While she initially discussed mirrored medicine cabinet options with him, he decided he didn’t need all of the storage, so they went with a mirror that tilts instead. “There’s not a lot of room to back up and see yourself in a tight space, but with a tilt mirror, you can,” Fee says. This is the only room in the house where brass finishes make an appearance, which also helps to make the space uniquely his.
Learn more about this bathroom
Learn more about this bathroom
“Back when they shared a bathroom, she spent a lot more time in here than he did and she had more of her things spread out on the countertop,” Fee says. “She wanted something more classic and traditional. She also wanted soothing and relaxing color in her bathroom.” This space measures 120 square feet, and a statement freestanding tub and separate shower stall were on the wife’s must-have list.
Basketweave tile adds a classic touch to the floor, which is heated. “Another advantage to separate bathrooms is that she didn’t need to have two vanities and sinks,” Fee says. Instead there was room for the storage cabinet and a heated towel rack.
Your turn: Have you and your mate each claimed a bathroom of your own? Please share your experiences in the Comments.
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Your turn: Have you and your mate each claimed a bathroom of your own? Please share your experiences in the Comments.
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Read more bathroom stories
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
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Once their kids had moved out, this Washington, D.C., couple were more than ready to take over their bathroom. Both the master and the hall bath were a modest 40 square feet, dark, dated and not very functional. Each homeowner wanted a space with better functionality, storage and light. Designer Carolyn Elleman of Case Design Remodeling helped them make the most of the two bathrooms and add their personal styles.
For the wife’s, the goal was a light and bright room that was also warm. A custom cherry vanity, champagne bronze finishes and the earthy gray floor keep the mostly white room from skewing cold. The floating vanity, clear glass shower enclosure, large-format tiles and new streamlined radiator make the small space feel larger.
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