Couple’s Bathroom Built for Relaxation and Ease
A clever new layout trades a walk-in closet for a roomy shower stall and an extra-long vanity
After remodeling nearly every public space in their Hanover, Minnesota, home, this couple finally decided to treat themselves to a primary bathroom remodel once their youngest child was ready to leave the nest. “What they really wanted was a peaceful place to go at the end of the day,” interior designer Colleen Slack says. “They wanted it to make them say, ‘Ahhhhhhh.’” Her design incorporates easy-to-clean and low-maintenance finishes, aging-in-place features, abundant storage, a larger shower and warm transitional style. The result is an en suite bathroom that helps the homeowners relax and recharge.
After: A freestanding tub delivers the spa-like soaking experience the wife wanted. As part of the remodel, Slack designed a wall of custom closet cabinets in the primary bedroom (not shown), allowing her to relocate the shower to the former walk-in closet (see floor plans below).
Slack describes the desired aesthetic as “restful zen with a little bit of playfulness.” Bamboo-look 12-by-24-inch porcelain floor tiles ground the space with subtle texture. A countertop with delicate veining, soft satin brass fixtures and light greige walls complete the soothing palette.
Wall paint: Rivers Edge, Sherwin-Williams; ceiling paint: Snowbound, Sherwin-Williams; flooring: Shibusa Beige 12-by-24-inch field tile, Virginia Tile
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Slack describes the desired aesthetic as “restful zen with a little bit of playfulness.” Bamboo-look 12-by-24-inch porcelain floor tiles ground the space with subtle texture. A countertop with delicate veining, soft satin brass fixtures and light greige walls complete the soothing palette.
Wall paint: Rivers Edge, Sherwin-Williams; ceiling paint: Snowbound, Sherwin-Williams; flooring: Shibusa Beige 12-by-24-inch field tile, Virginia Tile
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A floor-mounted filler eliminated the need for a deck and made the freestanding tub possible. A wall on the left side of the shower provides space for robe and towel hooks.
Bathtub: 75-by-35-inch acrylic freestanding soaking bathtub in matte white: Home Depot; tub filler: Voss, Moen; towel hooks: Lindor, Moen
Bathtub: 75-by-35-inch acrylic freestanding soaking bathtub in matte white: Home Depot; tub filler: Voss, Moen; towel hooks: Lindor, Moen
The windows surrounding the tub frame views of a hillside, trees and a lake. “These homeowners told me the vibe they wanted and then were more hands-off during the project,” Slack says.
The embroidered botanical fabric nods to the natural surroundings. “I wanted to keep the window treatments really simple,” Slack says, “so I didn’t want to add valances.” Instead, a small return — the added fabric on the side — conceals the brackets. Beaded cord controls are positioned within easy reach.
The embroidered botanical fabric nods to the natural surroundings. “I wanted to keep the window treatments really simple,” Slack says, “so I didn’t want to add valances.” Instead, a small return — the added fabric on the side — conceals the brackets. Beaded cord controls are positioned within easy reach.
Next to the tub, a drywall cabinet with face-frame doors had provided valuable storage but wasn’t particularly attractive. “Luckily our contractor is also a cabinetmaker,” Slack says. “He created classic cabinets that don’t lean too modern or too traditional.” He also designed the cabinets around an existing pipe.
The new cabinets are made of rift-cut white oak with a medium-brown stain that highlights the wood’s calm, straight grain. Six lower drawers provide generous storage. “These cabinets bring in a lot of warmth and balance the painted vanity cabinets,” Slack says.
The new cabinets are made of rift-cut white oak with a medium-brown stain that highlights the wood’s calm, straight grain. Six lower drawers provide generous storage. “These cabinets bring in a lot of warmth and balance the painted vanity cabinets,” Slack says.
Before: The original floor plan included a walk-in closet — the large room on the left — a shower, toilet and vanity. The drywall cabinet was on the bottom right.
After: Relocating the shower to the former closet allowed Slack to shift the layout to the left. The toilet moved into the old shower location, creating space for a longer vanity.
Before: The original vanity frustrated the homeowners. It was too low, had a decorative 7-inch front panel that wasted storage potential and was difficult to clean. It included a bulky central storage tower that darkened the room.
After: Moving the toilet made room for a longer vanity that gives both husband and wife their own sink and two banks of drawers.
The vanity incorporates universal design features that improve ease of use. Lever-style faucet handles require less grip strength than cross handles, and sleek bar pulls are easier to grasp than small knobs.
Cabinet hardware: Habitat pull, Emtek
The vanity incorporates universal design features that improve ease of use. Lever-style faucet handles require less grip strength than cross handles, and sleek bar pulls are easier to grasp than small knobs.
Cabinet hardware: Habitat pull, Emtek
Replacing the central tower with two custom towers at each end of the vanity visually opened the room. Slack also concealed outlets inside the towers for electric toothbrushes, shavers and other everyday items.
To simplify cleaning, the couple selected durable, low-maintenance quartz for the countertop and backsplash. Marble-inspired veining gives it the look of natural stone. The vanity cabinets are painted Sherwin-Williams’ Dhurrie Beige, a calming color that complements both the wood cabinetry and the quartz surfaces.
To simplify cleaning, the couple selected durable, low-maintenance quartz for the countertop and backsplash. Marble-inspired veining gives it the look of natural stone. The vanity cabinets are painted Sherwin-Williams’ Dhurrie Beige, a calming color that complements both the wood cabinetry and the quartz surfaces.
Slack showed the homeowners a wide selection of mirror shapes and finishes. “They loved the soft camel wood tone and wavy shapes of these mirrors,” she says.
Capsule-shaped alabaster sconces reinforce the room’s natural palette and pair with the mirrors.
Capsule-shaped alabaster sconces reinforce the room’s natural palette and pair with the mirrors.
The toilet sits at the end of the vanity, with partial walls providing a measure of privacy.
Before: The original shower was small and dark.
After: The toilet now occupies the former shower location, while the vanity extends into the area where the toilet once stood. The shower’s temperature control valve is positioned within easy reach of the door, allowing the couple to turn on the water before stepping inside.
Slack notes that placing a grab bar where people transition between wet and dry surfaces helps reduce the risk of slipping. “We consider aging in place a best practice regardless of the context,” Slack says. “Anyone can break an arm or twist an ankle and need grab bars for balance.”
Slack notes that placing a grab bar where people transition between wet and dry surfaces helps reduce the risk of slipping. “We consider aging in place a best practice regardless of the context,” Slack says. “Anyone can break an arm or twist an ankle and need grab bars for balance.”
Measuring 8⅓ feet along the back wall and 5½ feet deep, the spacious shower easily accommodates dual shower heads and handheld wands.
The shower walls are finished in tadelakt (pronounced ta-de-lack), an ancient waterproof Moroccan plaster. The artisan color-matched the tadelakt to the room’s wall color, Sherwin-Williams’ Rivers Edge.
“This was our first time using tadelakt,” Slack says. “It looks like great pieces of stone on the shower walls.” It’s durable, antimicrobial and easy to clean, she says. The homeowners hated scrubbing shower grout, and with this finish, they won’t have to.
The shower floor uses a small-format mosaic from the same tile collection as the main bathroom floor for better traction, and includes a curbless entry.
Shower floor tile: Intreccio Mosaic, Shibusa; shower heads: Verso, Moen
The shower walls are finished in tadelakt (pronounced ta-de-lack), an ancient waterproof Moroccan plaster. The artisan color-matched the tadelakt to the room’s wall color, Sherwin-Williams’ Rivers Edge.
“This was our first time using tadelakt,” Slack says. “It looks like great pieces of stone on the shower walls.” It’s durable, antimicrobial and easy to clean, she says. The homeowners hated scrubbing shower grout, and with this finish, they won’t have to.
The shower floor uses a small-format mosaic from the same tile collection as the main bathroom floor for better traction, and includes a curbless entry.
Shower floor tile: Intreccio Mosaic, Shibusa; shower heads: Verso, Moen
The wife “wanted a shower where she could sit down and relax at the end of the day,” Slack says. The long tadelakt-covered bench provides plenty of room to do just that while remaining within easy reach of a handheld shower wand. Instead of recessed niches, Slack incorporated ledges along two sides of the shower to hold bathing products.
A new shoulder-height shower window brings in natural light and views of the surrounding trees while maintaining privacy.
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Hanover, Minnesota
Size: 198 square feet (18 square meters)
Designer: Colleen Slack of Fox Interiors
Contractor: Marcus Stromberg of Stromberg Built
Before: While the wife loved soaking in the tub, the large deck she had to climb over to reach the windows — combined with concerns about what might be lurking in the 25-year-old jetted tub — made bathing in it unappealing.
The couple also wanted to replace the dark finishes, improve storage and find an alternative to the walk-in closet accessed by the door in the back of the photo. Because they plan to stay in the home long-term, aging-in-place features were also a priority.
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