Bathroom Design
New This Week: 6 Light and Airy Low-Curb Showers
See how pairing a low-barrier shower with a mostly white palette creates a spacious and stylish look and feel
A low curb creates a safe entry point for a shower and helps contain water. It’s also a feature that lends airiness to a bathroom. When it’s paired with a frameless glass enclosure and a mostly white palette, the effect is an incredibly spacious look and feel. Here design and remodeling pros share the details about six lovely light and airy bathrooms with a low-curb shower.
“Uh-oh” moment. “Zellige tiles can pose a challenge for tile installers due to their perfectly imperfect nature,” Lauer says. “These tiles are not uniform in size and often lack straight edges. For our detailed shower design, it was imperative that the tiles aligned perfectly with the horizontal row of tiles. Our installer had to meticulously cut each horizontal tile to ensure that the grout lines matched up seamlessly. Although this process was time-consuming, the final result was well worth the extra effort.”
Paint: Simply White (walls) and Edgecomb Gray (baseboards and doors), Benjamin Moore
Find a bathroom designer near you
Paint: Simply White (walls) and Edgecomb Gray (baseboards and doors), Benjamin Moore
Find a bathroom designer near you
2. Terrazzo Pizazz
Designers: Victoria Wood and Ireland McGreavy of V Wood Interiors
Remodeler: Bathroom Design Quotes
Location: Boston
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters); 5 by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our client’s only requests were storage, a floating vanity with a vessel sink and also to ‘make it pretty,’” designer Ireland McGreavy says.
Shower details. “Our decision was easy,” McGreavy says. “The client didn’t want a door on the shower, and with the glass splash guard, we kept the curb to help contain water. We kept the terrazzo floor material the same in and out of the shower as well as the top of the curb, so it had a seamless look while ensuring no water spills or splashes.”
Designers: Victoria Wood and Ireland McGreavy of V Wood Interiors
Remodeler: Bathroom Design Quotes
Location: Boston
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters); 5 by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our client’s only requests were storage, a floating vanity with a vessel sink and also to ‘make it pretty,’” designer Ireland McGreavy says.
Shower details. “Our decision was easy,” McGreavy says. “The client didn’t want a door on the shower, and with the glass splash guard, we kept the curb to help contain water. We kept the terrazzo floor material the same in and out of the shower as well as the top of the curb, so it had a seamless look while ensuring no water spills or splashes.”
Other special features. “We wanted an earthy, contemporary feel and aesthetic,” McGreavy says. “To achieve that, we opted for a zellige-style wall tile, terrazzo floors and a wood vanity to bring in some warmth. While maintaining the earthy look, we also wanted the space to feel bright, so we went with our tried-and-true Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace on the walls. Other special features include an electric mirror, a low shampoo niche for shaving, and two other niches for storage of showering essentials.”
Designer tip. “Use all the space you can,” McGreavy says. “People forget that walls have cavities, so get the most out of the space you can steal from in between studs. And, as always, we recommend deferring to your builder.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One ‘uh-oh’ moment was when the contractor installed the wall-mounted faucet too low,” McGreavy says. “You need to take into consideration that it is not the typical distance from the countertop up to the bottom of the faucet when using a vessel sink. You need to account for the distance from the top of the sink to the bottom of the faucet. Luckily our building team is so easy to work with and they send progress photos in between site visits, so we were able to catch the install error before the tile was up.”
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Designer tip. “Use all the space you can,” McGreavy says. “People forget that walls have cavities, so get the most out of the space you can steal from in between studs. And, as always, we recommend deferring to your builder.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One ‘uh-oh’ moment was when the contractor installed the wall-mounted faucet too low,” McGreavy says. “You need to take into consideration that it is not the typical distance from the countertop up to the bottom of the faucet when using a vessel sink. You need to account for the distance from the top of the sink to the bottom of the faucet. Luckily our building team is so easy to work with and they send progress photos in between site visits, so we were able to catch the install error before the tile was up.”
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
3. Hex Appeal
Builder: Jeff Van Blaricom of Black Pines Builders
Location: Niwot, Colorado
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters); 4 feet, 11 inches by 9 feet, 2 inches
Homeowner’s request. “This was a full demo and remodel project,” builder Jeff Van Blaricom says. “The owner’s vision was to reflect her daughter’s personality while adding additional storage. We transformed this space with bespoke cabinetry that combines luxury and functionality, creating a bathroom retreat that’s as elegant as it is functional.”
Shower details. “The low-curb shower was driven by both aesthetic and practical considerations,” Van Blaricom says. “It helped to create a more open and seamless transition between the shower area and the rest of the bathroom. The shower control valve was placed opposite the shower head, near the entrance of the shower, allowing you to adjust the water temperature prior to getting in.” The walls are a warm white zellige tile.
Builder: Jeff Van Blaricom of Black Pines Builders
Location: Niwot, Colorado
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters); 4 feet, 11 inches by 9 feet, 2 inches
Homeowner’s request. “This was a full demo and remodel project,” builder Jeff Van Blaricom says. “The owner’s vision was to reflect her daughter’s personality while adding additional storage. We transformed this space with bespoke cabinetry that combines luxury and functionality, creating a bathroom retreat that’s as elegant as it is functional.”
Shower details. “The low-curb shower was driven by both aesthetic and practical considerations,” Van Blaricom says. “It helped to create a more open and seamless transition between the shower area and the rest of the bathroom. The shower control valve was placed opposite the shower head, near the entrance of the shower, allowing you to adjust the water temperature prior to getting in.” The walls are a warm white zellige tile.
Other special features. Custom green vanity (Green Smoke by Farrow & Ball). Quartz countertop and backsplash. Patterned hexagonal floor tile.
Builder tip. “We thought it was imperative that the zellige tile have mitered edges as opposed to using Schluter edging,” Van Blaricom says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “Two walls in the shower were exterior walls and would not allow for recessed wall niches, but storage was a necessity,” Van Blaricom says. “The homeowner chose to install two quartz floating shelves along the shower wall, and it may just be our favorite feature.”
Plumbing and lighting fixtures: Kohler; vanity: custom, Harris Timberworks
Trending Now: The Top 10 New Bathrooms
Builder tip. “We thought it was imperative that the zellige tile have mitered edges as opposed to using Schluter edging,” Van Blaricom says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “Two walls in the shower were exterior walls and would not allow for recessed wall niches, but storage was a necessity,” Van Blaricom says. “The homeowner chose to install two quartz floating shelves along the shower wall, and it may just be our favorite feature.”
Plumbing and lighting fixtures: Kohler; vanity: custom, Harris Timberworks
Trending Now: The Top 10 New Bathrooms
4. Black-and-White Beauty
Designer: Kara Haren of Along Came Lennox
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 42 square feet (3.9 square meters); 5 feet by 8 feet, 4 inches
Homeowners’ request. “This bathroom is the main floor bathroom used by guests and occasionally by a muddy kid straight out of the backyard,” designer Kara Haren says. “The request was to make it fun — hence the playful patterned floor tile — and ultradurable, which is why we went with ceramic and porcelain tile and a quartz countertop.”
Shower details. “We decided to go with a low-curb shower here to avoid the accidental water-splashing issue that can occur with curbless showers,” Haren says. “We also wanted to create a slip-resistant shower pan, which is why we changed the floor tile within the shower to be a small mosaic tile. More grout lines, more texture.”
Other special features. “With a black-and-white tile palette, we wanted to warm up the space with a rift-cut white oak wood custom vanity,” Haren says. “We also dialed up the warmth with the Kohler Purist plumbing collection in brass. To add extra dimension to this bathroom, we went with two hanging light pendants flanking the mirror. We also added a floating walnut shelf with brass brackets above the toilet to hold both decorative and functional smaller items.”
Designer tip. “To make this space extra durable, we avoided white grout altogether,” Haren says. “We find white grout drives our clients crazy trying to keep it clean. The shower pan floor was done with the darkest charcoal grout, and both the patterned floor tile and classic white subway shower tile were done with a medium gray grout.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The unexpected HVAC soffit location over the mirror had us thrown off,” Haren says. “But luckily we found an arch mirror we loved in the right height. And our lighting pendants were still height-adjustable — thank goodness for adjustable-cord pendants.”
Floor tile: Cementine Black and White, Arizona Tile
11 Big-Picture Bathroom Remodeling Trends
Designer: Kara Haren of Along Came Lennox
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 42 square feet (3.9 square meters); 5 feet by 8 feet, 4 inches
Homeowners’ request. “This bathroom is the main floor bathroom used by guests and occasionally by a muddy kid straight out of the backyard,” designer Kara Haren says. “The request was to make it fun — hence the playful patterned floor tile — and ultradurable, which is why we went with ceramic and porcelain tile and a quartz countertop.”
Shower details. “We decided to go with a low-curb shower here to avoid the accidental water-splashing issue that can occur with curbless showers,” Haren says. “We also wanted to create a slip-resistant shower pan, which is why we changed the floor tile within the shower to be a small mosaic tile. More grout lines, more texture.”
Other special features. “With a black-and-white tile palette, we wanted to warm up the space with a rift-cut white oak wood custom vanity,” Haren says. “We also dialed up the warmth with the Kohler Purist plumbing collection in brass. To add extra dimension to this bathroom, we went with two hanging light pendants flanking the mirror. We also added a floating walnut shelf with brass brackets above the toilet to hold both decorative and functional smaller items.”
Designer tip. “To make this space extra durable, we avoided white grout altogether,” Haren says. “We find white grout drives our clients crazy trying to keep it clean. The shower pan floor was done with the darkest charcoal grout, and both the patterned floor tile and classic white subway shower tile were done with a medium gray grout.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The unexpected HVAC soffit location over the mirror had us thrown off,” Haren says. “But luckily we found an arch mirror we loved in the right height. And our lighting pendants were still height-adjustable — thank goodness for adjustable-cord pendants.”
Floor tile: Cementine Black and White, Arizona Tile
11 Big-Picture Bathroom Remodeling Trends
5. Material Mix
Designer: Dawn Ianno of Dawn interiors
Location: Nassau County, New York
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This bathroom is one of two on the main floor of the home, and my clients wanted this room to be a full bathroom with a stand-up shower for guests,” designer Dawn Ianno says. “We played with the layout of this space until we got it right and it made sense. The bathroom is off the mudroom, which is off the kitchen, so it feels private but not far away from entertainment.”
Shower details. “The layout of this bathroom allows for the vanity to be the focal point when entering the room,” Ianno says. “However, since the vanity is centered in the room with the shower on the left and toilet on the right, we wanted to create a half wall between the shower and vanity. The low curb made the most sense for the opening of the shower. The floor tile from the adjoining mudroom flows into this bathroom, so the low-curb shower allowed us to separate the tiles and mix materials and incorporate another tile for the shower floor.”
Other special features. “The warm wood tones of the vanity play off the cool white-and-gray tiles, and the black hardware gives the space a little bold kick,” Ianno says. “The walls outside the shower are wallpapered with Phillip Jeffries’ Vinyl Stingray.”
Designer tip. “The grout color of the shower floor and wall tile is the same color as the floor tile outside the shower, so everything ties in together,” Ianno says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Designer: Dawn Ianno of Dawn interiors
Location: Nassau County, New York
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters); 5 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This bathroom is one of two on the main floor of the home, and my clients wanted this room to be a full bathroom with a stand-up shower for guests,” designer Dawn Ianno says. “We played with the layout of this space until we got it right and it made sense. The bathroom is off the mudroom, which is off the kitchen, so it feels private but not far away from entertainment.”
Shower details. “The layout of this bathroom allows for the vanity to be the focal point when entering the room,” Ianno says. “However, since the vanity is centered in the room with the shower on the left and toilet on the right, we wanted to create a half wall between the shower and vanity. The low curb made the most sense for the opening of the shower. The floor tile from the adjoining mudroom flows into this bathroom, so the low-curb shower allowed us to separate the tiles and mix materials and incorporate another tile for the shower floor.”
Other special features. “The warm wood tones of the vanity play off the cool white-and-gray tiles, and the black hardware gives the space a little bold kick,” Ianno says. “The walls outside the shower are wallpapered with Phillip Jeffries’ Vinyl Stingray.”
Designer tip. “The grout color of the shower floor and wall tile is the same color as the floor tile outside the shower, so everything ties in together,” Ianno says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
6. Pebble Pep
Designer: Jason Ulm of Shoreline Construction
Location: Neptune Beach, Florida
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters); 6 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This bathroom was designed for our homeowners’ guests,” builder Jason Ulm says. “They wanted the bathroom to feel clean and inviting.”
Shower details. Frameless glass partition. White tile walls. Pebble tile flooring. “This is a common detail for all of our projects, to allow ease of use,” Ulm says. “The key to this application is proper waterproofing both inside and directly outside the shower. For budget, we used simple tile choices but installed in an interesting pattern.”
Other special features. Blue-gray vanity with skinny Shaker-style drawer fronts. Large-format hexagonal tile flooring.
Designer tip. “To not overwhelm the space, introduce a fun vanity color while using classic neutral colors in the rest of the space,” Ulm says.
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Designer: Jason Ulm of Shoreline Construction
Location: Neptune Beach, Florida
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters); 6 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This bathroom was designed for our homeowners’ guests,” builder Jason Ulm says. “They wanted the bathroom to feel clean and inviting.”
Shower details. Frameless glass partition. White tile walls. Pebble tile flooring. “This is a common detail for all of our projects, to allow ease of use,” Ulm says. “The key to this application is proper waterproofing both inside and directly outside the shower. For budget, we used simple tile choices but installed in an interesting pattern.”
Other special features. Blue-gray vanity with skinny Shaker-style drawer fronts. Large-format hexagonal tile flooring.
Designer tip. “To not overwhelm the space, introduce a fun vanity color while using classic neutral colors in the rest of the space,” Ulm says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom design stories
Browse and save bathroom photos
Find bathroom remodelers
Shop for bathroom products
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Designer: Tiffany Lauer Interiors
Location: Palos Verdes Peninsula, California
Homeowners’ request. “We aimed to create a more cohesive and functional space by opening up the layout,” designer Tiffany Lauer says. “The clients expressed a strong desire to incorporate natural materials to achieve an earthy, organic ambiance.”
Lauer uses Houzz Pro business software.
Shower details. Calacatta Viola marble curb, built-in bench and other details. White handmade zellige wall tiles. Handcrafted floor tiles in multiple sizes. “We incorporated a low-curb shower to enhance both functionality and aesthetics,” Lauer says. “By extending the same bathroom floor tile into the shower pan, we aimed to create a seamless, expansive look that makes the space feel significantly larger. To add a touch of contrast and visual interest, we chose to use a marble slab for the curb, which beautifully complements the overall design.”
Other special features. Unlacquered brass fixtures. “To soften the space, we added drapes around the tub and incorporated wood beams to create visual interest,” Lauer says.