This medium sized bathroom had ample space to create a luxurious bathroom for this young professional couple with 3 young children. My clients really wanted a place to unplug and relax where they could retreat and recharge. New cabinets were a must with customized interiors to reduce cluttered counter tops and make morning routines easier and more organized. We selected Hale Navy for the painted finish with an upscale recessed panel door. Honey bronze hardware is a nice contrast to the navy paint instead of an expected brushed silver. For storage, a grooming center to organize hair dryer, curling iron and brushes keeps everything in place for morning routines. On the opposite, a pull-out organizer outfitted with trays for smaller personal items keeps everything at the fingertips. I included a pull-out hamper to keep laundry and towels off the floor. Another design detail I like to include is drawers in the sink cabinets. It is much better to have drawers notched for the plumbing when organizing bathroom products instead of filling up a large base cabinet. The room already had beautiful windows and was bathed in naturel light from an existing skylight. I enhanced the natural lighting with some recessed can lights, a light in the shower as well as sconces around the mirrored medicine cabinets. The best thing about the medicine cabinets is not only the additional storage but when both doors are opened you can see the back of your head. The inside of the cabinet doors are mirrored. Honey Bronze sconces are perfect lighting at the vanity for makeup and shaving. A larger shower for my very tall client with a built-in bench was a priority for this bathroom. I recommend stream showers whenever designing a bathroom and my client loved the idea of that feature as a surprise for his wife. Steam adds to the wellness and health aspect of any good bathroom design. We were able to access a small closet space just behind the shower a perfect spot for the steam unit. In addition to the steam, a handheld shower is another “standard” item in our shower designs. I like to locate these near a bench so you can sit while you target sore shoulder and back muscles. Another benefit is cleanability of the shower walls and being able to take a quick shower without getting your hair wet. The slide bar is just the thing to accommodate different heights. For Mrs. a tub for soaking and relaxing were the main ingredients required for this remodel. Here I specified a Bain Ultra freestanding tub complete with air massage, chromatherapy and a heated back rest. The tub filer is floor mounted and adds another element of elegance to the bath. I located the tub in a bay window so the bather can enjoy the beautiful view out of the window. It is also a great way to relax after a round of golf. Either way, both of my clients can enjoy the benefits of this tub. The tiles selected for the shower and the lower walls of the bathroom are a slightly oversized subway tile in a clean and bright white. The floors are a 12x24 porcelain marble. The shower floor features a flat cut marble pebble tile. Behind the vanity the wall is tiled with Zellage tile in a herringbone pattern. The colors of the tile connect all the colors used in the bath. The final touches of elegance and luxury to complete our design, the soft lilac paint on the walls, the mix of metal materials on the faucets, cabinet hardware, lighting and yes, an oversized heated towel warmer complete with robe hooks. This truly is a space for rejuvenation and wellness.

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

This medium sized bathroom had ample space to create a luxurious bathroom for this young professional couple with 3 young children. My clients really wanted a place to unplug and relax where they could retreat and recharge. New cabinets were a must with customized interiors to reduce cluttered counter tops and make morning routines easier and more organized. We selected Hale Navy for the painted finish with an upscale recessed panel door. Honey bronze hardware is a nice contrast to the navy paint instead of an expected brushed silver. For storage, a grooming center to organize hair dryer, curling iron and brushes keeps everything in place for morning routines. On the opposite, a pull-out organizer outfitted with trays for smaller personal items keeps everything at the fingertips. I included a pull-out hamper to keep laundry and towels off the floor. Another design detail I like to include is drawers in the sink cabinets. It is much better to have drawers notched for the plumbing when organizing bathroom products instead of filling up a large base cabinet. The room already had beautiful windows and was bathed in naturel light from an existing skylight. I enhanced the natural lighting with some recessed can lights, a light in the shower as well as sconces around the mirrored medicine cabinets. The best thing about the medicine cabinets is not only the additional storage but when both doors are opened you can see the back of your head. The inside of the cabinet doors are mirrored. Honey Bronze sconces are perfect lighting at the vanity for makeup and shaving. A larger shower for my very tall client with a built-in bench was a priority for this bathroom. I recommend stream showers whenever designing a bathroom and my client loved the idea of that feature as a surprise for his wife. Steam adds to the wellness and health aspect of any good bathroom design. We were able to access a small closet space just behind the shower a perfect spot for the steam unit. In addition to the steam, a handheld shower is another “standard” item in our shower designs. I like to locate these near a bench so you can sit while you target sore shoulder and back muscles. Another benefit is cleanability of the shower walls and being able to take a quick shower without getting your hair wet. The slide bar is just the thing to accommodate different heights. For Mrs. a tub for soaking and relaxing were the main ingredients required for this remodel. Here I specified a Bain Ultra freestanding tub complete with air massage, chromatherapy and a heated back rest. The tub filer is floor mounted and adds another element of elegance to the bath. I located the tub in a bay window so the bather can enjoy the beautiful view out of the window. It is also a great way to relax after a round of golf. Either way, both of my clients can enjoy the benefits of this tub. The tiles selected for the shower and the lower walls of the bathroom are a slightly oversized subway tile in a clean and bright white. The floors are a 12x24 porcelain marble. The shower floor features a flat cut marble pebble tile. Behind the vanity the wall is tiled with Zellage tile in a herringbone pattern. The colors of the tile connect all the colors used in the bath. The final touches of elegance and luxury to complete our design, the soft lilac paint on the walls, the mix of metal materials on the faucets, cabinet hardware, lighting and yes, an oversized heated towel warmer complete with robe hooks. This truly is a space for rejuvenation and wellness.

BEFORE PHOTO: Creating this open airy master retreat involved removing a space consuming corner W.C. and an awkwardly deep linen closet. Using tall glass panels to separate the shower and toilet gives privacy while maintaining the newly acquired spaciousness. The glass panels transition from frosted around the toilet to clear around the roomy barrier free shower. By reducing the original closet opening, we gained necessary wall space for a modern freestanding tub. Tall cabinets provide plenty of storage space for linens and toiletries. A pair of pull-out cabinets – one on each side of the sink – conceal convenient grooming stations. An extra wide sink can easily accommodate two and still leaves plenty of counterspace on either side. The large mirror is mounted to a shallow framework concealing recessed lighting and softly illuminating the wall behind. The faucets and hand-held shower feature a knurled detail lending a bit of biker industrial to the modern surroundings. Access to the walk-in-closet is through a clean open doorway, while a wide modern style barn door slides open on the master bedroom side. Photo credit: Fred Donham of Photographerlink

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

We created this mid-size trendy bathroom by refurbishing existing vanity and fixtures. White subway tiles were wrapped around the bathroom with grey porcelain tiles. The floor tiles bear a resemblance to brush strokes of watercolors, creating a flow in the space. We installed a new soaking bathtub with a frameless barn shower door to add to the unique look. The tile pattern and neutral colors help elongate the space and make it feel bigger. As a part of this renovation, we carved out a small laundry space in the hallway closet. Full size stacked washer and dryer fit perfectly and can be easily enclosed. --- Project designed by Skokie renovation firm, Chi Renovations & Design - general contractors, kitchen and bath remodelers, and design & build company. They serve the Chicago area, and it's surrounding suburbs, with an emphasis on the North Side and North Shore. You'll find their work from the Loop through Lincoln Park, Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, and all the way up to Lake Forest. For more about Chi Renovation & Design, click here: https://www.chirenovation.com/

Gorgeous master bath with dramatic retro "wave" tile. Peak Photography
Example of a 1950s bathroom design in Los Angeles

Bathroom - bathroom idea in New York

Inspiration for a large farmhouse master porcelain tile and black floor freestanding bathtub remodel in San Diego with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Owner designed and remodeled small half-bathroom in south Atlanta suburb. Gut remodel with updated (corrected) electrical, updated (corrected) plumbing, Kohler toilet, IKEA Silveran vanity (partial-wall mount; mounted to be 37" high to top of sink, my preference), IKEA Silveran medicine cabinet, IKEA Silveran cabinet, and retrofitted an IKEA Lillangen sink (which normally goes with a different vanity). Paint is Olympic One "Thin Ice" (paint not recommended, was disappointing for the "best" Olympic sells at Lowe's; color is great, though). Chrome fixtures with faucet by Glacier Bay (unknown model; Home Depot clearance find) and chrome door knobs (also from Home Depot). Blinds are from SelectBlinds.com and are Bamboo 1" faux wood. Wall art is from Etsy.com (look up dictionary prints if you want to find similar). Tile is from Lowe's, by Style Selections, and called Skyros Gray (highly recommended, good quality). Grout color is Silver by MAPEI (Lowe's). Silver MAPEI grout-look cauking along top and bottom of baseboard tiles (upper floor home so can't use grout). Unfortunately the sink and toilet were a different shade of white but the toilets were all fairly new and it's more noticeable in the photo than in real life. Used 3 LED new work IC recessed lights, LED under-cabinet light from Home Depot off of same switch as the lights but with a switch on-board, and a basic contractor-grade ceiling fan with some Dynamat-like material applied to the casing which reduces its noise significantly off of its own switch. GFCI outlet has a nightlight built in and, not shown, is another GFCI outlet retrofitted into the medicine cabinet. Don't worry, that silicone caulking around the toilet has been improved to a professional look with the Silver caulking over it to blend better since this photo, so don't hold that against me! In fact, don't hold anything you don't like against me... just posting this to give folks some ideas WITH the actual units used, unlike most postings on Houzz. ©Kil|Photography

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2014 Houzz
Example of a classic bathroom design in Tampa

The new owners of this house in Harvard, Massachusetts loved its location and authentic Shaker characteristics, but weren’t fans of its curious layout. A dated first-floor full bathroom could only be accessed by going up a few steps to a landing, opening the bathroom door and then going down the same number of steps to enter the room. The dark kitchen faced the driveway to the north, rather than the bucolic backyard fields to the south. The dining space felt more like an enlarged hall and could only comfortably seat four. Upstairs, a den/office had a woefully low ceiling; the master bedroom had limited storage, and a sad full bathroom featured a cramped shower. KHS proposed a number of changes to create an updated home where the owners could enjoy cooking, entertaining, and being connected to the outdoors from the first-floor living spaces, while also experiencing more inviting and more functional private spaces upstairs. On the first floor, the primary change was to capture space that had been part of an upper-level screen porch and convert it to interior space. To make the interior expansion seamless, we raised the floor of the area that had been the upper-level porch, so it aligns with the main living level, and made sure there would be no soffits in the planes of the walls we removed. We also raised the floor of the remaining lower-level porch to reduce the number of steps required to circulate from it to the newly expanded interior. New patio door systems now fill the arched openings that used to be infilled with screen. The exterior interventions (which also included some new casement windows in the dining area) were designed to be subtle, while affording significant improvements on the interior. Additionally, the first-floor bathroom was reconfigured, shifting one of its walls to widen the dining space, and moving the entrance to the bathroom from the stair landing to the kitchen instead. These changes (which involved significant structural interventions) resulted in a much more open space to accommodate a new kitchen with a view of the lush backyard and a new dining space defined by a new built-in banquette that comfortably seats six, and -- with the addition of a table extension -- up to eight people. Upstairs in the den/office, replacing the low, board ceiling with a raised, plaster, tray ceiling that springs from above the original board-finish walls – newly painted a light color -- created a much more inviting, bright, and expansive space. Re-configuring the master bath to accommodate a larger shower and adding built-in storage cabinets in the master bedroom improved comfort and function. A new whole-house color palette rounds out the improvements. Photos by Katie Hutchison