Renovated bathroom"After" photo of a gut renovation of a 1960's apartment on Central Park West, New York Photo: Elizabeth Dooley

Combining an everyday hallway bathroom with the main guest bath/powder room is not an easy task. The hallway bath needs to have a lot of utility with durable materials and functional storage. It also wants to be a bit “dressy” to make house guests feel special. This bathroom needed to do both. We first addressed its utility with bathroom necessities including the tub/shower. The recessed medicine cabinet in combination with an elongated vanity tackles all the storage needs including a concealed waste bin. Thoughtfully placed towel hooks are mostly out of sight behind the door while the half-wall hides the paper holder and a niche for other toilet necessities. It’s the materials that elevate this bathroom to powder room status. The tri-color marble penny tile sets the scene for the color palette. Carved black marble wall tile adds the necessary drama flowing along two walls. The remaining two walls of tile keep the room durable while softening the effects of the black walls and vanity. Rounded elements such as the light fixtures and the apron sink punctuate and carry the theme of the floor tile throughout the bathroom. Polished chrome fixtures along with the beefy frameless glass shower enclosure add just enough sparkle and contrast.

Kids bathroom featuring a turkish grey marble herringbone floor.

wearebuff.com, Frederic Baillod

This bathroom was completely gutted and laid out in a more functional way. The shower/tub combo was moved from the left side to the back of the bathroom on exterior wall.

Aaron Bailey Photography

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This homeowner’s daughter originally contacted us on behalf of her parents who were reluctant to begin the remodeling process in their home due to the inconvenience and dust. Once we met and they dipped their toes into the process, we were off to the races. The existing bathroom in this beautiful historical 1920’s home, had not been updated since the 70’/80’s as evidenced by the blue carpeting, mirrored walls and dropped ceilings. In addition, there was very little storage, and some health setbacks had made the bathroom difficult to maneuver with its tub shower. Once we demoed, we discovered everything we expected to find in a home that had not been updated for many years. We got to work bringing all the electrical and plumbing up to code, and it was just as dusty and dirty as the homeowner’s anticipated! Once the space was demoed, we got to work building our new plan. We eliminated the existing tub and created a large walk-in curb-less shower. An existing closet was eliminated and in its place, we planned a custom built in with spots for linens, jewelry and general storage. Because of the small space, we had to be very creative with the shower footprint, so we clipped one of the walls for more clearance behind the sink. The bathroom features a beautiful custom mosaic floor tile as well as tiled walls throughout the space. This required lots of coordination between the carpenter and tile setter to make sure that the framing and tile design were all properly aligned. We worked around an existing radiator and a unique original leaded window that was architecturally significant to the façade of the home. We had a lot of extra depth behind the original toilet location, so we built the wall out a bit, moved the toilet forward and then created some extra storage space behind the commode. We settled on mirrored mullioned doors to bounce lots of light around the smaller space. We also went back and forth on deciding between a single and double vanity, and in the end decided the single vanity allowed for more counter space, more storage below and for the design to breath a bit in the smaller space. I’m so happy with this decision! To build on the luxurious feel of the space, we added a heated towel bar and heated flooring. One of the concerns the homeowners had was having a comfortable floor to walk on. They realized that carpet was not a very practical solution but liked the comfort it had provided. Heated floors are the perfect solution. The room is decidedly traditional from its intricate mosaic marble floor to the calacutta marble clad walls. Elegant gold chandelier style fixtures, marble countertops and Morris & Co. beaded wallpaper provide an opulent feel to the space. The gray monochromatic pallet keeps it feeling fresh and up-to-date. The beautiful leaded glass window is an important architectural feature at the front of the house. In the summertime, the homeowners love having the window open for fresh air and ventilation. We love it too! The curb-less shower features a small fold down bench that can be used if needed and folded up when not. The shower also features a custom niche for storing shampoo and other hair products. The linear drain is built into the tilework and is barely visible. A frameless glass door that swings both in and out completes the luxurious feel. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Building Design, Plans, and Interior Finishes by: Fluidesign Studio I Builder: Schmidt Homes Remodeling I Photographer: Seth Benn Photography

Rehabilitation of a Queen Anne home in the Lavaca Historic District.

Susie Brenner Photography

Michael Merrill Design Studio completely reworked this 53 square-foot bathroom. This is the only bathroom in the 815 square-foot Edwardian residence. The floating cabinet increases the sense of space in this tiny bathroom. We relocated the bathroom so it is no longer located in the kitchen.

Curbless shower remodel for handicap accessible customer to roll their wheelchair in with shower bench and niche. Diamond set design accent strip along with two mosaic racing stripes.

This antique dresser was given new purpose by implementing it as a bathroom vanity. Built into the wall, and custom tiled, this piece is the star against a green multi toned tiled bathroom wall with a flush mirror and black and gold sconces.

© Rick Keating Photographer, all rights reserved, http://www.rickkeatingphotographer.com Rhonda Larson, dba RL Design Studio