20 “Before & After” Remodels That Transform Blah Bathrooms Into Striking Sanctuaries
Bathrooms don’t have to be drab just because they’re utilitarian by nature. These 20 makeovers show how architects and designers have turned humdrum interiors into something extraordinary.
From Builder-Grade to Retro-Chic for $17K
After: Design Bar Detroit cofounders Lisa Backus and Andrea Richardson kept the layout the same and focused on new finishes and fixtures. They relocated the storage and installed a deeper Jacuzzi soaking tub, and wall-hung Duravit sink for a more minimalist look. A wall of Daltile was cut and assembled into an eye-catching geometric pattern, and terrazzo surrounds the shower. Sleek pink shelves from Blu Dot, a white faucet from Rubinet, and a chrome sconce from Dutton Brown are the finishing touches.
After: The floor of the bath and shower area is clad in Krista Watterworth Kiss Marble tiles, and the exterior door can be opened so the owners can bathe al fresco.
After: On the top floor, the glass-enclosed central courtyard brings light into the home. A preserved window opening marks where the bathroom used to be. It has been overlaid with mesh for vines to eventually climb the exposed brick wall, which is a "very raw piece of the old house," the architect says.
Before: The owner of this Gothic townhome in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill neighborhood needed help with a remodel that could blend the home’s historic qualities with a modern eye. Architect Elizabeth Roberts turned the top floor of the three-story home—which has a 11-foot by 30-foot frame—into a comfortable main suite, with a portion of the hallway converted into the bathroom.
After: In the main suite, subdued wall tiling lets the graphic floor—Ann Sacks tile in a geometric Kelly Wearstler pattern—shine. Black accents, including the plumbing fixtures, a black-framed glass shower enclosure, and the counter, are balanced with the wood of the original windows and the new brass mirror.
After: "I wanted to try something that I would try to convince clients to do," says Linden of her design choices in the powder room. Using 1x1 wood trim pieces, she created a graphic 3D pattern on the walls and painted the floors and ceiling in Farrow & Ball’s Brassica.
After: Each bathroom in the condo nods to its ’70s roots while echoing the natural beauty outside. In the green-painted bathroom, Ann Sacks terrazzo tiles on the floor and backsplash complement a floating concrete sink fabricated by local artisan Cement Elegance. The custom storage is in the same style as the rest of the house, with cutout finger pulls instead of hardware.
After: Cheng specified brass Schluter inlay between the terrazzo tiles on the floor. "These are installed in an offset Y pattern, which is the first letter of [the owners’] last name," says the designer. A terrazzo tile backsplash provides a lightly textured backdrop for the brass faucet and warm wooden cabinetry.
After: The bathroom was relocated behind the kitchen, and now harmonizes with the rest of the home. Custom black-and-white Carrara marble flooring is a graphic counterpoint to the whitewashed wood cabinetry. A wall-hung sink floats over a streamlined storage shelf, and an oversize mirror expands the sense of space in the petite home.
After: Hess preserved the original storage cabinet, just reworking the doors and drawer fronts. Marble mosaic flooring from New Ravenna extends to cover the built-in bench under the window. The walls are glazed American quarry tile by Design and Direct Source. The Fantini plumbing fixtures were custom powder-coated in a terra-cotta color that was so unexpected, the plumbing supply company double-checked Hess’s choice. "They called us and asked, ‘Are you sure?’" Hess recounts with a laugh. "We weren’t afraid of some of the decisions, which, if you took out of context, could seem risky or extreme. But when you see all of it together, it creates this sculptural feeling that is so unique and unified with the house."
After: The new color palette combines a medley of hues, including mustard, mint, rusty orange, and lavender. The bathroom floor, tiled with oversized flowers, is paired with a plaid shower curtain. Color-blocked custom cabinets make for a delightful surprise at the vanity. The client encouraged the firm to make bold design choices: "I think we originally had something with a bit less color, but she was always pushing us," says Merrill. "It was so fun."
Before: For this 1954 midcentury in Portland, Oregon, designer Stewart Horner of Penny Black Interiors says "[the] approach was to create some standout moments throughout the home that made the space feel more mod than mid." A Jack and Jill bathroom with worn fixtures and finishes was tweaked so that it solely connects to the principal bedroom and forms a private suite.
After: A walk-in shower that is tiled up to the ceiling pitch replaced the original tub. A custom wood vanity with one sink basin is decked with two faucets to save space. Brass accents bring a little glam. "It was all about balancing the closed and the open, the heavy and the light, to make this low-ceiling-height space functional, but also open, cozy, and bright," says Keasler.
Before: In Portland, Oregon, an artsy retiree tasked local firm Jessica Helgerson Interior Design with renovating the 1,075-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath loft that she’d lived in for nearly 10 years.
After: The interior design firm created a sculptural vanity installation with custom, bleached red oak cabinets, a concrete sink, and tiled walls and countertops. "The Japanese porcelain tiles were laid out in a grid that aligns with every element in the bathroom," says designer Mira Eng-Goetz. "For example, the bathroom sink aligns with the adjacent grout lines, as do the inset cabinet doors below."
Before: In order to create a private en suite for the owners of this Seattle midcentury, SHED Architecture + Design expanded the existing bathroom by enclosing an exterior atrium between the entry and the garage.
After: Now, a walk-in shower and soaking tub are tucked under the roofline. Skylights placed between the existing eaves fill the new bathroom with light.
After: The bathroom features black hex tile on the floor and white tile laid in a grid on the walls. The custom vanity is fir, in keeping with the rest of the home’s material palette.
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