Bathroom of the Week: Light and Bright Look for Empty Nesters
Designers freshen up a couple’s main bath with a more open feel, durable materials, white finishes and a pretty pattern
After working with designers Sydney Foley and Emma Legg to give areas of their 1999 home a colorful updated traditional style, this empty-nest couple turned to the designers once again to refresh their aging and basic bathroom. They wanted it to be “bright, light and airy and softer than the rest of their home,” Legg says.
To accomplish that, the designers replaced a built-in tub and enclosed shower with a freestanding tub and frameless glass shower. That, coupled with removing a looming soffit over the vanity area, helped visually and physically open up the room. A new custom bright white double vanity, marble-look porcelain shower tile and light wood-look porcelain floor tile also lighten the look. Meanwhile, a light gray leaf-print wallpaper wraps the room in a soft and pretty pattern.
To accomplish that, the designers replaced a built-in tub and enclosed shower with a freestanding tub and frameless glass shower. That, coupled with removing a looming soffit over the vanity area, helped visually and physically open up the room. A new custom bright white double vanity, marble-look porcelain shower tile and light wood-look porcelain floor tile also lighten the look. Meanwhile, a light gray leaf-print wallpaper wraps the room in a soft and pretty pattern.
After: Foley and Legg stripped the bathroom to the studs and removed the shower enclosure and soffit. A freestanding tub and glass-enclosed shower give the updated space a light and airy feel. “The main goal was opening up the tub and shower spaces so we could get a lighter appearance and more open floor plan,” Legg says.
A white custom L-shaped vanity (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams), light wood-look porcelain floor tile and marble-look porcelain tile in the shower enhance brightness. “The floor tiles we used bring in a natural look and elegance for warmth, but they’re porcelain, which adds durability and function to the bathroom,” Legg says.
The washable wallpaper has a distressed print of fog-colored leaves that have a bit of sparkle. “It gives some pattern and texture but still keeps things neutral,” Legg says.
A capiz shell chandelier adds more pattern and texture. Recessed LED lights provide additional illumination overhead.
Flooring: Bryce Wood collection, Mosaic Tile; wallpaper: Arboretum Fog Leaves, Catalina collection, A-Street Prints, Brewster Home Fashions
Find a bathroom designer near you
A white custom L-shaped vanity (Pure White by Sherwin-Williams), light wood-look porcelain floor tile and marble-look porcelain tile in the shower enhance brightness. “The floor tiles we used bring in a natural look and elegance for warmth, but they’re porcelain, which adds durability and function to the bathroom,” Legg says.
The washable wallpaper has a distressed print of fog-colored leaves that have a bit of sparkle. “It gives some pattern and texture but still keeps things neutral,” Legg says.
A capiz shell chandelier adds more pattern and texture. Recessed LED lights provide additional illumination overhead.
Flooring: Bryce Wood collection, Mosaic Tile; wallpaper: Arboretum Fog Leaves, Catalina collection, A-Street Prints, Brewster Home Fashions
Find a bathroom designer near you
The double vanity includes rollout trays beneath the sinks and organizers in the drawers. Brushed bronze cone-shaped knobs coordinate with the hand-forged metal frame mirrors in an antiqued gold leaf finish and the brass sconces with linen shades.
“The mirrors have a strong geometric presence, but the curves are nice and soft and work with the wallpaper,” Foley says.
Sconces: Clout in Soft Brass with linen shade, Visual Comfort; mirrors: Duronia in antiqued gold, Uttermost; cabinet hardware: Cone in brushed bronze, Top Knobs
Shop from a curated collection of bathroom vanities
“The mirrors have a strong geometric presence, but the curves are nice and soft and work with the wallpaper,” Foley says.
Sconces: Clout in Soft Brass with linen shade, Visual Comfort; mirrors: Duronia in antiqued gold, Uttermost; cabinet hardware: Cone in brushed bronze, Top Knobs
Shop from a curated collection of bathroom vanities
A niche near one of the undermount sinks offers storage for skincare products and makeup. “Coming up with that niche to the side helps keep clutter off the vanity top,” Foley says.
Solid white quartz countertops and a short backsplash also help enhance light in the room.
Polished nickel faucets coordinate with other plumbing fixtures.
Counter: Arctic White quartz, MSI; sinks: Verticyl in white, Kohler
8 Bathroom Features Homeowners Want Now
Solid white quartz countertops and a short backsplash also help enhance light in the room.
Polished nickel faucets coordinate with other plumbing fixtures.
Counter: Arctic White quartz, MSI; sinks: Verticyl in white, Kohler
8 Bathroom Features Homeowners Want Now
Before: The former jetted tub with tiled surround took up a significant amount of physical and visual weight.
The homeowners wanted to keep a water closet that stands to the right of the tub.
The homeowners wanted to keep a water closet that stands to the right of the tub.
After: The new 59-inch oval acrylic freestanding white tub gives the area more breathing room.
A custom Roman shade in an indoor-outdoor performance fabric with embroidered trim offers privacy, light control and style.
A gray-and-teal reversible flat-weave indoor-outdoor rug adds grip outside the bathtub.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A custom Roman shade in an indoor-outdoor performance fabric with embroidered trim offers privacy, light control and style.
A gray-and-teal reversible flat-weave indoor-outdoor rug adds grip outside the bathtub.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A single-handle floor-mounted tub filler with hand shower has a polished nickel finish.
The new low-curb shower has a custom tempered glass enclosure with polished nickel hardware. The wall-mounted shower head, hand shower, body spray shower and valve also have a polished nickel finish.
Marble-look 12-by-22-inch porcelain tiles in a polished finish add durability and elegance to the shower walls. The flooring is the same tile in a 2-by-2-inch size with a matte finish.
A niche keeps products off the shower floor. And a corner bench provides a spot to rest or shave one’s legs. “This was a great place to create a relaxing, peaceful bathroom that’s different from the rest of the home,” Foley says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
A niche keeps products off the shower floor. And a corner bench provides a spot to rest or shave one’s legs. “This was a great place to create a relaxing, peaceful bathroom that’s different from the rest of the home,” Foley says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Burlington, North Carolina
Size: 134 square feet (12.5 square meters)
Designers: Sydney Foley and Emma Legg of Kindred Interior Studios
Before: The former bathroom was in decent shape, but the homeowners disliked the greige walls, basic vanity with cultured marble top and the way the built-in tub, enclosed shower and soffit crowded the room.
“That enclosed shower didn’t have anywhere for the moisture to go,” Legg says. “And with the shower closed off like that, there was absolutely no light in there.”