Room Tour: Fresh Colour and Clean Lines Update a 1980s Bathroom
Crisp colours, sharp black details and a layout rethink were key to bringing this dated space into the 21st century
Jeannie Matteucci
21 September 2020
Houzz Contributor. Home design writer and lifestyle reporter with a love for stylish spaces, smart lighting and a good decaf dry cappuccino.
Houzz Contributor. Home design writer and lifestyle reporter with a love for stylish... More
Matthew and Kasey Benson wanted to bring their guest bathroom out of the 1980s. A palette of beiges – beige wall paint and countertop, wall and floor tiles – did little to deliver the bright, welcoming space they envisaged for washing their bullmastiff dog and hosting guests.
The couple hired designer Keira Schultz of KSDesigns to reimagine the space. Keira removed a sunken shower and curved, space-stealing glass block wall to create a spacious walk-in shower. White walls and tiles create a crisp backdrop for an aqua-grey vanity unit and pebble tiles in the shower. Small but significant strokes of brass and black punctuate the updated style.
The couple hired designer Keira Schultz of KSDesigns to reimagine the space. Keira removed a sunken shower and curved, space-stealing glass block wall to create a spacious walk-in shower. White walls and tiles create a crisp backdrop for an aqua-grey vanity unit and pebble tiles in the shower. Small but significant strokes of brass and black punctuate the updated style.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here? Matthew and Kasey Benson, their 8-year-old son, and their Bullmastiff dog
Location Arizona, USA
Size 65 sq ft (6 sq m)
Designer Keira Schultz of KSDesigns
‘After’ photos by LifeCreated
Before The previous bathroom included a dark wood vanity unit with a beige tile countertop, a decorative tile splashback and a large unframed mirror with Broadway-style lights. A mirrored medicine cabinet stuck out on the side wall.
Who lives here? Matthew and Kasey Benson, their 8-year-old son, and their Bullmastiff dog
Location Arizona, USA
Size 65 sq ft (6 sq m)
Designer Keira Schultz of KSDesigns
‘After’ photos by LifeCreated
Before The previous bathroom included a dark wood vanity unit with a beige tile countertop, a decorative tile splashback and a large unframed mirror with Broadway-style lights. A mirrored medicine cabinet stuck out on the side wall.
After Keira removed the old vanity unit, mirror, splashback tiles and medicine cabinet. A bespoke maple unit in a midtone aqua-grey (Holly Glen by PPG Paints) now commands attention. “That jade colour [the grey-green shade appears blue-ish in these photos – see the final image for a better representation] was the driving force of this project,” says Keira, who used photos Kasey found on Houzz as inspiration when designing the unit.
The wide drawer near the bottom is one detail Kasey discovered in a photo. “I’d seen a drawer like that on Houzz and wanted our new vanity to have a big drawer for towels and other essentials,” she says.
The wide drawer near the bottom is one detail Kasey discovered in a photo. “I’d seen a drawer like that on Houzz and wanted our new vanity to have a big drawer for towels and other essentials,” she says.
A white tile splashback and bright white walls with subtle grey undertones (Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams) allow the vanity unit colour to take centre stage.
Live-edge acacia wood frames a new, horizontal mirror, adding a touch of warmth that complements the brass tap and cabinet hardware.
A midcentury-modern-style, three-globe light fixture features antique gold and matt black finishes, the latter of which coordinates with a black hand towel ring and black hardware used for the glass shower enclosure.
A cotton bathroom rug with a black, Moroccan-inspired pattern adds softness atop the honed stone floor tiles set in a herringbone pattern, which the homeowners kept from the previous space.
You might also enjoy: 11 Interesting Ways to Illuminate Your Bathroom.
Live-edge acacia wood frames a new, horizontal mirror, adding a touch of warmth that complements the brass tap and cabinet hardware.
A midcentury-modern-style, three-globe light fixture features antique gold and matt black finishes, the latter of which coordinates with a black hand towel ring and black hardware used for the glass shower enclosure.
A cotton bathroom rug with a black, Moroccan-inspired pattern adds softness atop the honed stone floor tiles set in a herringbone pattern, which the homeowners kept from the previous space.
You might also enjoy: 11 Interesting Ways to Illuminate Your Bathroom.
A polished quartz countertop provides a durable surface with a marble look. “It has a hint of gold veining in it, and that’s why we chose it,” Keira says. “It’s different than standard quartz with grey veining, and the gold adds some depth to the countertop. It was also about maintaining that element of warmth from the mirror frame.”
Ready to kick-start your project? Find a bathroom designer near you.
Ready to kick-start your project? Find a bathroom designer near you.
Before Tiled steps created a hazardous entrance to the sunken shower. The curved glass block wall that defined the enclosure wasted valuable floor space. The couple wanted to keep the glass block window, however.
After Keira removed the curved wall and raised the floor to create a spacious new walk-in shower. “We gained about 6 or 7 inches of actual shower space by taking down that wall and reconfiguring the space,” Kasey says.
Matt black hardware on the shower enclosure provides a graphic element. “I showed the builder an image on Houzz with our desired look for the rolling hardware,” Keira says. “We did the matt black finish to bring in the black finish on the lights above the vanity.”
The rolling door also saves room compared with a swing door. “There’s not a lot of room for opening a shower door with the vanity there,” Kasey says.
Matt black hardware on the shower enclosure provides a graphic element. “I showed the builder an image on Houzz with our desired look for the rolling hardware,” Keira says. “We did the matt black finish to bring in the black finish on the lights above the vanity.”
The rolling door also saves room compared with a swing door. “There’s not a lot of room for opening a shower door with the vanity there,” Kasey says.
The existing glass block window brings in light while offering privacy. The shower floor and niche backing are river rock pebble tiles.
You might also enjoy: Which Flooring Should I Choose for My Bathroom?
You might also enjoy: Which Flooring Should I Choose for My Bathroom?
The niche also features quartz shelves that match the vanity countertop and black Schluter tile edging. “It’s a cost-effective way to create a decorative tile edge detail,” Keira says. “I selected black to bring the black in from the vanity lights to the shower.”
The Bensons use the shower to wash their large dog, so having a hand spray option was essential. “I like how the bar moves up and down – it gives you flexibility,” Kasey says. The satin brass finish adds style and coordinates with the brass elements in the vanity area.
A partition wall separates the shower from the loo. A matt black toilet paper holder and towel hook on the partition wall add to the cohesive design.
Now the homeowners have the brighter, more attractive and user-friendly guest bathroom they wanted. “It was an opportunity for us to finish making the home something we wanted and put our own touch on it,” Kasey says. “We were able to update it and keep it functional at the same time.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this contemporary bathroom? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Now the homeowners have the brighter, more attractive and user-friendly guest bathroom they wanted. “It was an opportunity for us to finish making the home something we wanted and put our own touch on it,” Kasey says. “We were able to update it and keep it functional at the same time.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this contemporary bathroom? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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What color is the vanity with the sink?
I too love the river rock.
With a mastiff in tow I'd be worried about the glass doors though. I have a greyhound who does not like to bathe and has to be induced into the level entry shower. I'm glad that it has just a curtain.
That bathroom is beautiful. I agree with keeping the glass block for the light. I think that glass block varies in opacity and if you were building new it is possible to get more opaque versions. But if it faces the backyard and there is a fence or hedge it is probably fine. And some people are not as inhibited as others about whether their hazy outlines may be visible.
The color of the vanity is lovely indeed. This is a major improvement upon the old ugly brown bathroom. I'm sure the owners love it.
FeatherFall, the slope of the shower floor moves water toward the drain. This is what keeps a curbless shower from flooding the bathroom floor, not the glass doors. It is also what makes the design of a curbless shower more complicated. Not everyone has the ability to lower the far end of their shower floor.