Bathroom of the Week: Bright and Stylish With a Roomy Shower-Tub
A designer helps a Chicago condo owner lighten her dark master bath with an updated layout and a fresh, clean look
Jeannie Matteucci
December 8, 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
It’s common for a homeowner to ditch the tub for a large shower when remodeling a bathroom. But Roslyn Turner did the opposite. The shower in her Chicago condo bathroom was so small she’d often bump her arms on a shelf in there when washing her hair. “It just wasn’t a relaxing shower,” she says.
She hired designer Lindsay Fink DeWolf to turn the tight shower into a linen closet and then convert the existing large soaking tub into a roomier shower-bath combo. The designer also brightened the windowless room with updated lighting and a soothing new color palette that includes marble-look porcelain floor tiles and crisp white walls. A gray-stained custom alder vanity, brass and bronze finishes and an arabesque glass tile detail bring fresh style.
She hired designer Lindsay Fink DeWolf to turn the tight shower into a linen closet and then convert the existing large soaking tub into a roomier shower-bath combo. The designer also brightened the windowless room with updated lighting and a soothing new color palette that includes marble-look porcelain floor tiles and crisp white walls. A gray-stained custom alder vanity, brass and bronze finishes and an arabesque glass tile detail bring fresh style.
“After” photos by Jenny Grimm Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Roslyn Turner
Location: River North neighborhood of Chicago
Size: 75 square feet (7 square meters)
Designer: Lindsay Fink DeWolf of Design Dwellings
Before: In addition to the cramped shower (see below), Turner disliked the dull yellow walls, dark wood vanity, mirrored wall, dark granite countertop and yellow onyx tiles used for the floor, shower walls and tub surround. A partition wall separated the vanity from the toilet. “There was no light where the toilet was, so it was a very dark spot,” Turner says.
“The bathroom needed a face-lift,” she says. “I like bright and open.”
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Roslyn Turner
Location: River North neighborhood of Chicago
Size: 75 square feet (7 square meters)
Designer: Lindsay Fink DeWolf of Design Dwellings
Before: In addition to the cramped shower (see below), Turner disliked the dull yellow walls, dark wood vanity, mirrored wall, dark granite countertop and yellow onyx tiles used for the floor, shower walls and tub surround. A partition wall separated the vanity from the toilet. “There was no light where the toilet was, so it was a very dark spot,” Turner says.
“The bathroom needed a face-lift,” she says. “I like bright and open.”
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After: Fink DeWolf stripped the bathroom to the studs and removed the partition wall between the vanity and toilet to make the room feel more open and airy. She incorporated the existing toilet and soaking tub into the updated design.
A soothing new color scheme with crisp white upper walls (Wedding Veil by Benjamin Moore), white subway tile lower walls and 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain floor tile brighten the room. A strip of arabesque glass tiles splits the walls.
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A soothing new color scheme with crisp white upper walls (Wedding Veil by Benjamin Moore), white subway tile lower walls and 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain floor tile brighten the room. A strip of arabesque glass tiles splits the walls.
Shop for a bathroom vanity
The semicustom double vanity of gray-stained alder has Shaker-style doors with inside stiles and rails that feature a gentle profile for a transitional look. “She really wanted light and airy, but you really need to anchor a space or you wouldn’t see anything,” Fink DeWolf says of the vanity. “It also brings warmth into the room.”
Honey bronze knobs and backplates pop against the gray. “Right when I saw that bronze with the wood and the white tiles, I just fell in love with the combination,” Turner says.
Two recessed 15-by-30-inch mirrored medicine cabinets hang above. “I just wanted that extra storage there,” Turner says. “I really wanted them recessed into the wall, that was important too. I’m all about getting as much storage as possible into my condo.”
Cabinet hardware: Hollin knob backplate in Honey Bronze, Top Knobs; medicine cabinets: Verdera, Kohler
Honey bronze knobs and backplates pop against the gray. “Right when I saw that bronze with the wood and the white tiles, I just fell in love with the combination,” Turner says.
Two recessed 15-by-30-inch mirrored medicine cabinets hang above. “I just wanted that extra storage there,” Turner says. “I really wanted them recessed into the wall, that was important too. I’m all about getting as much storage as possible into my condo.”
Cabinet hardware: Hollin knob backplate in Honey Bronze, Top Knobs; medicine cabinets: Verdera, Kohler
The vanity includes two white undermount oval sinks with a vitreous china enamel coating for durability, with widespread faucets in a satin bronze finish.
The decorative band of silver-green arabesque glass tiles on the wall matches the tiles used to back the niche in the shower-tub. “They take on a little bit of a different sheen depending on the light,” Fink DeWolf says. “They were a great way to add an oomph, but they’re still light, bright and serene.”
Sinks: Caxton, Kohler
The decorative band of silver-green arabesque glass tiles on the wall matches the tiles used to back the niche in the shower-tub. “They take on a little bit of a different sheen depending on the light,” Fink DeWolf says. “They were a great way to add an oomph, but they’re still light, bright and serene.”
Sinks: Caxton, Kohler
The sconce features a pair of steel arms with a soft gold finish that curve upward to support slender glass incandescent bulbs. “I really wanted something unique that would match the fixtures in this bathroom,” Turner says. “It’s a nice accent piece.”
Fink DeWolf added LED ceiling lights above all the main bathroom components. “There are three switches that let me control the level of light, and they’re all on dimmers,” Turner says. “Since there’s no natural light, I wanted to add as much light as I could.”
Fink DeWolf added LED ceiling lights above all the main bathroom components. “There are three switches that let me control the level of light, and they’re all on dimmers,” Turner says. “Since there’s no natural light, I wanted to add as much light as I could.”
Antiqued brass shelf brackets support a white marble shelf on the wall above the toilet. “It fit the bathroom perfectly,” Turner says.
Before: This photo shows the tight shower stall that previously stood next to the tub.
After: Fink DeWolf converted the shower stall into a linen closet. “It was something I was lacking for both my bathrooms,” Turner says. “It has shelves and pullout drawers inside. Especially during this pandemic, it’s been nice to have that space for extra toilet paper.”
The designer then updated the existing tub to include satin bronze shower components and a new custom glass enclosure. “The opportunity to have a big shower and big tub is rare, and we were able to incorporate the two together,” she says.
Ivory quartz was used for the countertop, shower-tub surround and apron. “The material is very durable,” Turner says. “I was worried about water marks, but that’s not a problem with this material. It’s really easy to clean.”
The designer then updated the existing tub to include satin bronze shower components and a new custom glass enclosure. “The opportunity to have a big shower and big tub is rare, and we were able to incorporate the two together,” she says.
Ivory quartz was used for the countertop, shower-tub surround and apron. “The material is very durable,” Turner says. “I was worried about water marks, but that’s not a problem with this material. It’s really easy to clean.”
The large shower niche gives Turner a place for hair and body products. “I wanted to do an oversize niche, because that’s the focal point in the shower,” Fink DeWolf says. “The niche was a chance to go big. I wanted it to be a style statement and decorative, in addition to being useful and practical.”
Before: A white panel door swung into the tub apron and had to be closed to access the tub.
After: Fink DeWolf replaced the swing door with a space-saving pocket door. “That was a game changer,” Turner says. “It gave the bathroom more room.”
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Love the openness and style of the tile border; well done!
Could you share the dimension of the room need to redo my master and this might be the look that can fit in my space.
That accent tile is exquisite and I think will be timeless. The old bathroom is certainly hideous.
The colors combo of yellow and brown was used a lot in the 70's and 80's. I had a windowless kitchen (alcove kitchen ) in a city apartment when younger. These I recall as the singularly most depressing colors to be in a high use room. Somehow it never looked clean and was so dark.
I love the tile niche in the shower/tub as well though I think I would basically treat it as an art wall-which it is -and try not to clutter it up with plastic bottles except at the time of use and then use that lovely cabinet to store them between times.
It appears that the shower door is designed to swing all the way back to flatten against the glass partition. Is there something to keep that handle from hitting the glass by accident. I'd be worried about overenthusiastic children in that beautiful room.
Having changed the look of the room to something so elegant and beautiful would give me a happiness lift every day. An ugly space can oppress a person.