Bathroom of the Week: Black, White and Wood Create Sleek Style
A condo owner works with a design-build pro to ditch a tub for a big shower and create a classic-meets-contemporary look
Jeannie Matteucci
January 12, 2021
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
After a couple of years of living with his dated master bathroom, this Chicago condo owner had grown tired of the bulky jetted tub he never used, the lack of storage and the boring style. To get a space that functions better for his lifestyle and reflects his personal design aesthetic, he reached out to Lior Ben Zur and his design-build team at Chi Renovation & Design. Ben Zur stripped the space down, ditched the tub for a roomy shower and then created a classic-meets-contemporary style with white tiled walls, black tiled floors and warm hits of slab-front white oak cabinetry.
Before Photo
“After” photos by Pawel Dmytrow
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A single professional
Location: Chicago
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters)
Design-build firm: Chi Renovation & Design
Before: In addition to the bulky jetted tub he never used, the condo owner disliked the dark atmosphere that the blue-gray walls, cherry vanity and beige tile created.
A corner shower stall (see “before” photo below) stood on the other side of the room, wedged between the vanity and toilet.
The glass block in the shower and an operable window bring in natural light and fresh air while maintaining privacy, something the owner wanted to keep in the updated design.
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A single professional
Location: Chicago
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters)
Design-build firm: Chi Renovation & Design
Before: In addition to the bulky jetted tub he never used, the condo owner disliked the dark atmosphere that the blue-gray walls, cherry vanity and beige tile created.
A corner shower stall (see “before” photo below) stood on the other side of the room, wedged between the vanity and toilet.
The glass block in the shower and an operable window bring in natural light and fresh air while maintaining privacy, something the owner wanted to keep in the updated design.
Find a design-build firm near you
After: Ben Zur knocked the bathroom down to the studs and removed the jetted tub, old shower stall and vanity. He constructed a spacious new shower in place of the tub and installed a single fixed-glass shower panel. “The client knew he wanted a simple screen versus a traditional door,” Ben Zur says. “He was very particular about the aesthetic he had in mind.”
That aesthetic combines classic details with a contemporary twist. The white ceramic wall tiles with gray grout recall traditional subway tile, but their elongated 3-by-12-inch shape gives them a more contemporary look. “We initially discussed only doing tile up a standard wainscot height, but he wanted to take it to the ceiling,” Ben Zur says.
Shower screen: Meridian in matte black, 34 by 74 inches, Vigo; ceiling paint: Ceiling Bright White, Sherwin-Williams
That aesthetic combines classic details with a contemporary twist. The white ceramic wall tiles with gray grout recall traditional subway tile, but their elongated 3-by-12-inch shape gives them a more contemporary look. “We initially discussed only doing tile up a standard wainscot height, but he wanted to take it to the ceiling,” Ben Zur says.
Shower screen: Meridian in matte black, 34 by 74 inches, Vigo; ceiling paint: Ceiling Bright White, Sherwin-Williams
A new floating double vanity with matte black hardware features wide contemporary flat-panel drawers in rift-sawn white oak veneer in a natural finish and horizontal grain pattern. “We looked over a lot of wood samples to select the perfect tone,” Ben Zur says. “The client was adamant about having a floating vanity, and was accepting of the additional costs involved.”
A pair of custom handmade glass-and-black-metal globe lights are mounted over two rounded rectangular brass-framed pivot mirrors. Ben Zur replaced can lights in the ceiling with LED recessed cans.
Shop for floating double vanities
A pair of custom handmade glass-and-black-metal globe lights are mounted over two rounded rectangular brass-framed pivot mirrors. Ben Zur replaced can lights in the ceiling with LED recessed cans.
Shop for floating double vanities
This side view shows how the industrial-style mirrors can tilt.
Undermount white sinks pair with minimalist matte black widespread faucets with double handles. “Undermount sinks allow for more space on the vanity overall and are easier to keep clean,” Ben Zur says. “Widespread faucets dress up the vanity a bit more.”
The Arctic White quartz top offers a durable surface that coordinates with the room’s color scheme. “We didn’t want any veining in the countertop to detract from the overall clean aesthetic,” Ben Zur says.
Sinks: Caxton rectangle undermount in white, Kohler; sink faucets: Align in matte black, Moen
The Arctic White quartz top offers a durable surface that coordinates with the room’s color scheme. “We didn’t want any veining in the countertop to detract from the overall clean aesthetic,” Ben Zur says.
Sinks: Caxton rectangle undermount in white, Kohler; sink faucets: Align in matte black, Moen
A matte black towel ring mounted on the wall near the vanity offers a spot for hand towels. On the wall across from the vanity is a coordinating 24-inch matte black towel bar.
This photo highlights the black porcelain hexagonal tiles used for the bathroom floor and the smaller mosaic matte black hexagonal tiles used for the shower floor. “When you have a fairly simple color palette, mixing up the size of tile can create a bigger visual impact,” Ben Zur says.
The open shower includes a single-function pressure-balanced shower system with shower head and hand shower and a square tile-in shower drain. “Although matte black fixtures have been in style for years now, finding chic, affordable options is still a bit difficult,” Ben Zur says. “These fit the bill.”
Shower drain: ClearFlo in matte black, Kohler
Shower drain: ClearFlo in matte black, Kohler
Before Photo
Before: This photo of the former corner shower stall shows its cramped fit between the vanity and toilet.
After: By eliminating the jetted tub and moving the shower across the room, Ben Zur was able to remove the shower stall and use the corner to create a custom linen closet that coordinates with the vanity.
This view shows how the improved layout provides more space around the new white one-piece comfort-height elongated toilet. An Energy Star-rated ceiling-mount exhaust fan above the toilet has a heavy-gauge galvanized steel and zinc housing that’s insulated to prevent condensation and promote durability.
Ben Zur says this project offers a good lesson for others considering a bathroom renovation. “Don’t be afraid to trust your gut,” he says. “The client knew he wanted to take the tile to the ceiling even when the design team was initially unsure. That being said, hiring a designer does help to pull all of the rest of your ideas together.”
Toilet paper holder: Nameeks
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Ben Zur says this project offers a good lesson for others considering a bathroom renovation. “Don’t be afraid to trust your gut,” he says. “The client knew he wanted to take the tile to the ceiling even when the design team was initially unsure. That being said, hiring a designer does help to pull all of the rest of your ideas together.”
Toilet paper holder: Nameeks
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Love the black and white -- so classic. But would not have been my choice to put wood with it. I would prefer a colored vanity -- maybe red or blue. Just personal taste.
It’s easier to add a ‘whole house water system’, ie, water conditioning system, not Culligan, than rip out tiles. Also, I found it easier to add a light frost on the outside of a shower door, rather than pay for an expensive type of glass. Doesn’t have to go all the way up. Also works for bathroom windows instead of expensive glass. Jmho after going through remodels with different houses. Learning curve...
Smithy—we have such a system in our home. While it makes a big difference, it does not remove all minerals from hard water.