Before and After: 3 Bathrooms Lighten Up and Lose the Tub
See how removing bathtubs allowed designers to add larger showers and a more open feel to these renovated bathrooms
Bryan Anthony
January 25, 2022
When it comes to removing a tub from a bathroom, some homeowners worry about losing resale value or the potential need for a bathtub down the road. While these are valid concerns, others feel that if they don’t use their tub, it’s really just taking up valuable space that could be better utilized with a larger shower, extra storage and a more open feel.
Check out the before-and-after photos of these three remodeled bathrooms that ditched the tub, then let us know if you’d make the same call.
Check out the before-and-after photos of these three remodeled bathrooms that ditched the tub, then let us know if you’d make the same call.
1. Light and Airy
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Stephen and Linda Bruner
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Kirby Foster Hurd of Kirby Home Designs
Builder: Eric Stewart of Stewart Carpentry & Home Repair
Before: These Oklahoma homeowners wanted a fresh update for their main bathroom, which had 1990s finishes that included striped wallpaper and a large, rarely used jetted tub that took up one corner, creating an awkward angle that carried over to a narrow shower stall and L-shaped vanity.
They hired designer Kirby Foster Hurd and builder Eric Stewart and gathered inspiration ideas on Houzz. Foster Hurd streamlined the layout by eliminating the tub, expanding the shower and adding a custom double vanity on one wall. “There was so much wasted space with all those weird angles,” she says. “They also said they’d rather not have a tub and just wanted a larger shower.”
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Stephen and Linda Bruner
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Kirby Foster Hurd of Kirby Home Designs
Builder: Eric Stewart of Stewart Carpentry & Home Repair
Before: These Oklahoma homeowners wanted a fresh update for their main bathroom, which had 1990s finishes that included striped wallpaper and a large, rarely used jetted tub that took up one corner, creating an awkward angle that carried over to a narrow shower stall and L-shaped vanity.
They hired designer Kirby Foster Hurd and builder Eric Stewart and gathered inspiration ideas on Houzz. Foster Hurd streamlined the layout by eliminating the tub, expanding the shower and adding a custom double vanity on one wall. “There was so much wasted space with all those weird angles,” she says. “They also said they’d rather not have a tub and just wanted a larger shower.”
Find a bathroom designer near you
After: Foster Hurd and Stewart knocked the bathroom back to the studs and eliminated the old shower stall, linen closet, corner tub and window over the tub.
With the tub gone, Foster Hurd created an expanded shower with a custom frameless glass enclosure. A slim window in the shower brings in light while providing privacy. The new double vanity spans the side wall.
The new color palette features warm tan walls, ceiling and trim (Stucco by Sherwin-Williams); an earthy taupe vanity (Nearly Brown by Sherwin-Williams); and creamy shower tiles that vary in tone.
Shop for a bathroom vanity on Houzz
With the tub gone, Foster Hurd created an expanded shower with a custom frameless glass enclosure. A slim window in the shower brings in light while providing privacy. The new double vanity spans the side wall.
The new color palette features warm tan walls, ceiling and trim (Stucco by Sherwin-Williams); an earthy taupe vanity (Nearly Brown by Sherwin-Williams); and creamy shower tiles that vary in tone.
Shop for a bathroom vanity on Houzz
The interior of the shower includes a built-in bench topped with Taj Mahal quartzite that coordinates with the vanity countertop, top of the pony wall and low-curb shower threshold.
The control for the shower is located on the right, just inside the shower on the pony wall. “We wanted to make sure they had easy access to turn the shower valve on,” Foster Hurd says. She also made sure the handheld shower could reach across to the bench.
Niches near the bench store products and keep them hidden from view. A long niche on the bench provides a spot for resting a foot while shaving legs.
The shower floor is 1-by-1-inch honed mosaic tile in brown, cream and ivory. “The smaller grout lines provide good grip,” Foster Hurd says. “Another important element was that the shower floor does a great job of tying together all the colors you see in this bathroom.”
Read more about this bathroom remodel
The control for the shower is located on the right, just inside the shower on the pony wall. “We wanted to make sure they had easy access to turn the shower valve on,” Foster Hurd says. She also made sure the handheld shower could reach across to the bench.
Niches near the bench store products and keep them hidden from view. A long niche on the bench provides a spot for resting a foot while shaving legs.
The shower floor is 1-by-1-inch honed mosaic tile in brown, cream and ivory. “The smaller grout lines provide good grip,” Foster Hurd says. “Another important element was that the shower floor does a great job of tying together all the colors you see in this bathroom.”
Read more about this bathroom remodel
Before Photo
2. Bold Black and White
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with grown children
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 82 square feet (7.6 square meters)
Designer: Jessica Love of Urbane Design
Before: These Austin, Texas, homeowners used Houzz photos to find inspiration for their bathroom makeover. The wife, whose preferred style is big and bold, knew she wanted black and hexagonal shapes but was overwhelmed by the options. The couple turned to designer Jessica Love to keep their focus, define the design and execute the plan.
The main bathroom hadn’t been remodeled since the home was built and was due for an update. The outdated soaking tub with spa jets was wedged in next to the small enclosed shower with a brass surround.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with grown children
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 82 square feet (7.6 square meters)
Designer: Jessica Love of Urbane Design
Before: These Austin, Texas, homeowners used Houzz photos to find inspiration for their bathroom makeover. The wife, whose preferred style is big and bold, knew she wanted black and hexagonal shapes but was overwhelmed by the options. The couple turned to designer Jessica Love to keep their focus, define the design and execute the plan.
The main bathroom hadn’t been remodeled since the home was built and was due for an update. The outdated soaking tub with spa jets was wedged in next to the small enclosed shower with a brass surround.
After: Love eliminated the tub and created a wet room big enough for two. There’s a small curb at the entrance and no shower door, but panes of glass provide partial enclosure. Inside the shower, conveniences include a bench, two shower heads and niches built into the pony walls. The floor is slightly sloped for drainage, and the window was adjusted to fit the space.
“We had to center and enlarge the window that had been above the tub,” Love says. “It was very important to gain that symmetry. We had to reframe that exterior wall and redo stone on the exterior.”
The shower was built out to give the toilet area, on the left, some privacy.
“We had to center and enlarge the window that had been above the tub,” Love says. “It was very important to gain that symmetry. We had to reframe that exterior wall and redo stone on the exterior.”
The shower was built out to give the toilet area, on the left, some privacy.
The shower’s thin glazed white matte brick tile is laid in a double herringbone pattern, creating an elegant contrast to the black floor tile. Love says the homeowner is particularly fond of the handmade shower tile, from local company Clay Imports.
“Her major inspiration was that handmade tile that went into the shower,” the designer says. “She loves local, loves working with local companies as much as possible.” The tile and other details enliven the space, but comfort and convenience were just as important.
“I think it’s all the very small details that came together that make it special,” Love says. “It’s really a space that, if you were there in person, you could hang out in this bath for 45 minutes and still discover new things.”
Read more about this bathroom remodel
“Her major inspiration was that handmade tile that went into the shower,” the designer says. “She loves local, loves working with local companies as much as possible.” The tile and other details enliven the space, but comfort and convenience were just as important.
“I think it’s all the very small details that came together that make it special,” Love says. “It’s really a space that, if you were there in person, you could hang out in this bath for 45 minutes and still discover new things.”
Read more about this bathroom remodel
3. Improved Shower, Storage and Style
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple
Location: Reston, Virginia
Size: 127 square feet (12 square meters)
Design: Emily Bickl (layout and cabinet design) and Camille DeLew (interior design) of Synergy Design & Construction
Before: When it came time to remodel this Virginia bathroom, the homeowners went with the motto “If you don’t use it, lose it.” The built-in tub, which the couple never used, sat right below the best spot in the bathroom: under two large skylights. They decided it was time to lose it.
They also wanted to update the generic double vanity, the dark and narrow shower stall and the overall look of the space. They gathered design ideas on Houzz, then reached out to designers Emily Bickl and Camille DeLew for help making their vision a reality. The designers ditched the tub and created a gorgeous glass-enclosed curbless shower in its place.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple
Location: Reston, Virginia
Size: 127 square feet (12 square meters)
Design: Emily Bickl (layout and cabinet design) and Camille DeLew (interior design) of Synergy Design & Construction
Before: When it came time to remodel this Virginia bathroom, the homeowners went with the motto “If you don’t use it, lose it.” The built-in tub, which the couple never used, sat right below the best spot in the bathroom: under two large skylights. They decided it was time to lose it.
They also wanted to update the generic double vanity, the dark and narrow shower stall and the overall look of the space. They gathered design ideas on Houzz, then reached out to designers Emily Bickl and Camille DeLew for help making their vision a reality. The designers ditched the tub and created a gorgeous glass-enclosed curbless shower in its place.
After: The design team stripped the former space and started fresh. The spacious new shower with a wall-to-wall glass front now sits beneath the skylights, enjoying the sunshine during the day. “They definitely wanted the shower to feel open and see all the materials in the shower,” Bickl says.
River rock tile covers the shower floor and extends to the main floor to form a border around light wood-look porcelain tile with radiant heat. “The inspiration photos from Houzz the clients showed us had cut stone being used as an accent on the bathroom floor,” Bickl says.
A custom double vanity with mahogany stain adds a dose of warmth. On the opposite wall, a new custom built-in linen cabinet greatly improves storage.
River rock tile covers the shower floor and extends to the main floor to form a border around light wood-look porcelain tile with radiant heat. “The inspiration photos from Houzz the clients showed us had cut stone being used as an accent on the bathroom floor,” Bickl says.
A custom double vanity with mahogany stain adds a dose of warmth. On the opposite wall, a new custom built-in linen cabinet greatly improves storage.
The interior of the shower has textured 12-by-24-inch 3D porcelain tile that covers the back wall. Similar tile in a flat matte finish covers the two side walls. “We wanted to tile that whole end of the room but break it up by not using the same tile everywhere,” Bickl says. “The 3D tiles provided a different texture without a huge contrast.”
Read more about this bathroom remodel
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Read more about this bathroom remodel
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop
Shop for your bathroom
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@tamethyst. A tub is great-especially for families. Some people have more than one bathroom with a tub so using one of them to expand a shower to enable both people to get ready at the same time has been a game-changer for us.
Number 3 looks great (as they all do) with that said, the textured tile in the shower walls will be awful to keep clean. The shower floor tiles (pebbles), unless totally flat on the surface, will be uncomfortable to stand on during those long showers.
Xcookie88–we recently had those pebbles put in a shower in a mountain townhouse that we renovated. The grout is filled to be even with the pebbles, then sanded ao it is all even, and then polished to make the pebbles shine.