Bathroom of the Week: Formerly Awkward Space Is Now Inviting
A designer uses a new layout and materials to give a large room a pleasing, spa-like ambiance
While having a primary bathroom that’s over 200 square feet is a problem most people wouldn’t mind having, that much space can feel like a vast echo chamber with awkward proportions. That was the case in this Pacific Palisades, California, home. The bathroom also had mold issues, so a full renovation was a must. The homeowners hired interior designer Amy Elbaum, who altered the layout, addressed the high ceiling and anchored the floor in a beautiful pattern to break up the space. She used a pleasing combination of marble, white oak, satin brass and polished nickel to create an inviting, spa-like feel.
After: Elbaum flipped the shower and bathtub locations to make better use of the space. She knew from speaking with her clients that they were drawn to the combination of whites and grays found in marble and weren’t fans of black finishes. From there, the first thing she presented to them was a large-format marble mosaic floor tile in a geometric pattern, and they immediately gave it the green light.
“There’s a lot of floor area, and I knew we needed to break it up,” Elbaum says. “It’s a really cool pattern that’s subtle yet interesting.” The floor tile anchored the space with pattern and provided a jumping-off point for the rest of the design. In front of the vanity, Elbaum added a vintage-inspired durable runner to further break up the flooring and add a soft touch underfoot.
The area between the vanity and shower stall contains a toilet room, accessible through a pocket door.
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“There’s a lot of floor area, and I knew we needed to break it up,” Elbaum says. “It’s a really cool pattern that’s subtle yet interesting.” The floor tile anchored the space with pattern and provided a jumping-off point for the rest of the design. In front of the vanity, Elbaum added a vintage-inspired durable runner to further break up the flooring and add a soft touch underfoot.
The area between the vanity and shower stall contains a toilet room, accessible through a pocket door.
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To create a light and airy feel, Elbaum knew she’d need just the right white to work with the room’s color palette and the natural light from the windows. She tested several options with swatches and decided the best choice for the room was Benjamin Moore’s Simply White.
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Before: There had been a large soffit over the vanity. While it helped mitigate the high ceilings, it was a dust and allergen collector that was hard to keep clean.
After: Removing the soffit created an airier feel in the bathroom. The large new custom double vanity is white oak.
The vanity and light fixtures have satin brass hardware, while the faucets are polished nickel. “I try to stick with two metals when mixing them in a bathroom so that things don’t look too busy,” Elbaum says. “I usually use the same finish on all the plumbing fixtures, then switch up the finish on the hardware or the lighting or both.”
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The vanity and light fixtures have satin brass hardware, while the faucets are polished nickel. “I try to stick with two metals when mixing them in a bathroom so that things don’t look too busy,” Elbaum says. “I usually use the same finish on all the plumbing fixtures, then switch up the finish on the hardware or the lighting or both.”
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Elbaum kept a cohesive and pleasing look by continuing the same stone across the countertop and up the backsplash. It’s Grigio Nuvolato marble that has prominent gray veining throughout.
Part of keeping the light and airy feel while avoiding a feeling of emptiness meant addressing the room’s high ceiling. With the soffit gone, Elbaum came up with a strategy that included two large mirrors and a high backsplash.
“Because the ceilings are high, I wanted to bring the backsplash up to add it to this wall,” she says. “I drew this out in elevations that included the mirrors to make sure I got the proportions right.” Light fixtures placed over the mirrors rather than to the sides of them also add height to the wall.
Part of keeping the light and airy feel while avoiding a feeling of emptiness meant addressing the room’s high ceiling. With the soffit gone, Elbaum came up with a strategy that included two large mirrors and a high backsplash.
“Because the ceilings are high, I wanted to bring the backsplash up to add it to this wall,” she says. “I drew this out in elevations that included the mirrors to make sure I got the proportions right.” Light fixtures placed over the mirrors rather than to the sides of them also add height to the wall.
Before: The large jetted tub was on the left and the shower stall was on the right. There was a makeup table across from the shower. The homeowners weren’t big fans of the glass block window, and Elbaum replaced it with a clear glass window.
After: While the couple were ready to get rid of the large jetted tub, a freestanding tub was on their wish list. Elbaum flipped the shower stall and tub locations, nestling a sculptural white tub in the corner. She extended the tile of the shower surround all the way across two walls to lend a more cohesive, inviting and intimate feel.
She added a large chandelier over the tub to address the high ceilings. “It’s a dramatic play on scale,” she says. The globe lights in all the light fixtures throw a few curves into a space that has a lot of straight lines.
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She added a large chandelier over the tub to address the high ceilings. “It’s a dramatic play on scale,” she says. The globe lights in all the light fixtures throw a few curves into a space that has a lot of straight lines.
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In the shower, the designer extended a long bench along the wall and covered it in matching tile. It extends to the end of the shower’s curb. On the curb, she used the same darker marble she used on the countertop to tie two different parts of the room together. She covered the shower floor in 2-by-2-inch square Thassos marble tile and played off that geometry with a square drain in the center. The clear glass enclosure provides an uninterrupted view of the tiled walls.
The main shower head can be tilted to change from a rain shower stream to a standard stream. There’s also a handheld wand whose height can be adjusted by sliding it up and down a bar.
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The main shower head can be tilted to change from a rain shower stream to a standard stream. There’s also a handheld wand whose height can be adjusted by sliding it up and down a bar.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Across from the bathtub, Elbaum added a new makeup table area. One of the drawers contains a hairdryer insert with an electrical outlet. The shaggy stool is a playful touch.
Elbaum used the same light fixtures she used over the vanity, but she placed them vertically on either side of the mirror to mix things up. “The light fixtures coordinate and complement each other,” she says.
Elbaum used the same light fixtures she used over the vanity, but she placed them vertically on either side of the mirror to mix things up. “The light fixtures coordinate and complement each other,” she says.
The primary suite is located off the top of this floor plan. The large blank area on the left is a walk-in closet. The toilet room is on the right side of the plan.
This bathroom was part of a larger renovation that included the kitchen, new flooring and new furnishings. See more of the project.
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This bathroom was part of a larger renovation that included the kitchen, new flooring and new furnishings. See more of the project.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with elementary-school-age children
Location: Pacific Palisades, California
Size: 232 square feet (22 square meters)
Interior designer: Amy Elbaum of ae design
Before: The large amount of empty floor space in front of the jetted tub and shower at the back of the room made things feel uninviting. The existing floor tile wasn’t doing much to help break up the space. Meanwhile, the tub surround, shower stall and mirror broke up the back wall in a disjointed way.