Bathroom of the Week: Calm Japandi Style With Natural Materials
A designer helps a couple create a spa-like getaway using organic tones and simple materials that deliver a clean look
Jeannie Matteucci
February 7, 2023
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
A color palette of mostly gold, beige and brown wasn’t giving these new parents the light and soothing bathroom retreat they yearned for. So they hired designer Lynn Siemer to help them reimagine the space with a clean, contemporary Japandi style that integrates elements of wabi-sabi, a traditional Japanese aesthetic that highlights the beauty found in nature’s imperfections.
Siemer started with a crisp white backdrop and then added warmth with white oak floating vanities and wood-look porcelain tile wall details to create a minimalist Japandi look. Pebble tile flooring in the shower and under a new freestanding tub adds another natural element, while matte gray hexagonal tile flooring and textured shower wall tile bring a touch of contemporary appeal. “They were inspired by the simplicity and natural elements found in wabi-sabi design, so we took those basic elements and created a spa-like getaway,” Siemer says.
Siemer started with a crisp white backdrop and then added warmth with white oak floating vanities and wood-look porcelain tile wall details to create a minimalist Japandi look. Pebble tile flooring in the shower and under a new freestanding tub adds another natural element, while matte gray hexagonal tile flooring and textured shower wall tile bring a touch of contemporary appeal. “They were inspired by the simplicity and natural elements found in wabi-sabi design, so we took those basic elements and created a spa-like getaway,” Siemer says.
“After” photos by Natalia Robert Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their child
Location: San Diego
Size: 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Lynn Siemer of Blythe Interiors
Before: The former bathroom had basic cabinets, granite countertops and other elements in standard beige and brown that seemed to disappear into the light gold walls.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their child
Location: San Diego
Size: 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Lynn Siemer of Blythe Interiors
Before: The former bathroom had basic cabinets, granite countertops and other elements in standard beige and brown that seemed to disappear into the light gold walls.
After: Siemer removed the former elements and started fresh with a soft white paint (Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams) for the walls, ceiling and trim.
Floating custom white oak vanities with slab fronts add warmth and a natural material. Solid bright white quartz countertops and backsplashes also help brighten the room.
An arched mirror complements other arched features in the room, and its brass finish coordinates with that of the widespread faucets. “One thing about Japandi design is that soft lines are incorporated,” Siemer says.
A single dimmable recessed LED light is above each vanity. “Another thing about Japandi design is that it’s very minimalist, so we decided to keep things clean and not have any light fixture distracting from that,” Siemer says.
Arched mirror: Georgina large with brass frame, Four Hands; hardware: Europa tab pull in Ash Gray, Top Knobs; faucet: Litze in Luxe Gold, Brizo; sinks: Verticyl in white, Kohler
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
Floating custom white oak vanities with slab fronts add warmth and a natural material. Solid bright white quartz countertops and backsplashes also help brighten the room.
An arched mirror complements other arched features in the room, and its brass finish coordinates with that of the widespread faucets. “One thing about Japandi design is that soft lines are incorporated,” Siemer says.
A single dimmable recessed LED light is above each vanity. “Another thing about Japandi design is that it’s very minimalist, so we decided to keep things clean and not have any light fixture distracting from that,” Siemer says.
Arched mirror: Georgina large with brass frame, Four Hands; hardware: Europa tab pull in Ash Gray, Top Knobs; faucet: Litze in Luxe Gold, Brizo; sinks: Verticyl in white, Kohler
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
Before: A makeup counter in the previous bathroom sat mostly unused. The couple felt the area could be put to better use.
After: Siemer designed a new recessed arch with open shelves for bathroom essentials, decorative items and space for a laundry basket. “They wanted a spot to put their laundry here because they didn’t want their laundry basket in their primary bedroom closet,” she says.
Siemer backed the niche with vertically laid 1-by-24-inch porcelain tiles that mimic the look of bamboo. “We wanted this to have a wood, organic look, but because it’s a bathroom we prefer to use porcelain tiles in that location,” she says.
The updated flooring is 10-by-11½-inch porcelain hexagonal tile in varying gray tones and a matte finish.
Floor tiles: Makoto in Kumo Grey, 10 by 11½ inches, Bedrosians Tile & Stone; wall tiles: Shibusa in Tortora, 1 by 24 inches, Arizona Tile
Find a bathroom designer near you
Siemer backed the niche with vertically laid 1-by-24-inch porcelain tiles that mimic the look of bamboo. “We wanted this to have a wood, organic look, but because it’s a bathroom we prefer to use porcelain tiles in that location,” she says.
The updated flooring is 10-by-11½-inch porcelain hexagonal tile in varying gray tones and a matte finish.
Floor tiles: Makoto in Kumo Grey, 10 by 11½ inches, Bedrosians Tile & Stone; wall tiles: Shibusa in Tortora, 1 by 24 inches, Arizona Tile
Find a bathroom designer near you
The updated shower features 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles with a ridged surface that adds texture and movement. “Because we were trying to go with a monochromatic and soothing tone for the bathroom, we chose a soft gray with texture,” Siemer says. “The use of texture in this space was key because the palette is very neutral.”
Pebble tile flooring in the shower adds a natural element and a nonslip surface. A shower niche keeps products off the floor.
Shower floor tiles: Pebble Mosaics in Warm Blend, Arizona Tile
Pebble tile flooring in the shower adds a natural element and a nonslip surface. A shower niche keeps products off the floor.
Shower floor tiles: Pebble Mosaics in Warm Blend, Arizona Tile
Before: In the previous bathroom, an imposing built-in tub with a hazardous entry took up physical and visual space. “It felt bulky and cumbersome and didn’t go with the clean-line aesthetic,” Siemer says. “And because they have a little one, it also didn’t feel safe.”
After: Siemer removed the built-in and added a white freestanding tub with curvy contours. The same bamboo-look porcelain tiles used in the recessed arch wrap the walls here.
A single-handle floor-mounted tub filler with hand shower has the same gold finish as the sink faucets.
The floor under the tub features the same pebble tiles used on the shower floor.
Tub: Veil, Kohler; tub filler: Litze in Luxe Gold, Brizo
A single-handle floor-mounted tub filler with hand shower has the same gold finish as the sink faucets.
The floor under the tub features the same pebble tiles used on the shower floor.
Tub: Veil, Kohler; tub filler: Litze in Luxe Gold, Brizo
This floor plans shows the basic layout of the updated bathroom with the two vanities flanking the entrance (top) and the new shower (bottom left) and freestanding tub (bottom center). A water closet occupies the bottom right corner.
“We didn’t need to change the layout because it functioned well, but crafted a space that is light and soothing,” Siemer says.
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“We didn’t need to change the layout because it functioned well, but crafted a space that is light and soothing,” Siemer says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
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Despite not being a fan of more modern styles, I really like this new "Japandi" look. The white, cream, and tan colors and light wood are very soothing in the bathroom. I feel like the gold fixtures are going to look old in 10 years but they do blend nicely with the colors used in this bathroom.
Finally, a bathroom with a "private" water closet. I see so many beautiful bathrooms that have the toilet out in the open, thus giving no opportunities for two to use the space at the same time.