Tennessee Couple’s Bathroom Goes From Dreary to Dreamy
A glass-walled shower helps turn a cramped space into a refreshing, roomy escape
Before: A cramped shower sits in the corner of the room next to a connected tub.
After: A freestanding tub sits next to a glass-walled shower, making the room feel more open and giving the shower more space. Clayman also played up the room’s natural light with a fresh paint color, resulting in a clean, relaxing space.
Bathtub: The original tub took up a lot of room. To free up space, Clayman had a freestanding soaker tub installed. As a bonus, the visually pleasing tub adds to the spa-like vibe of the room.
Bathtub: Barclay Products; paint on walls: Dewy, Sherwin-Williams
Bathtub: The original tub took up a lot of room. To free up space, Clayman had a freestanding soaker tub installed. As a bonus, the visually pleasing tub adds to the spa-like vibe of the room.
Bathtub: Barclay Products; paint on walls: Dewy, Sherwin-Williams
Fixtures: One of Clayman’s biggest challenges was balancing the couple’s personal style preferences for modern and traditional. Clayman ended up incorporating both: a vintage faucet on the bathtub, shown here, and modern fixtures in the shower.
“It took some collaboration and compromise,” she says.
Faucet: California Faucets
“It took some collaboration and compromise,” she says.
Faucet: California Faucets
Shower: The shower gained space on two sides during the remodel, solving the cramped shower issue. On one side, the tub now takes up less space. On the other side, Clayman pushed back the wall, taking space from a closet in the next room. These two changes resulted in a shower twice the size of the original.
The new shower’s style — curbless and glass-walled — also gives the illusion of even more space, she says.
The new shower’s style — curbless and glass-walled — also gives the illusion of even more space, she says.
Shower tile: Clayman incorporated two types of tile on the shower walls by using large square tiles on the bottom and smaller hexagon tiles on the top. Clayman felt that the hexagon tile pattern was too busy to use throughout the shower, so she paired it with a visually simpler tile.
“It’s about scale and proportion,” she says. “Using two smaller tiles with patterns would have been overkill.”
Pro tip: When you mix different tiles, the key is to choose ones that aren’t too similar, Clayman says.
Browse bathroom tile
“It’s about scale and proportion,” she says. “Using two smaller tiles with patterns would have been overkill.”
Pro tip: When you mix different tiles, the key is to choose ones that aren’t too similar, Clayman says.
Browse bathroom tile
Natural light: Strategically placed tall mirrors face the transom windows above the tub and shower, allowing reflected light to brighten the space.
Vanities: Clayman installed two custom vanities, one on each side of the doorway, to give the bath a homey feel and to provide plenty of storage.
Mirrors: Worlds Away
Vanities: Clayman installed two custom vanities, one on each side of the doorway, to give the bath a homey feel and to provide plenty of storage.
Mirrors: Worlds Away
The designer opted to use a creamy white paint, instead of a bright white, on the vanities, door and baseboards. “It’s just richer and creamer,” she says. “It adds depth.”
Vanity lighting: The shaded sconces soften the space. “I feel like an exposed bulb can sometimes be obtrusive in a bath,” Clayman says.
Vanity: Dixie Kitchen Distributors; paint on vanity: Snowbound, Sherwin-Williams; sconces: Visual Comfort & Co.; find bathroom vanities
Vanity lighting: The shaded sconces soften the space. “I feel like an exposed bulb can sometimes be obtrusive in a bath,” Clayman says.
Vanity: Dixie Kitchen Distributors; paint on vanity: Snowbound, Sherwin-Williams; sconces: Visual Comfort & Co.; find bathroom vanities
Overhead lighting: A handmade chandelier, composed of beads that echo the wall paint, upped the fun factor in the overall subdued and classic room.
Light fixture: Ro Sham Beaux
Light fixture: Ro Sham Beaux
Maintaining privacy: The client proposed this wall between the toilet and the rest of the room as a way to provide privacy without sacrificing the space’s abundant natural light. The wall goes only up to the trim.
The wall also gave the designer space to sneak in a few shelves. The couple can store extra towels and decor in this little nook.
The wall also gave the designer space to sneak in a few shelves. The couple can store extra towels and decor in this little nook.
Toilet: Although the toilet is hidden behind the privacy wall, Clayman wanted one that had a special design. She chose this Kohler model for its modern, clean lines.
Your turn: Did you replace your shower during a bathroom remodel? Tell us about it in the Comments.
More
10 Elements of a Dream Master Bath
Read more bathroom makeover stories
Find products for your next bathroom remodel
Your turn: Did you replace your shower during a bathroom remodel? Tell us about it in the Comments.
More
10 Elements of a Dream Master Bath
Read more bathroom makeover stories
Find products for your next bathroom remodel
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three children
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Size: 180 square feet (16.7 square meters)
Designer: Natalie Clayman, owner of Natalie Clayman Interior Design
The backstory: The couple had lived with their bathroom for years and wanted something fresh that better used the bathroom’s space. The homeowners turned to designer Natalie Clayman to transform the bathroom into a dreamy escape. As part of the remodel, the couple had two major requests: a classic design that would last and a roomier shower.