Before and After: Room for a Tub and Shower in 84 Square Feet
A Canadian couple replace the shower-tub combo in their bathroom with a walk-in shower and a built-in tub
Allison McLeay
February 22, 2018
Houzz Contributor. Fitness & style enthusiast, interior design guru, writer, wannabe photographer. Read more posts from me at https://thealnatural.com/
Houzz Contributor. Fitness & style enthusiast, interior design guru, writer, wannabe... More
Before Photo
“After” photos by Tony Colangelo Photography
Bathroom at a Glance
Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 84 square feet (7.8 square meters)
Designers: Andrea Bauer and Lana Lounsbury of Lana Lounsbury Interiors
This couple in Victoria, British Columbia, wanted to update their home’s main-floor bathroom, and in the process turn the shower-tub combo into a separate shower and tub.
Before. When you entered the bathroom, the shower-tub combo was to the right, and the toilet, not shown, was directly in front of the door. The couple didn’t like this layout; they thought it was a little awkward.
Bathroom at a Glance
Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 84 square feet (7.8 square meters)
Designers: Andrea Bauer and Lana Lounsbury of Lana Lounsbury Interiors
This couple in Victoria, British Columbia, wanted to update their home’s main-floor bathroom, and in the process turn the shower-tub combo into a separate shower and tub.
Before. When you entered the bathroom, the shower-tub combo was to the right, and the toilet, not shown, was directly in front of the door. The couple didn’t like this layout; they thought it was a little awkward.
After. Now when you walk into the room, the vanity is the first thing you see, not the toilet. In the new layout, designers Andrea Bauer and Lana Lounsbury tucked the toilet around the corner next to the new walk-in shower.
Shower. “We did frameless glass to give an infinity look to the tile,” Lounsbury says. The 17-square-foot shower has a sliding glass door on the side closest to the toilet. Along the back wall, the shower has a linear drain.
Flooring. The designers picked a black porcelain tile with a natural stone look for the floor. They like this style because it helps ground the room and has a natural look, like the vanity. This porcelain tile is easy to clean, Lounsbury says, and easier to install than tile made of other other materials, such as stone.
The black tile also worked in this case because of the room’s abundance of natural light, thanks to the skylight, which was already in the room before the remodel.
Pro tip. Lounsbury and Bauer always tell people to pick flooring with veining when going with black, or you will potentially see every piece of towel lint or hair that falls upon it. When purchasing dark tile, the designers also suggest that you check whether the tile shows water or foot moisture easily. This porcelain tile used here doesn’t show either.
Fixtures. The couple wanted the bathroom to have a contemporary look with a hint of vintage charm. The designers met that request by picking a vintage-looking shower head and faucet handles.
Wall tile. Beveled subway tiles flow around the room, helping it feel open and connected.
Toilet. The new toilet makes the bathroom feel more spacious, and cleaning is now easier, Lounsbury says. The designers also liked the wall-mounted toilet because it doesn’t break up the black floor with a “white blob.”
Wall tile: matte Arctic White, Monokini series, Tierra Sole Ceramic Tile; floor tile: Provenza In-Essense, Tierra Sole Ceramic Tile; toilet: Maris wall-hung dual-flush, Toto; browse bathroom tile
Shower. “We did frameless glass to give an infinity look to the tile,” Lounsbury says. The 17-square-foot shower has a sliding glass door on the side closest to the toilet. Along the back wall, the shower has a linear drain.
Flooring. The designers picked a black porcelain tile with a natural stone look for the floor. They like this style because it helps ground the room and has a natural look, like the vanity. This porcelain tile is easy to clean, Lounsbury says, and easier to install than tile made of other other materials, such as stone.
The black tile also worked in this case because of the room’s abundance of natural light, thanks to the skylight, which was already in the room before the remodel.
Pro tip. Lounsbury and Bauer always tell people to pick flooring with veining when going with black, or you will potentially see every piece of towel lint or hair that falls upon it. When purchasing dark tile, the designers also suggest that you check whether the tile shows water or foot moisture easily. This porcelain tile used here doesn’t show either.
Fixtures. The couple wanted the bathroom to have a contemporary look with a hint of vintage charm. The designers met that request by picking a vintage-looking shower head and faucet handles.
Wall tile. Beveled subway tiles flow around the room, helping it feel open and connected.
Toilet. The new toilet makes the bathroom feel more spacious, and cleaning is now easier, Lounsbury says. The designers also liked the wall-mounted toilet because it doesn’t break up the black floor with a “white blob.”
Wall tile: matte Arctic White, Monokini series, Tierra Sole Ceramic Tile; floor tile: Provenza In-Essense, Tierra Sole Ceramic Tile; toilet: Maris wall-hung dual-flush, Toto; browse bathroom tile
Before Photo
Before. The vanity sat to your left when you walked into the bathroom. It offered enough storage, but the couple didn’t love the style or countertop color.
After. A custom walnut vanity floats in front of the doorway, and the built-in tub is where the old vanity once stood.
Vanity. The design team wanted to make the vanity the room’s focal point. The design team worked with Splinters Millworks to create this 42-inch-long vanity based on an inspirational image the client had found. The designers used a floating vanity to give the feeling of spaciousness, and this style best displays the vanity’s wood grain, Lounsbury says.
Faucet. The couple work as custom jewelers, so in a nod to their craft, Bauer found a faucet with faceted handles, which are reminiscent of gemstones.
Mirror. The off-center mirror is accompanied by a small walnut shelf along its base and extends across the wall behind the tub.
Vanity: custom; vanity top: Waverton, Marble collection, Cambria; find a wall-mounted vanity; vanity lighting: Mclaren Lighting; sink: Pop rectangle vessel, DXV; faucet: 1MHXLMBABM in matte black, Hexis collection, The Rubinet Faucet Co.
Vanity. The design team wanted to make the vanity the room’s focal point. The design team worked with Splinters Millworks to create this 42-inch-long vanity based on an inspirational image the client had found. The designers used a floating vanity to give the feeling of spaciousness, and this style best displays the vanity’s wood grain, Lounsbury says.
Faucet. The couple work as custom jewelers, so in a nod to their craft, Bauer found a faucet with faceted handles, which are reminiscent of gemstones.
Mirror. The off-center mirror is accompanied by a small walnut shelf along its base and extends across the wall behind the tub.
Vanity: custom; vanity top: Waverton, Marble collection, Cambria; find a wall-mounted vanity; vanity lighting: Mclaren Lighting; sink: Pop rectangle vessel, DXV; faucet: 1MHXLMBABM in matte black, Hexis collection, The Rubinet Faucet Co.
Bathtub. The built-in bathtub takes up 12½ square feet. The designers surrounded the sides of the tub with the same porcelain tile that they used on the floor. This created a nice swath of black from one side of the room to the other and made the space feel more cohesive.
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Interesting (and useful) fact about choosing black tiles with veining. I agree this isn't the smallest of bathrooms and floor plans always help us readers visualize better. Even so, this is a gorgeous renovation. Bringing both the vanity and toilet off the floor is the best idea for any small bathroom.
Their choices are all great. Enjoy!
vmbluelemur I like the "after" design much more, but I feel the way you do about subway tiles. They really do remind me of a subway. There's something about them that makes me think of cold temps, too. Getting out of the bath like, "Get me a towel quick, it's freezing in here."
Is there a custom shower pan?
Thank you.