Bathroom of the Week: Open Layout With a Lively Southwest Style
A remodeling team expands a bathroom to gain a larger shower and create an upbeat look that plays with patterns
These young parents of three kids loved the location of their Queen Creek, Arizona, home. Its aesthetics? Not so much. The basic colors and finishes — beige floor tile, standard brown cabinets, plain gray walls — didn’t fit the lively look they had in mind.
They hired designer Shelbie Plautz and remodeling firm The Contractor Guys to refresh the home. For the primary bathroom, the team worked on loosening up the layout to create a light look and more elbow room. Stealing space from a primary closet helped them expand the shower footprint. Removing a built-in tub and arched wall and replacing it with a freestanding model provided an airy feel. For style, the homeowners and remodeling team created an energetic look with Southwest details such as a custom walnut vanity with a raised geometric profile, patterned wall tile and terra-cotta hexagonal floor tiles.
They hired designer Shelbie Plautz and remodeling firm The Contractor Guys to refresh the home. For the primary bathroom, the team worked on loosening up the layout to create a light look and more elbow room. Stealing space from a primary closet helped them expand the shower footprint. Removing a built-in tub and arched wall and replacing it with a freestanding model provided an airy feel. For style, the homeowners and remodeling team created an energetic look with Southwest details such as a custom walnut vanity with a raised geometric profile, patterned wall tile and terra-cotta hexagonal floor tiles.
Before: Here’s a closer look at the two brown wood vanities with integrated oval sinks and no cabinet hardware. The swing door between the vanities connected the bathroom to a large primary closet.
After: The team stripped the space back and removed the walled areas surrounding the built-in tub and shower. They moved the door to the closet over to fit in a new double vanity. The new door is a pocket version with a geometric paneled pattern and is painted in Pitch Black by Farrow & Ball. They also stole space from the closet to expand the shower. “It was a key move because there was so much wasted space before,” Plautz says. “I wanted to alleviate that and open it up and make the space more grand.” A new freestanding tub, a frameless glass shower enclosure and brighter finishes create a light and airy look and feel.
The flooring is terra-cotta-colored porcelain hexagonal tiles in a matte finish, another Southwestern touch. “This tile has reddish tones with a warm, organic feel,” Plautz says. “With the aesthetic they were looking for in their home, these tiles were right for that feel.”
Floor tile: Makoto in Umi Terracotta, 10 by 11½ inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone; runner rug: Layla in Olive and Charcoal, 2½ by 9½ feet, Loloi; wall, ceiling and trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
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The flooring is terra-cotta-colored porcelain hexagonal tiles in a matte finish, another Southwestern touch. “This tile has reddish tones with a warm, organic feel,” Plautz says. “With the aesthetic they were looking for in their home, these tiles were right for that feel.”
Floor tile: Makoto in Umi Terracotta, 10 by 11½ inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone; runner rug: Layla in Olive and Charcoal, 2½ by 9½ feet, Loloi; wall, ceiling and trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
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The custom walnut double vanity features a raised geometric profile that adds movement and character. It has a chocolate stain and six drawers with black knobs. “It was easier for them to use drawers and also looks aesthetically pleasing,” Plautz says.
Oval hand-painted concrete vessel sinks sit atop the white quartz countertop. “We did the vessel sinks to add a unique touch to the bathroom,” Plautz says. Wall-mounted faucets in a brushed brass finish save counter space.
The wall is covered in lively 5-by-5-inch glazed ceramic patterned tiles that extend into the shower. “I thought it would be a focal point in the bathroom and also add just a touch of pattern to the shower,” Plautz says. Three black-and-antique-brass sconces with matte blown globes flank two arched metal mirrors.
Custom double vanity: Public House Creative; knobs: Barrington in flat black, Top Knobs; mirrors: arched metal-framed in oil-rubbed bronze, Rejuvenation; sconces: Atreo in black and antique brass, Lucent Lightshop; faucets: Purist in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass, Kohler; wall tile: Casablanca in Farissi, 5 by 5 inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone
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Oval hand-painted concrete vessel sinks sit atop the white quartz countertop. “We did the vessel sinks to add a unique touch to the bathroom,” Plautz says. Wall-mounted faucets in a brushed brass finish save counter space.
The wall is covered in lively 5-by-5-inch glazed ceramic patterned tiles that extend into the shower. “I thought it would be a focal point in the bathroom and also add just a touch of pattern to the shower,” Plautz says. Three black-and-antique-brass sconces with matte blown globes flank two arched metal mirrors.
Custom double vanity: Public House Creative; knobs: Barrington in flat black, Top Knobs; mirrors: arched metal-framed in oil-rubbed bronze, Rejuvenation; sconces: Atreo in black and antique brass, Lucent Lightshop; faucets: Purist in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass, Kohler; wall tile: Casablanca in Farissi, 5 by 5 inches, Bedrosians Tile and Stone
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Before: The former shower consisted of a basic fiberglass insert with a frosted glass door and panel that obscured light. “The issue was that it was very small and there was dead space behind that drywall,” Plautz says.
After: The remodeling team pushed the shower into the primary closet to gain more space, enough for two shower heads. A custom glass enclosure lets light in and visually expands the room. Ivory-colored ceramic tiles on two walls help brighten the look. The shower floor is 2-inch-round matte white porcelain mosaic tiles that create a slip-resistant surface. A bump-out on each side provides a ledge for shower products.
Shower heads: Purist in matte black, Kohler; shower valves: Purist, Kohler; wall tiles: Flash in ivory, 5 by 5 inches, Arizona Tile; shower floor tile: Makoto 2-Inch in Shoji White, Bedrosians Tile and Stone
10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Shower
Shower heads: Purist in matte black, Kohler; shower valves: Purist, Kohler; wall tiles: Flash in ivory, 5 by 5 inches, Arizona Tile; shower floor tile: Makoto 2-Inch in Shoji White, Bedrosians Tile and Stone
10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Shower
Before: The built-in tub and arched wall surround created a heavy impression and blocked light.
After: The wall surround and built-in tub were removed, replaced by a 66-inch matte black solid surface freestanding tub with an elegant oval shape that creates a light and airy look and feel. The floor-mounted tub filler with built-in diverter and hand shower has a minimalist, modern style and a brushed brass finish that complements the vanity faucets. Painted wall paneling surrounding the tub adds character and dimension. A classic tripod end table with a black iron base and round bluestone top offers a place to set bath products or a drink. Custom cotton window treatments hang from a rod placed a few inches above the existing window to visually add more height to the wall.
Custom window treatments: AZ Draperies and Pillows; end table: Corin, Four Hands; tub: Catino in matte black, 66 inches, Signature Hardware; tub filler: Purist, Kohler
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Custom window treatments: AZ Draperies and Pillows; end table: Corin, Four Hands; tub: Catino in matte black, 66 inches, Signature Hardware; tub filler: Purist, Kohler
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The former storage niche to the left of the water closet at the entrance to the bathroom became a beverage station with open shelves, the same tile used in the shower and a beverage fridge. “As busy parents, they wanted a beverage station where they could enjoy a drink and relax,” Plautz says.
The homeowners now have the open, energetic retreat they wanted. “My goal for this bathroom was to create a uniquely customized feel for the clients but still provide them with a timeless design they can enjoy for years to come,” Plautz says.
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The homeowners now have the open, energetic retreat they wanted. “My goal for this bathroom was to create a uniquely customized feel for the clients but still provide them with a timeless design they can enjoy for years to come,” Plautz says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
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Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with three children
Location: Queen Creek, Arizona
Size: 178 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Shelbie Plautz of Treasure in the Detail
Builder: The Contractor Guys
Before: The former 172-square-foot bathroom had a spacious footprint but felt a bit dark and crowded with a closed-off shower stall, an arched walled-off tub area and two separate vanities. Basic beige floor tiles, light gray walls and brown wood cabinets didn’t mesh with the couple’s desire for an upbeat style with personality. “They wanted more cohesion in the bathroom and to make it feel more spacious,” Plautz says.
On the left side of the room was a recessed storage area, followed by a water closet and the arched opening that housed the built-in tub. “They wanted to keep the water closet, and we kept it in the same location,” Plautz says. “It was a good size, so we wanted to leave that alone.”