Bathroom of the Week: Updated Style and Storage for Empty Nesters
A designer helps a couple add personality, a larger shower and better storage in their 1990s en suite
After raising two kids and sending them off to college, this empty-nest Texas couple decided it was time to nurture their tired 1990s en suite bathroom. Among the problems were a white-and-tan palette that lacked personality, two sinks set at different heights and a crammed layout that included a small shower and a large built-in jetted tub.
To fix the issues, the couple brought in designer Heidi Arwine. Arwine removed the tub in exchange for an expanded low-curb shower that helped loosen the cluttered look. Custom blue-gray vanities — with sinks at the same height — and a built-in laundry hamper and linen cabinet add storage and style. A taupe linen wallpaper and white-and-gray hexagonal tile in the shower bring in touches of physical and visual texture.
To fix the issues, the couple brought in designer Heidi Arwine. Arwine removed the tub in exchange for an expanded low-curb shower that helped loosen the cluttered look. Custom blue-gray vanities — with sinks at the same height — and a built-in laundry hamper and linen cabinet add storage and style. A taupe linen wallpaper and white-and-gray hexagonal tile in the shower bring in touches of physical and visual texture.
After: Arwine removed the soffit and straightened out the vanity wall, creating a lighter look. Two custom Shaker-style vanities provide hardworking storage in a stylish blue-gray color (Foggy Day by Sherwin-Williams). A bench sits between the cabinets and includes open storage below.
Light gray-and-tan 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain tile covers the floor, the shower curb and surround, and the shower side walls and bench.
Floor tile: Tuscan Villa in Arezzo Ivory, Florida Tile; linen wallpaper: Fenton, Natural Textiles collection, Winfield Thybony Design
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Light gray-and-tan 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain tile covers the floor, the shower curb and surround, and the shower side walls and bench.
Floor tile: Tuscan Villa in Arezzo Ivory, Florida Tile; linen wallpaper: Fenton, Natural Textiles collection, Winfield Thybony Design
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Each vanity features a quartz countertop, a widespread stainless steel faucet and seven operable soft-close deep drawers and a sink cabinet. “By placing the sink cabinet at counter height, we were able to add an additional drawer under the cabinet doors,” Arwine says. Brushed satin nickel pulls add a clean, contemporary detail.
A custom recessed medicine cabinet sits to the side of each vanity. “We put electrical outlets inside the medicine cabinets for electric toothbrushes and electric shavers,” Arwine says.
A 32-by-48-inch dimmable color-changing LED-lighted mirror offers different light levels for hair styling, makeup application and shaving. “It keeps us from having to use vanity bar lights, for a cleaner look,” Arwine says.
The ceiling fan visible in the reflection of the mirror was a request from the homeowners to create extra air flow on warm Texas days.
Mirror: Verano, 32 by 48 inches, IBMirror; faucet: Trillian in Brilliance Stainless, Delta Faucet
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A custom recessed medicine cabinet sits to the side of each vanity. “We put electrical outlets inside the medicine cabinets for electric toothbrushes and electric shavers,” Arwine says.
A 32-by-48-inch dimmable color-changing LED-lighted mirror offers different light levels for hair styling, makeup application and shaving. “It keeps us from having to use vanity bar lights, for a cleaner look,” Arwine says.
The ceiling fan visible in the reflection of the mirror was a request from the homeowners to create extra air flow on warm Texas days.
Mirror: Verano, 32 by 48 inches, IBMirror; faucet: Trillian in Brilliance Stainless, Delta Faucet
Shop from a curated collection of popular bathroom vanities
The quartz-topped bench offers a spot for the homeowners to change shoes or sit while brushing their teeth. “People seem to find them really handy,” Arwine says.
8 Bathroom Features Homeowners Want Now
8 Bathroom Features Homeowners Want Now
Before: The built-in jetted tub took up a substantial amount of space for a feature the homeowners never used, and it left little room for a shower to the right.
After: Ditching the tub allowed Arwine to create a spacious low-curb shower with a frameless glass entry and long bench.
Two-inch white-and-gray stone mosaic hexagonal tiles cover the floor and back wall, providing a nonslip surface as well as visual texture. “We like to have some type of feature in our showers that set them apart,” Arwine says. “Generally a mosaic will do that for us. It just makes for really nice flow.”
The blue-gray custom built-in laundry hamper and linen cabinet, which coordinates with the new vanities, stands where part of the old shower was. “The downstairs of this house didn’t have a linen or laundry closet at all,” Arwine says. “It’s also a great place to keep dirty clothes out of the primary bedroom.”
A frosted glass window replaced dated glass blocks.
Mosaic tiles: Tesoro, GBTile Collections
Two-inch white-and-gray stone mosaic hexagonal tiles cover the floor and back wall, providing a nonslip surface as well as visual texture. “We like to have some type of feature in our showers that set them apart,” Arwine says. “Generally a mosaic will do that for us. It just makes for really nice flow.”
The blue-gray custom built-in laundry hamper and linen cabinet, which coordinates with the new vanities, stands where part of the old shower was. “The downstairs of this house didn’t have a linen or laundry closet at all,” Arwine says. “It’s also a great place to keep dirty clothes out of the primary bedroom.”
A frosted glass window replaced dated glass blocks.
Mosaic tiles: Tesoro, GBTile Collections
As mentioned, the side walls in the shower are the same 12-by-24-inch marble-look porcelain tiles as the main flooring. “We like to do the 12-by-24-inch format tiles because it’s less grout and manageable for our installers,” Arwine says.
A wall-mounted, multifunction square shower head and pressure-balanced valve feature the same finish as the sink faucets. Two niches offer a spot to keep products handy.
Two towel hooks inside the shower also come in handy. “They can also be used for wash cloths or hanging sponges,” Arwine says.
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A wall-mounted, multifunction square shower head and pressure-balanced valve feature the same finish as the sink faucets. Two niches offer a spot to keep products handy.
Two towel hooks inside the shower also come in handy. “They can also be used for wash cloths or hanging sponges,” Arwine says.
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Before: Here’s another look at the former shower. Ahead is a water closet the homeowners wanted to keep. Arwine noticed that the swing door made for a tight fit inside the water closet.
The doorway on the right leads to the couple’s bedroom.
The doorway on the right leads to the couple’s bedroom.
After: Arwine installed a space-saving paneled pocket door to the water closet, which also includes an updated toilet with overhead cabinets.
Warm gray walls (Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams) complement the tones in the tile.
“We created a fresh-looking bathroom by opening the space up,” Arwine says. “And we gave them more storage overall.”
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Warm gray walls (Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams) complement the tones in the tile.
“We created a fresh-looking bathroom by opening the space up,” Arwine says. “And we gave them more storage overall.”
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: An empty-nest couple
Location: Coppell, Texas
Size: 150 square feet (14 square meters)
Designer: Heidi Arwine Interiors
Before: The former bathroom had basic finishes that the homeowners had grown tired of, including square beige ceramic floor tiles, cultured marble countertops and standard white cabinets. Plus, they didn’t like that the sink seen straight ahead here was lower than the one on the left. These days “most people prefer that they’re all the taller height for a more seamless look,” Arwine says.
Meanwhile, a large soffit loomed overhead and forced an angled corner countertop that the couple rarely used. A plastic portable tower of drawers sat below for extra storage. To the right is the couple’s primary closet and to the right of that, out of view, was the built-in tub.