Bathrooms
Paneling is SW7051 Analytical Gray at 200% (intensified)in semi gloss
Linear DrainsThis shower is one of my favorites and features a linear drain from Quick Drain USA. This drain is one of my top picks and recommendations on most jobs. The narrow profile and the fact that it's also a primary shower drain make it one of the best options out there.Tip: When working with standard 3/8-inch-thick tile, I plan on a 1 1/4-inch finished wall build-out (off the stud framing) to factor in a combination of the 1/2-inch backer board, waterproofing, tile thinset and tile thickness. Plan your build-out before installing the drain so you can put the drain tight to the wall, as shown here. If you have not picked your tile yet, hold off on installing the drain until you have.
This drawer takes the same notion one step further. Not only do electric styling tools have their own compartments, but brushes, sprays and gels and other pampering paraphernalia go in designated slots as well.
Multitasking at its best: Custom slots in this pullout cabinet are sized to hold not only the hair dryer, but also a curling iron and a brush.
I've saved the best for last. Some people might have tucked guest towels into this powder room shelving unit; these homeowners loaded it with books. What a clever and unexpected way to carry their collection throughout the house!More: 2012 Trends: What's New for Your Bathroom CabinetsA Stylish Place for Bath TowelsSmart Ideas to Use in Small Baths
Shelves tucked behind a full-length mirror expand the traditional medicine cabinet approach — especially in a bath with windows over the sink, like this one.
I don't have a tub, but if I did I'd totally copy this look. The beadboard-backed shelves pull double duty: Not only do they house towels and other miscellany, but they also give a blank wall a needed focal point. You could even try this treatment with a freestanding, premade shelving unit, as long as you bolt it securely to the wall.
No wall space is too skinny for shelving. It's generally pretty easy to retrofit a bath with recessed units, especially if you can place them between wall studs.
A shallow niche puts a minimal spin on between-the-mirrors storage. This also is a great way to break up a frameless wall-to-wall mirror.
Here's another great example of wasted space turned workhorse. A slender built-in unit rises between the mirrors, keeping toiletries close at hand when getting ready for the day.
This slim structure packs in a lot of function, from the cabinet and towel cubby on one side to the open shelving on the other. Small slices of space like this, often lurking next to a sink, tub or mirror, cry out to be put to use.
This latticed screen would fit right into a traditional living room. But in this powder room, it makes a design statement paired with an antique table that’s been retrofitted with a vessel sink. Extravagant, bird-festooned, hand-drawn wallpaper completes the look.More:12 Ways to Get a Luxe Bathroom Look for LessBathroom Workbook: 12 Things to Consider for Your Remodel
Window seats, with their view of the outdoors, are often found in living and dining rooms. But why not consider one in the bath? This seat, built over handy storage drawers, is a good spot to perch on while pulling on clothes, drying off or even just relaxing.
Inside the shower. If you’re sensitive to the cold and would rather have every single shower accouterment at your fingertips the instant you turn the water off, a towel rack inside the shower stall might be right for you. If you want to pull this off, it helps to have either a longer-than-standard-size shower stall, or a rainfall shower that will be less likely to splash and get your dry towel wet.
Whose towel is whose. Alternatively, you could employ the same strategy of demarcating sink space even without a trough basin by mounting your towel bars just under the lip of the countertop. Especially in a guest room or kid’s shared bathroom, this makes it easier to identify whose towel is whose compared with a catchall hook mounted somewhere on the wall.
Bathtubs. If you can integrate your towel holder onto your shower’s frame, why not your bathtub’s too? If you’re wondering, the rail mounted on the tub is an available upgrade on Kohler’s Vintage model, shown here.Browse freestanding tubs
Otherwise, try using a few tricks to avoid letting that cabinet visually shrink the room. A cabinet with little or no frame will avoid feeling in-your-face, while adding some under-cabinet lighting (just as you might in a kitchen) will bring a glow that cancels out any dark shadows and makes the whole sink area feel more open.
A round mirror is also a great choice if you have an interesting wall finish to show off, such as this beautiful, exotic wallpaper print. It gives you enough mirror to see your face, but it leaves a bit more wall exposed, and the curved lines will pick up the organic shapes in a leafy or floral print.
Frameless mirrors work most easily in contemporary or modern and minimalist spaces without a lot of busy decor. Mirrors with elaborate frames tend to suit traditional spaces where the other elements are also very detailed and decorative.
After. The large windows and chandelier highlight the new freestanding tub at the end of the long, narrow bathroom. Designer Lindsay Chambers created this new luxe look while still keeping one original component: brass. The brass can be found via the lighting, vanity hardware and faucets. Bathtub: Victoria + Albert; floor tile: Calacatta in a chevron pattern, Walker Zanger; cabinetry: custom Shaker; cabinet paint: Eggplant by Donald Kaufman Color; chandelier: Arctic Pear, Ochre; browse chandeliersRead more about this bathroom remodel
24. Drawer AmorThe homeowner found this chest of drawers left in his house by a previous owner, so he pulled out a Mexican-style ceramic sink that had been gathering dust in a crawl space for years and created a new powder room vanity.
16. Sideboard SurpriseJohn Uttenreither shortened the legs on this antique sideboard that he bought for $75.
15. Bold and Beautiful Designer Carolyn Albert-Kincl updated her client’s mahogany chest by having it painted at an auto-body shop then turned into a vanity.
4. Nautical ChicStyle: Navy blue shiplap walls, antique brass finishes and crisp white tile keep this basement bathroom in shipshape. Notable detail: You’ll have to catch this one in the mirror’s reflection — an antique ladder repurposed as a towel rack.How to decorate with deep, dark blue
Backsplash treatment
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