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Design

How We’re Designing the Upstairs Guest Bathroom in the Mountain Fixer

We are closing in on the finish line for the mountain house bathroom design plans. As expected, we ran out of time and had to order materials for this one, so there is no I Design, You Decide for the upstairs guest bath, but the good news is that I feel very confident in this design. This bathroom was designed while I was installing the Portland house and I gave the art direction to Julie on my design team and she executed a GREAT design. Let’s break it down.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Before Bedroom 01

This room had a massive closet, so big it made you uncomfortable and everyone who walked in said “Wait, why?” Originally, we made this a powder bath with a walk-in closet so it could be a guest suite, but then you guys suggested we make it a full en-suite with a shower. As someone who loves using pretentious words like “en suite,” I said “weee” and gave it a big thumbs up.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Before 02

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Before 01

As a reminder, here is where this lady lives in the house. It’s on the second floor, behind the kid’s bath

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Floor Plan Bath Only Closet Callout

Originally, it was a huge 5′ 6″ x 9′ 6″ closet, but we decided to give the bedroom a reach-in closet and instead make this a full bathroom. We love our friends that much.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Plan Original Final

We put in a pocket door as you can see and installed a new window in the shower because I want as much natural light as possible at all times.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Update Photos 8.1.18 11

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Update Photos 8.1.18 13

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Update Photos 8.1.18 21

For materials, we created a new version of the refined-rustic-California-cabin-Scandi-chalet-contemporary insanity that the rest of the house is now attempting to reference (which we love). We have a mix of leathered stone, black wood, handmade tile in a matte finish and brass.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Materials

Tile | Countertop Stone | Brass T Pendant | Floor Marble | Purist Matte Black Fixtures

It might be my favorite bathroom yet, well, besides our master bath of course. That floor stone is taking it next level in my book. Let’s get into it.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper I Design You Decide Guest Bath Upstairs Material 9.7.18

Brass T Pendant | Tile | Faucet | Cross Handles | Vanity | Sink | Countertop Marble | Toilet | Toilet Tissue Holder | Marble Flooring | Window | Showerhead | Handshower | DTV Prompt | Robe Hook | Towel Bar | Towel Ring

Kohler’s black Purist might be my favorite line and finish. It’s really a “can’t go wrong.” I think that if your home leans more modern but with a classic twist, you can trust this faucet. I’ve had it in brushed gold, polished gold and now the matte black.

The vanity has this “I’m country but modern” feeling that felt charming for the cabin vibe but we are modernizing with the faucets. I think this combination is actually what will make this bathroom full of good tension.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Second Level Guest Bath Moodboard Kohler Vantiy

Faucet | Cross Handles | Vanity | Sink | Towel Ring

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Second Level Guest Bath Moodboard Kohler Shower 9.7.18

Showerhead | Handshower | DTV Prompt | Robe Hook | Towel Bar

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Second Level Guest Bath Moodboard Kohler Toilet 01

Toilet | Toilet Tissue Holder

All those elements get thrown into the bathroom like this:

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Plan 01 Updated 9.4.18

The overhead shows the layout and, of course, that gorgeous floor that I now want EVERYWHERE. The reason we have that cabinet is that the DTV Prompt‘s panel (more on that in a sec) and components need to be housed somewhere so we are installing that to give it a home and create some extra storage.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Render 01

We used a 1″x8″ matte white tile from Pratt & Larson, the Portland-based company we used throughout the Portland project. We love a good skinny tile and Julie created a pattern that we have now dubbed “The double stacked staggered.” Since the size of the tile leans more modern to help balance it out and bring a more traditional feel, we double stacked then staggered it (get it?) to give a new twist on the classic subway tile. We’re wrapping up a post for later this week all about subway tile patterns, installations and what works best where, but this kept things a bit more modern here.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Render 04

We kept the orientation of the tile vertical everywhere except the niche ledge wall to break up the pattern a bit and give some subtle interest. In the shower, we wanted to do a new take on the niche (possible future post coming soon) and were inspired by some of the boutique hotels using a ledge instead of the standard inset box. By doing this, we had to move the glass for the shower six inches more for code which came a bit closer to the vanity than we had originally planned on.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Render 02 Tree

Since the glass was now closer to the vanity edge, we opted for a pendant instead of sconces on either side so we could still have a properly sized mirror and we fell in love with the Brass T Pendant from Allied Maker. It is so simple and yet so gorgeous, I mean look at her, c’mon.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Render 03

To help soften up the space, we added some black leather pulls (with brass detailing, like these from Etsy) to Kohler’s Tresham vanity (which we’ve used numerous times in this project and we love because the interior is customizable and the design works so well with so many styles). There are a lot of straight lines in this space, between the tile, vanity, countertop, etc. so we threw a circle mirror over the vanity—it’s all about mixing those shapes. The material on the mirror is still TBD but will probably be wood or brass.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Render 05

For right now, the plan is to do a single panel glass with a black metal frame for the shower. Although I have been warned by my contractor, several times in fact, that people always complain about how cold they are and if that is the case we can add a door to it down the road. But that’s why we have the DTV Prompt in this bathroom, which is SUCH a cool system by Kohler. Here are some of its highlights:

  • You can set the exact water temperature you want (this is particularly helpful for kids so the temps are kept a little lower to prevent scalding). Also, we did a little research, and evidently, the ideal bathing temperature for healthy adults is about 112 degrees Fahrenheit. That makes the water hot enough to wash away dirt and bacteria, but not so hot that you’re damaging the outer layer of your skin. So if you’re a rule follower, you can set the DTV Prompt to 112 every time and shower knowing you’re not unknowingly boiling yourself.
  • It has a “warm-up” mode that pauses the flow of water when it hits your programmed temperature and then lets you know when the shower is ready. In a state like California where water conservation is ALWAYS a concern, this is huge. It also has a “pause” mode in case for whatever reason you need to run out of the shower for a minute (well, two, because that’s the max it’ll pause the water and hold your water temp steady) to grab a new bottle of shampoo or whatnot.
  • This one goes out to anyone who has a house of LONG shower-ers…there’s a countdown mode that you can set how long someone showers, which works well to manage water use and time. Set that timer for five minutes (or whatever feels best for your family) and that’s that. Oh, and if you have a hard time getting going in the morning and have ever half fallen asleep in the shower only to be jerked awake by your sudden thought of OMG WHAT TIME IS IT, I’M LATE, this might also be your best friend/save your job. Gotta get out of the shower by 8:06 am to hit the rest of your morning time benchmarks? The DTV Prompt’s got your clock-watching back.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Upper Second Level Guest Bath Render 06

Back to that cabinet that covers up the DTV Prompt panel (the digital readout unit itself is actually quite sleek at about 3″ wide by 7.75″ tall by 0.75″ deep, but we had to cover the mechanism). You might be thinking why not keep that white so it doesn’t stand out as much? Well, good question, but we think the black helps to tie it together with all of those beautiful Purist fixtures in the space.

Emily Henderson Mountian Fixer Second Level Guest Bath Cabinet Detail Updated 9.4.18

Julie designed this cabinet to hide the DTV components but I also love the additional storage and while the exact finishes might change, the overall design is perfect and I think adds a lot to the room.

Emily Henderson Mountain Fixer Second Level Guest Bath Animation

For this one, there is no “deciding” because well, we had to a few weeks ago in order to not push the entire project back.

But I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you believe in a “double stacked stagger?” and how do you feel about us changing the orientation of the tile? I personally think it’s a really safe but interesting risk. Since it’s in the same color and tile, just a tweak of the direction is not something that screams 2018.

As always let us know your thoughts, comments and concerns in the comments. xx

*This post is in partnership with Kohler but all words, designs and selections are our own. Thanks for supporting the brands we love that support the blog.

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Lisa
Lisa
6 years ago

I love the double stacked staggered tile, it looks fabulous. What I am not keen on is the long ledge under the window (it feels a bit like a basement where you have a ledge over the foundation), and how the ledge puts the shower door so close to the vanity. You have all that beautiful bathroom space, but it still feels cramped! Why not put the ledge on the end of the shower (opposite the fixtures), rather than under the window, so it does not encroach on the width of the shower, and then your vanity can breathe a bit. Love the sconce! Love the blog!

Emily
Emily
6 years ago
Reply to  Lisa

Great idea! I hadn’t noticed the ledge but now I can’t not see it.

Justynn
Justynn
6 years ago
Reply to  Lisa

Probably because then they would need to shorten the shower wall glass and the spray form the shower might escape more? Just guessing…?

We saw a ledge like this in a boutique hotel in N.C. while we were there for a wedding. It was behind the sinks in the vanity area and i love the extra room for putting items so much when we redesigned out bathroom I made it a part of the design. Everyone thought I was crazy but it’s a nice place to keep the “pretty” objects (dish for jewelry, pretty lotions/ perfume/ candle/ plant, while keeping those things off the vanity and away from water splashes, my husbands beard trimming (UGH, I know…) and just over all “clean”. I would suggest making it a solid surface though, and not tile- so you dont get soap scum or whatever in the grout.

Vicki Williams
Vicki Williams
6 years ago
Reply to  Lisa

Agreed. Or even design the ledge on the fixture side so it is closer to the person showering. I can envision a ledge and an upper part pulled out to match, so the fixtures are installed level but there is a great big niche, if you will, behind the fixtures. In other words pull out the bottom ledge there and do the same above the full width of the shower. I actually think it would be more serviceable, more interesting and unique and have the added benefit of not crowding the shower/vanity. Love the double stack tile and changing the orientation is terrific. The black cabinet is perfect, love that you made it tall.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Vicki Williams

We like the ledge and it was an intentional choice, but once it was framed we had wished our GC had told us that it was going to be close to the vanity. I like the idea of a shelf rather than a niche (for now) and having it be at the opposite end could have been far to reach, PLUS we actually really like it. But we’ll all see 🙂

Brandyn
6 years ago

In the winter I’m always cold in the shower. I’m a night shower-er so now I put a space heater in the bathroom for 30 min before I unplug it and turn on the water. I do get a little cold just looking at the open shower, but the overall bathroom space isn’t all the big so it might be okay.

I love the mix of black and brass fixtures.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Brandyn

HA. yah, we’ll see. If it were the master shower we would close it but its a guest room so i’m like … eh??

Lane
Lane
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

One good option is radiant heat in the bathroom. Either under the floor or wall tile. A good investment in cooler locations

JLW
JLW
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

We have a open shower and were afraid of being cold (in the Northeast and I have the water on full heat). So far so good!

We also have a similar set up with the vanity and toilet switched. Do you think that would give you more elbow room and have the room feel a bit more open?

Katy
Katy
6 years ago

Re: being cold in the shower, you could always install a heat lamp in the ceiling over the shower. My grandparents had one of those in their guest bath growing up and I remember how good it felt to stand under the light. So toasty and warm. I found one that I’m saving for when I have a bathroom to renovate. Here’s the link: NuTone 9093WH Deluxe Heat-A-Ventlite Heater with Ventilator and Incandescent Ceiling Light, 70 CFM 1500-Watt, White
by Broan
Link: http://a.co/d/bDSIViz

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Katy

INTERESTING. i’m going to check that out.

Renee
Renee
6 years ago
Reply to  Katy

Love this idea for my own bathroom. Thanks for the link!

Kylie
Kylie
6 years ago
Reply to  Katy

Yes! I just thought a heat lamp was the norm in a bathroom! Haha. In Australia I feel like we all have an IXLtastic which makes it lovely and toasty in the bathroom plus also dealing with the exhaust.

Emily – this bathroom is perfect! I LOVE the shelf – I’m imagining a trailing plant at the far end with a candle and then all the important shampoo and stuff at the other end. Something to think about when I do my bathroom. ?

Libby
Libby
6 years ago
Reply to  Kylie

Aussie here I thought the same thing! Thought everyone would have them, they are great.

Eleanor
Eleanor
6 years ago

I love the double stacked staggered tile too! I think I like the vertical orientation better.

Would really appreciate a follow-up post on the technical stuff. For example, how the window is waterproofed – do you need to use a different material, any other special things you need to do that you wouldn’t with a regular window? Also, with the shower being curbless – does the whole bathroom floor need to be waterproofed?

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Eleanor

The window is vinyl, as Marvin makes them all vinyl for bathrooms. And yes, the whole floor is waterproofed and it slightly slopes down into the linear drain. This is the first time i’ve done this so we’ll see 🙂

Melkorka
Melkorka
6 years ago

The Double stacked stagger is amazing! I love how the tile is modern in proportion but also feels familiar because it is staggered traditionally. I think it makes it very visually layered. One of those little details that looks custom!

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Melkorka

thank you!! We are getting shots from the GC as the tile is being installed and its AWESOME.

shopgirl
shopgirl
6 years ago

“…no pretty bath can be without a window.” Well, I guess there’s no hope for my bathroom then. Townhouse + interior bathroom = no window.

This is a pretty bathroom, but the vanity feels tight to the shower wall. I think a smaller vanity that gives a little breathing room would look better. If you can’t do that, can the spaces between the shower and vanity, vanity and toilet, and toilet and wall be more evenly spaced? Probably not, but it’s a thought.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  shopgirl

Well, our kids bath doesn’t have a window but I secretly have ALWAYS reggreted not putting a skylight in there. it just didn’t occur to me at the time. So no, You don’t NEED one but natural light helps EVERY room 🙂

Allison
Allison
6 years ago

I love the tile pattern. However, it’s very white and sterile looking. Will you add color with accessories? Or maybe by painting the sheetrock a color?

Alex
Alex
6 years ago
Reply to  Allison

I agree! I wish the sink cabinetry wasn’t white as well. Love the floors, the mirror and the black shower fixtures.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex

I think its going to be really pretty guys, but yes we can always add a paint color or artwork that has some color. the bedroom will likely be painted a color so we night not want to do color into color, but I also don’t want a really COLD bathroom. xx

Allison
Allison
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

I know you guys will make it look awesome. I also have to temper my comment with the fact that I’m an artist and I LOVE color. I totally get that may not be the road everyone wants to go down. 🙂

Terri
Terri
6 years ago

Will there be any other lighting in the bathroom? Those two little bulbs in the pendant light don’t seem like much for putting on make up, etc.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Terri

Yep. there are 3 cans in that room. xx

Lindsay
Lindsay
6 years ago

love the overall design! A few suggestions: 1-It’s likely too late for this given your tight construction timeline, but FLOOR HEAT, especially under marble is a game-changer. Much more chic than overhead heat-lamps. 2-I would consider making that linen cabinet a bit wider for symmetry’s sake, it feels a little bit crammed into the corner right now. 3-You will likely want to slope the shower floor away from the glass toward a linear shower drain along the wall (or think about dropping the shower pan below the floor) 4-The marble for the floor is beautiful, but consider a smaller pattern inside the shower to give more grout lines so it’s not slippery

Kelly
Kelly
6 years ago
Reply to  Lindsay

Yes to floor heat! We installed floor heat (on a timer) in our bathroom and I LOVE stepping onto the warm marble floor in the morning and it is so nice to be able to gently warm the bathroom independent of the rest of the house. We originally installed the floor heat because I was always cold kneeling on the floor while helping my kids bathe in the tub, but it has become a little luxury and favorite feature of mine (outlasting the days of bathing very little children in the tub). 🙂

Vicki Williams
Vicki Williams
6 years ago
Reply to  Lindsay

Good call about the shower floor slipperiness. No doubt the floor will be sloped and I imagine they will use a french drain, which is long and narrow at the back. water on the rest of the floor shouldn’t be a problem.
I agree about the width of the cabinet. When I looked again at the overhead view it does seem like it should be a little wider.

Julie P
Julie P
6 years ago
Reply to  Lindsay

I agree, heating in that floor would be NICE. The shower ledge is amazing! Also, I’m a bit worried that 12×12 marble is going to be very slippery. Are you doing a honed finish or anything to help with that? I assume there will be recessed lighting in the ceiling to help out.

Jessica
Jessica
6 years ago
Reply to  Lindsay

I was just about to comment that you’ll want a smaller tile in the shower. The grout between tiles is what gives your feet traction so you don’t slip.

Love the double stacked stagger!

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Jessica

Ok lots to say.
1. Re floor heat. We went for Nu-heat it in the kids and master, but honestly we just had to start cutting costs and this is just a guest bath. Sorry, guests 🙂
2. The floor tile will be leathered so it will have more traction. But yes, smaller tile with more grout lines is less slippery.

Kathryn
Kathryn
6 years ago

Where does your towel go? Will you add hooks in the shower opposite the shower head?

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Kathryn

Ha. i don’t know. we are super minimal in this house so perhaps no towel. My brother wants to invent body blowers – like hand blowers in public restrooms for your whole body. But seriously we’ll figure it out, yes maybe at the other end or a hook next to the cabinet if that would fit.

denese
denese
6 years ago

The “no door/I’m cold” worry. It’s not a worry. The bathroom isn’t too large where the room will be drafty. At a recent Paris hotel, the smallerish bath had an open shower and ’tis was cozy and fine.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  denese

Oh good. it is a small bathroom…. I think its fine and again, its a GUEST bath so while I want them to be happy, I also think they are still going to have a lovely time here.

Amy
Amy
6 years ago

Looks nice! I especially like the floor tile — so beautiful. One suggestion: while I like the look of the shampoo ledge, I am concerned that the grout lines of the tile on top will be continually gunky from standing water and soap residue. Please consider putting a single piece of stone or other solid surface on top of the ledge to preserve the lovely clean look.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Amy

OH THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. shoot. I didn’t think about that. Well, it might be too late, but thank you for the suggestion. I think you are totally right. whoops 🙂

Louise
Louise
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

You could also very slightly slope the top surface so that water runs off rather than stands on top of that ledge. That would reduce the gunk

Amy
Amy
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Even larger format tile would help. Maybe Pratt & Lambert has something that would coordinate? Good luck!

Piperlou
Piperlou
6 years ago
Reply to  Amy

This was my thought too. I LOVE the ledge, but feel like a thin strip of quartz or marble would be so much more practical than 1″ wide tile

Kelly
Kelly
6 years ago
Reply to  Amy

Yes, this is what I deal with in my bathroom shower. Looks gross at the moment!

B. Tinder
B. Tinder
6 years ago

Beautiful design! I have a single glass panel shower in a similar sized bathroom and have had no problems being cold so I am sure it will be even better with the nice temperature options you will have!

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  B. Tinder

YAY. oh good.

Corinne
Corinne
6 years ago

I wonder if constant contact with wet soapy hands will cause the color from the leather pulls to bleed off onto the white cabinetry?

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Corinne

Hmm. i hope not 🙂 I don’t really think so. and it is a guest bath so its not going to get as much use and don’t people dry hands before handling drawers. maybe we’ll make a sign 🙂

Erin
Erin
6 years ago

I actually really like the ledge where it is – I feel like putting it on the far end would close in that entryway to the shower, and also just be strange if that’s where you stored your shampoo, etc. Then you really would be cold going back and forth in front of the door.

I love this. I’m wondering whether the mirror shouldn’t be wood to bring back in the rustic? It’s gorgeous but might need that bit of warmth. I would totally stay in this gorgeous guest bath!

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Erin

That is a great idea, re the wood for the mirror. We are starting to design the mirrors next week so we will consider this. I agree that the brass in front of the brass isnn’t ideal and the wood would speak to the wood inside the cabinets.

dwebb
dwebb
6 years ago

Could the linen tower be designed as a corner unit? It seems a pinch misplaced.

tk
tk
6 years ago

it’s a beautiful bathroom, but a bit too modern to fit in a mountain house in my opinion.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  tk

But what about a “modern Mountain’ house 🙂

Stevie
Stevie
6 years ago

That open shower makes me shiver just thinking about it. I second the reader’s suggestion for a heat lamp above the shower.

I also agree that a ledge either below the shower head or at the end of the shower would maybe be better than across the width? Though I do like the visual 🙂

How do you guys get all of these design elements in Sketchup? Do the manufacturers provide you with the files or do you have to build each by scratch?

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Stevie

Some of the elements come from the manufacturers, some they shop for something similar in the sketchup file and some they build. I have a talented team 🙂

Bea
Bea
6 years ago

Open showers and wet room bathrooms are pretty standard in Europe (if you have a concrete floor!) I won’t be doing it for mine as it is upstairs, over Victorian joists and I’m really worried it will leak – so I’m getting a shower tray (eventually…).

In terms of heating the shower room – it’s really not a problem! Honestly! I’ve had many, many showers in wet rooms / open door walk in showers.

But why don’t you just put a radiator in there? (However, then again maybe the heating system is different in the US to most of Europe?) We usually have hot water radiators.

Also another very standard concept is a heated bath rail that acts like a radiator. These are available both as part of your central heating system or wired in electrical. The bonus is warm (and dry!) towels to wrap yourself in after the shower.

Never heard of overhead heated lamps… sounds like sitting at an outside cafe terrace in Paris (just wrapped in a towel rather than a winter coat) 🙂

Alexandra Rose
Alexandra Rose
6 years ago

I love the tile orientation; it’s a really smart way to add interest while keeping the design clean! Also, this ship may have already sailed, but it’s really nice to install the shower controls on the opposite side of the bathroom than the shower head. It’s a bit trickier for the plumber but you can then turn on and adjust the water temperature without getting your whole body wet.

JB
JB
6 years ago
Reply to  Alexandra Rose

I was wondering about this! Is there someone thing Kohler system that turns it on automatically too? Of do you have to do the quick turn the knob and run? That would cause me more “I’m so cold” worry than the no-door would. 😉

The double stacked stagger is great, as is the corner linen cabinet!

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  JB

The DTV panel is on the opposite as the fixtures – tis right when you walk in and you can reach to the right. 🙂 Our GC wanted it on the same wall so you can change it, but we wanted it on the wall that you can reach easily to warm it up.

Alexandra Rose
Alexandra Rose
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Ahh! Gotcha. Had to reread. Thanks! I guess the only downside is that you have to leave the shower and walk over to the cabinet if you want to adjust the temp after you’ve started showering (which is not very far anyways). Or is it portable, like a remote control? Very cool tech and thanks for educating us about it!

Peggy
Peggy
6 years ago

No bathroom is complete without a window? In our house no bathroom is complete without in-floor heating!

Cece
Cece
6 years ago

This being a mountain house, I’m not really feeling the gold/brass round mirror and light fixture (sorry!). Especially with the black fixtures (which i love) – it just feels really cold. Also, now that the powder room mirror
may have changed to round (?), it might be feeling like round mirror overload. I totally agree with the poster above that recommended bringing wood in here to warm/soften things up a bit, and possibly going with a tall rectangle mirror shape? Regarding the ledge – in theory, I think it’s a great idea! But yes, standing water/soap will have that looking not so great pretty quickly.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Cece

Ha. yah, we have 2 round mirrors now … and I agree that the wood would be warmer … we haven’t ordered yet so i think i’ll heavily consider that.

Gina
Gina
6 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Stay with the brass. Your don’t need to bring back rustic 🙂

denisegk
denisegk
6 years ago
Reply to  Cece

If they do go with a tall rectangular mirror, I have seen some wrapped with wood that sticks out a bit from the mirror and has rounded corners. Even though most here are equating wood with a rustic vibe, these mirrors look elegant and modern. It’s all in the wood choice and stain I think.

Meredith
Meredith
6 years ago

Pretty! How do leather cabinet pulls hold up in a bathroom? I love the look but I’d always assumed they wouldn’t do well with the humidity.

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Meredith

Ha. not sure 🙂 we’ll see ….

Zara
Zara
6 years ago

I love when there’s a private shower! Nice thinking! Will it be difficult to change the left bulb? Seems to be different sizes away from the glass wall. Just something to keep in mind!

Kt
Kt
6 years ago

LOVE this!!! The only thing (maybe it’s just me) but although these open showers look nice, I always feel cold inside them and water seems to still get kinda everywhere so I’ve stayed away from these personally.

April
April
6 years ago

Loving the tile orientation change and double stack stagger. The cabinet really adds a lot to this room with the finishes currently specified. My two notes on cabinet:
1. Consider changing the cabinet hardware to be different than the vanity hardware. Maybe unfinished brass cabinet hardware and a wood frame on the mirror that’s a different wood/finish than inside the cabinet, with the brass lighting everything coordinates but isn’t matchy.
2. I think you need the plinth base to conceal the the DTV valve but it would be cool to have furniture style legs, with a few inches of breathing room below, and lowering the height so it doesn’t go to the ceiling, creating more of a freestanding furniture look. That would help with scale in this smaller space, too. But as is it still works well.

Samantha J Zimmerman
Samantha J Zimmerman
6 years ago

I would be very happy if this was the bathroom in my guest room literally anywhere. When can I come test it out? 🙂

I’d definitely think about the slippery-ness of the floor tiles, especially with little ones and grandparents around. My parents just had their master bath redone, and were considering marble floor tiles, but they were just too slippery.

Chris
Chris
6 years ago

Whenever I see bathrooms like this I always wonder how it’s possible that water doesn’t get absolutely everywhere? Someone enlighten me!

Laura
Laura
6 years ago

This is so beautiful! I absolutely love the light fixture but am curious how much light it gives off since those bulbs seem kind of tiny for the space. It feels like it might be a bit dark in there when you don’t have daylight coming through the window. Or were you planning on adding some recessed lighting as well? Just curious! Gorgeous design, though! Can’t wait to see it when it’s finished!

Emily
Admin
6 years ago
Reply to  Laura

We have recessed can lights, don’t worry 🙂

Heidi
Heidi
6 years ago

Question about the shower! I remember in the master bath of your current home, there was some discussion over needing a tiny ledge in the corner (to prop legs on when shaving, etc.). Was that feature taken into consideration? Since it may take away from the clean lines you have going on, what feature could provide that same function?

Actually, could we have a post on everything to consider when designing a shower?? The window, the decision to go curb-less & door-less (does water get everywhere?), hand showers vs. other options, etc.

Desma
Desma
6 years ago

Is there a place to hang your towel when you are showering? My only concern 🙂 It’s beautiful!

Kristen
Kristen
6 years ago

I am so in love with the “double stack staggered” pattern. It really shakes up the use of the white tile. As always, you guys knock it out of the park!

Nicole Cukierman
Nicole Cukierman
6 years ago

Where are you going to put the towel bar? Not pictured. Love
The tile direction change. Can’t wait for your tile blog. I’m working on tile now for a project and want to do cross hatch subway tile in a fun color.

Lisa Hamel
Lisa Hamel
6 years ago

I love it all! I wish I could steal it for my own bathrooms. 🙂

Literally two nights ago I thought, “Someone really should invent a programmable showerhead, just so my kid can learn the hard way not to waste water!” 🙂

Kirsten
Kirsten
6 years ago

The double stacked staggered tile is gorgeous. I have become tired of white subway but I would definitely try this pattern.

EMILY HEDRICK
EMILY HEDRICK
6 years ago

Beautiful. I am curious about the tile on the floor. Is it slippery when wet?

Nikki
Nikki
6 years ago

I think the bathroom is stunning and sexy. I love everything about it, except one thing; the vanity. Personally, I think if the vanity was a wood, perhaps coordinating with the interior of the cabinet, it would warm up the space a bit.

Andrea Taylor
Andrea Taylor
6 years ago

My mother’s house has one of those warm up lights in the exhaust fan and it’s pretty fantastic. It wasn’t a fortune…so if you’re worried about warmth, that could be a great option and it clears the mirrors from fog and will keep the mildew out of the bathroom as an extra bonus–which could be useful in a place with a lot of moisture like the mountains.
I had a vanity close to a glass shower door and never had a cleaning problem…a Swiffer got in there easily…if you didn’t cut for the plumbing yet, maybe move the sink over an inch? But seriously, it wasn’t hard to regularly keep clean with just an inch of space…
I think guests will really appreciate that storage area. There’s never anywhere to put things in a guest bath! It’s a very nice touch. You could keep extra supplies in there so that you don’t have to stay on top of the toilet paper, tissues, etc supply also. Very thoughtful.

Azure
Azure
6 years ago

I love it! Especially that floor! As for the warnings about being too cold in the shower with mout a door, I think you should be fine. We have an open “door-less” walk-in to the shower and its actually much larger bc it faces the tub with an entrance on the side sort of. So even with about 7+ feet of openness I’ve never been cold. We do have a rain shower head which is wonderful and I think might keep you warmer bc the water is falling more evenly on all sides of you. But even with a regular shower head I think the smallish size of the room will hold in the heat no prob! Beautiful work y’all. Also I should add the disclaimer than I’m in the south so no mountain winter temps but, it can still get a pretty chilly down here!

Christa
Christa
6 years ago

Very beautiful and classic. It’s going to be an awesome bathroom. I’m a big believer in floor heat under the tile in bathrooms and no shower doors. Did y’all consider floor heat?

Renee
Renee
6 years ago

I love the double stack staggered tile. This bathroom is going to be awesome! I also would like a post on how to design a shower and love your idea of adding a ledge.
I always worry about being cold with no shower door too. We are in the process of remodeling our master bathroom and the contractor wants me to go doorless. He says it’s very popular right now but I worry about the cold also. A follow-up post to this would be greatly appreciated. (It will be too late for me by then, but I’ll still be interested!)

Victoria
Victoria
6 years ago

I love it, but where are the towels going to go?

Virginia
6 years ago

Please, don’t hold back on a shower niche post!

Régine from The 256 Project
Régine from The 256 Project
6 years ago

I LOVE the double stacked stagger!!

Caireen
Caireen
6 years ago

Love this! And love the double stacked stagger and the change in direction. Modern and classic all at once.

Megan Lynch
Megan Lynch
6 years ago

I love the double stack staggered tile. It’s such an interesting take on a classic, like a deconstructed subway tile. That floor tile looks bananas. I’m anxiously awaiting the subway tile post! I’m renovating an entire house with 2.5 baths and the tile choices have been so hard.

Brittany
Brittany
6 years ago

We put in a no door shower in our Massachusetts mountain weekend house (which was old and in the woods) and even in the flipping freezing winter I was never cold. I don’t think the California cold is going to take down a guest (I’ve also lived in LA so I’m not being naive about temps!).

We’ve had them in New York, London and in our current place in England. I don’t think I’m that hot blooded! I wouldn’t even give it a second thought! Anyway just thought I’d add some anecdotal experience.

Also death to inset boxes-yay for shelves and ledges! We had a piece of soapstone, leftover from our kitchen counter put in our shower but under the shower head. It seemed odd but the water shot away from the wall so I actually think it was less directly hit than some other locations. It did get some water but when I took my 5 second squeegee to the glass wall because hard water is no bueno, I’d just swipe it down the piece of stone.

Brittany
Brittany
6 years ago

Oh, wow! This speaks to my minimalist-loving heart in design ? I love the ledge-super functional but you barely notice it’s there, and the floor is gorgeous. I will be very curious to hear your review of the one pane glass and the sloped floor of the shower. This is a design I have been wanting to repeat for a while now! And I second the plant in the shower idea!

Julia from GIFTED
Julia from GIFTED
6 years ago

I lived in a house for 3 years that had a glass panel shower wall (no door) like the one you’re designing and HATED IT!!!!! It wax in Marin County (moderate to warm weather most of the year) and I was always FREEZING when I got out of the shower. Even with heated tile floors I was miserable. Add I door to the shower- FOR SURE!!!