Rethinking the Bathroom Layout in This 1912 Home Made It Way More Functional — Here's How

If there’s something we never get tired of seeing, it’s a great makeover. Whether it’s transforming a retro bathroom into a modern oasis or giving a lackluster bedroom a fresh look, pros perform these design miracles all the time. 

To give designers a chance to showcase their favorite makeovers—and to bring you plenty of inspiration for your own home—we’re sharing the best before and afters we’ve seen in our series, Makeover of the Week. Take notes for your next renovation.

“We fell in love with this turn-of-the-century Edwardian style home, but it required some major renovations, including work in the kitchen, living room, and bathroom,” says interior designer Gina Gutierrez. “We lived in the house for two years prior to construction to get a feel for what it needed, which definitely included more storage in the bathroom!”  

Before:

“The bathroom was a very dated with no storage space,” Gutierrez notes. “It contained a small pedestal sink and a clawfoot tub, which I didn’t want to remove but had to because I needed to better utilize the layout of the space. It was a split bathroom with a separate room for the toilet, so we wanted to elevate the main room and make it more functional for our day-to-day use.” 

After:

“Our goal was to design a clean and modern bathroom, creating a traditional Edwardian feel using a classic black and white theme,” Gutierrez says. “The biggest challenge was reworking the footprint, which included moving the tub against the window wall so we could fit a double vanity into the space.” 

What Changed:

• Color theme: A subtle old-world blue on the wall next to the vanity adds some neutral color to the black and white space. 
• Wall tile: A 3 x 6 matte subway tile, with pewter colored grout, was taken all the way to the ceiling and applied to the tub surround. 
• Vanity: An oak veneer vanity contains lots of storage drawers and is topped with a Carrara marble. 
• Sink faucets: Smaller-sized modern black faucets fit snugly beneath the medicine cabinets. 
• Pendant lights: Solid aluminum domed sconces have a black flat finish and can be pointed up or down to direct light. 
• Tub: A shower/tub combo was tucked under the window and fitted with a matte black rain forest showerhead and matching shower rod.  
• Window: Prior to the renovation, a new casement window with divided light was installed to fit the Edwardian style of the house. 
• Floor: A matte white 2 x 8 subway tile was laid on the floor in a herringbone pattern to create visual interest. 
• Mirrors: Black medicine cabinets provide extra storage and give off a vintage feel. 
• Cat: That’s Frank, the owner’s black and white tuxedo cat, who purr-fectly matches the room.

Shop the Look:

Daltile Rittenhouse Square Matte Arctic White 3 in. x 6 in. Ceramic Subway Wall Tile $4.00

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Restoration Hardware Machinto Double Vanity $5,380.00

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Park Studio Los Angeles Rudd / Black QS Sconce $370.00

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