Bringing a fresh, airy style to the bathroom is a great way to elevate the look and feel of this essential room. With thoughtful layout choices and design details, you can create a soothing, spa-like oasis right at home. This week, we’re showcasing a bathroom remodel that achieves just that with its relaxed palette, open layout, and smart storage solutions.
Introduction
Renovating a bathroom can be an exciting yet daunting project, as you balance form and function in a relatively compact space. The homeowners of this 1930s Tudor-style house in Minneapolis desired a total bathroom overhaul, aiming to replace their cramped and dated bathroom with a tranquil, spa-like retreat. They wanted to expand the footprint to allow for dual vanities and a larger walk-in shower, while maintaining the home’s traditional charm.
Working with a local designer, they developed a light-filled, airy layout with clean lines, lots of storage, and a muted color palette of whites and grays. Custom cabinets built into the knee wall maximized storage space, while a large picture window allowed natural light to flood the room. By using higher-end finishes like marble, porcelain tile, and nickel hardware, the space feels luxurious but still classic.
The end result is a serene, freshly updated bathroom with timeless appeal and a seamless indoor-outdoor feel that starts the day on a peaceful note. Read on for more details on how this bathroom balances style and functionality for a genuinely fresh take on a new classic look.
Clean and Serene Color Palette
One of the top goals for this bathroom remodel was to create a calm, minimalist look as a relaxing oasis within the home. The color palette sets the tone, using a subdued, neutral scheme of cool grays and whites to foster serenity.
The designers selected large-scale porcelain tile in varying shades of gray to clad the floors, shower walls, and lower half of the room. This not only creates a seamless, near-seamless look, but the gray helps delineate different zones while still receding into the background.
Crisp white cabinetry built into the knee wall avoids competing with the gray tile and keeps the focus on the room’s clean lines. The lack of ornamentation contributes to the pared-back aesthetic. Darker fittings like nickel faucets and matte black lighting fixtures provide subtle contrast without disrupting the soothing vibe.
Pops of color come from textures and materials like the marble countertops, wool rug, and woven shades rather than bold paint colors. The overall effect is tranquil without feeling stark.
Expanded Footprint and Airy Layout
Many bathrooms suffer from a cramped, closed-in feeling. For this remodel, the homeowners prioritized creating an open, airy layout with room to spread out. Expanding the footprint and reconsidering the floorplan transformed the poky powder room into a bright, welcoming space.
Several strategies helped maximize the sense of light and space. A large window positioned high on the wall floods the room with natural light while maintaining privacy. The glass-enclosed shower feels open yet still provides separation from the rest of the bathroom. And limiting full-height walls prevents an enclosed, boxy feel.
Installing dual vanities instead of one makes the room feel more expansive. The floating style echoes the clean lines and minimalist aesthetic. Leaving ample floor space around the vanities and shower provides better circulation, so more than one person can comfortably use the bathroom at the same time.
The new sprawling footprint eliminates cramped corners and wasted space. Removing visual clutter through streamlined built-ins and sparse decorative accents keeps the room feeling tranquil and airy.
Spa-Like Details for Relaxation
Several high-end finishing touches transform this new classic bathroom into a relaxing home spa sanctuary. The design details go beyond aesthetics to truly foster a sense of calm.
The large walk-in shower with its recessed shelf niche and matte black fixtures feels like a mini-escape. Mounting the showerhead directly overhead creates a tranquil rain shower effect, while the bench provides a place to pause and unwind.
Underfoot radiant heating warms up the tile floors, a luxurious touch on cold mornings. The soft bath rug in natural fibers and free-standing tub make this space feel like a mini-retreat.
Finally, the addition of plants brings life and freshness into the bathroom. The woven roman shades allow glimpses of greenery outside. Indoor plants on the window ledge and small succulents atop the vanities inject organic texture. The living plants improve the air quality too for the ultimate in tranquil relaxation.
Smart Storage for Clutter-Free Functionality
As essential as style was for this bathroom, enhanced functionality was equally important. With two vanities and more users, sufficient storage was a must to keep the space clutter-free. The designers maximized every inch to incorporate storage nooks and hide everyday bathroom items.
Full-height cabinetry built into the knee wall provides abundant shelving and drawer space. Drawers with dividers store towels and toiletries out of sight. Upper cabinets offer room for linens and back-up supplies. The medicine cabinets have adjustable shelving to accommodate various items.
The custom double vanity includes a central bank of drawers for shared items. Pull-out storage within the lower cabinets organizes cleaning supplies and other essentials. The under-sink area stays tidy with a slide-out trays and bins.
By planning for storage needs during the redesign, there’s now a place for everything in this bathroom. The smart built-ins and strategic organization keep accessories and necessities out of sight, maintaining the fresh, serene look.
Bringing the Indoors Out Through Natural Light
Creating a strong indoor-outdoor connection was another priority for this airy bathroom design. Since expanding the footprint wasn’t an option, the design team got creative with ways to visually blur the lines between inside and out.
The large window provides the obvious bridge, washing the room in natural light. The high transom placement prevents views into the bathroom yet keeps the space glowing.
The window shade material filters light similar to a porch screen, obscuring the view out while still allowing sunlight to permeate the room. The woven shades complement the natural fiber bath rug and live plants as organic textures.
Keeping decor simple and fuss-free, the design allows the eye to be drawn outward toward the greenery in the garden. The succulents on the vanity echo the plants visible through the window.
By using indoor materials that reference outdoor ones, like the wood rug and stone tile, the aesthetic connects the two spaces. The fresh, airy interior feels like an extension of the exterior.
Conclusion
This light-filled bathroom remodel demonstrates how thoughtful layout, a serene color palette, spa-like details, and smart storage can transform an outdated powder room into an airy home retreat. The clean-lined, minimalist aesthetic and expanded footprint create an uplifting yet soothing atmosphere, while customized storage solutions maintain the clutter-free tranquility. Bringing the outdoors in through natural materials and ample sunlight completes the fresh, inviting look.
For homeowners seeking an airy bathroom update that respects a home’s traditional architecture, this new classic design offers inspiration. The high-end finishes provide luxury without sacrificing the relaxed vibe. This fresh, breezy style feels indulgent yet still unfussy and livable. Just like a spa getaway, it offers the chance to pause, unwind, and start each day serenely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this bathroom layout feel airy and open?
- Expanding the footprint and removing full-height walls creates more open space
- Large picture window streams in abundant natural light
- Glass shower enclosure maintains light and views
- Floating vanities with floor space around avoids enclosed feeling
- Minimalist, clutter-free aesthetic maximizes sense of space
What finishings give this bathroom a spa-like feel?
- Large walk-in shower with rain showerhead and built-in bench
- Radiant heated floors for luxurious underfoot warmth
- Soft bath rug in natural fiber material
- Free-standing tub for long soaks
- Live plants for freshness and tranquility
How does the color palette contribute to the bathroom’s relaxing vibe?
- Neutral shades of white and gray recede into the background
- Crisp white built-ins reflect light and keep the look airy
- Cool grays create soothing, tranquil atmosphere
- Pops of color come from texture not bright paint colors
- Dark metals and natural materials provide subtle contrast
What storage solutions keep the bathroom organized and clutter-free?
- Full-height built-in cabinetry around knee walls
- Adjustable shelves and drawers customize organization
- Central bank of drawers in double vanity
- Pull-out cabinets within lower vanity conceal items
- Slide-out trays and bins in sink base hide necessities
- Medicine cabinets with adjustable shelving
How does the design foster an indoor-outdoor connection?
- Large window streams in natural light like an open porch
- High window transom maintains privacy
- Woven window shades filter light like a screen
- Natural fiber bath rug and live plants add organic textures
- Minimalist look draws the eye outward to exterior views
- Materials like wood and stone reflect outdoor ones
