3 Simple Steps to Create a Bathroom That Will Stand the Test of Time
Although bathrooms can be small spaces, they are substantial investments in your home. Restrooms should provide not only functionality but beauty and comfort for both homeowners and guests. An ideal bathroom design incorporates functionality, support, and beauty, regardless of age or mobility.
1. Planning Ahead
Prioritize the space: When remodeling a bathroom, remember to establish what areas are best suitable for specific tasks. Plumbing, outlets, and ventilation are all critical elements to a high-functioning bathroom. Consider adding outlets for hairstyling products, or adding ventilation close to the shower. However large or small your bathroom may be, it is essential to address which areas used most, how, and by whom.
Smart storage: Bathroom designers should consider the specific needs and storage requirements of you and your guests to ensure the bathroom to feel spacious and organized. For example, the area next to where you apply makeup or shave may need hidden drawers or a built-in cabinet. Children’s bathrooms may require space for bath toys or step stools.
2. Safety and Comfort for Everyone
Use readily available strategies: Barrier-free showers, slip-resistant flooring, and lever-style door handles are safe and straightforward. Planning to make bathrooms comfortable and accessible may also help save money in the long-run. You can have comfort by knowing that these implementations will last, and there is no need to remodel again.
Consult an expert: Home design professionals can help implement universal design methods into any bathroom space. They can plan for accessibility, the environmentally conscious, and help you achieve a classic style that will not need to be replaced again in a few years.
3. Luxurious Experience and Materials
Use a variety of lighting: Lighting is a crucial component of good bathroom design and can help improve the human experience. Task lighting should be in places used for applying make-up or in other preparation areas. Ambient light can create a soft look, and pleasant feel to the room.
Choose the right materials: When choosing colors and articles for the bathroom, select options that are durable and easy to clean to save yourself time and headache later on. Also, consider timeless materials and avoiding fads so that the bathroom’s beauty can endure.
It may seem like a daunting task, but your bathroom can be a serene and healthy space with careful planning, consideration for safety and accessibility, and the right materials. Start with a clear vision and be mindful of health, sustainability, and timeless style to make the most out of your bathroom.
Photos by Chas Metivier
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Historic Craftsman Bungalow: Caribbean Blue Bathroom
This historic craftsman bungalow is all about color! The newly remodeled bathroom features a custom tile design by Sarah Barnard. The rich browns and vibrant teal blue's inspire thoughts of the Caribbean Sea. The spacious walk-in shower features a limestone seat providing the perfect complement to the saturated chocolate wall tiles.
Subtle details and accessories counterbalance the bathroom's bold colors. Handmade art tile and a beautiful handmade vessel make this masculine space special. A rustic mirror frame made of recycled barn wood helps to keep the new space fun and funky.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Photos by Chas Metivier
Park View Pied-à-Terre: Primary Bathroom
This Pied-à-Terre has a small primary bathroom with a modernist feel. Utilizing reclaimed materials this bathroom is brought to life with natural, handmade and local materials. Recycled vanities make fast friends with wall mounted mirrors made from salvaged barn wood. The vintage Danish pendant light (c.1950-1959) made of brass and glass is a functional piece of art for this functional room. A fiber sculpture by artist Renae Barnard hangs just to the left of a recessed wall niche that provides a perfect space for integrating live plants.
Bold minimalism is balanced with rustic details to create this contemporary vintage design. Stainless steel faucets, integral towel bars and coordinating bathroom accessories meld effortlessly with the deep tones of the ebonized vanity. Fresh cut branches add visual interest to the porcelain sinks and bring the outdoors in.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Photos by Chas Metivier
Traditional Home: Luxury Calacatta Gold Marble Bathroom
This updated take on a classic marble bathroom has pale grey custom-made cabinetry and mirrors, as well as a recessed medicine cabinet. The floor features multi-toned chevron marble mosaic. The shower has marble slab walls that have classic book matched corners. Niches were planned in the shower to create space for soaps and toiletries. Window and door casings were custom fabricated from scraps from the marble to enhance the beauty and durability of the area. Waterworks plumbing fixtures sparkle against the silver and white backdrop of painted wood and polished marble.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Photos by Chas Metivier
Traditional Home: Serene Sanctuary Bathroom
Created from what once was a storage closet, this guest bathroom features quartz countertops, a farmhouse sink, and a multi-tonal mosaic floor. The small floor tiles allow for maximum grout area which increases traction and improves safety. The delicate farmhouse sink adds a contemporary edge to the traditionally styled bathroom outfitted in handmade ceramic tiles and bespoke maple cabinetry.
The roll-in shower has a built-in seat, shelf, and grab bar to accommodate the needs of family members with various levels of physical ability. With environmentally sustainable LED lighting, this cheery family-friendly bathroom features a separate dressing area with towel storage and artwork made by the client's children.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Photos by Chas Metivier
Traditional Home: Tudor Revival Estate Bathroom
Bespoke American Walnut cabinets and handmade, glazed ceramic tiles restore period authenticity to this primary bathroom. Recessed medicine cabinets provide ample storage while custom-designed light fixtures in antique bronze illuminate the vanity area. Artwork by Renae Barnard and Miggie Wong rest atop the vanity counter.
Careful consideration is given to every project detail to retain the traditional aesthetic in the primary bathroom and throughout the home. Motorized natural linen roman shades make for smooth operation and enjoyment of the ocean view. American Walnut cabinets and handmade ceramic tiles outfit his and hers water closets.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Photos by Steven Dewall
Drop Dead Gorgeous Bathrooms: California Design Styles
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Home Design Tips for Small Spaces
Designing small functional spaces is always a challenge, but when done right, they create a cozy environment. Learn how to maximize your space with these tips! For kitchens, utilize built-ins to help organize storage. Use the built-ins to generate height and open up your room vertically.
Lighter colors help to make the area appear more spacious, while blues recede into the background.
Glass shower doors help this bathroom feel open and unrestricted.
Mirrors can give the illusion that the room is bigger than it appears.
Decorating with furniture that fits the scale of the room will also help make the room feel less cramped. Feel free to add pops of color with accessories, but avoid clutter to maintain openness.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Scandifornian Style in a Beautiful Blue Bathroom
The soaking tub echoes the oval forms present elsewhere in the space and allows for a feeling of lightness overall.
Quarts countertops infused with real seashells pair nicely with the seaside location of the residence.
The natural woods and focus on light, bright and cozy feelings are a nod to traditional Scandinavian design, a sea of blue ceramic tile paired with organic form glass floor tiles and an orb-like wall sconce to create a fresh Southern California aesthetic, Scandifornian.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.
Scandifornian Style in a Gorgeous Guest Bath
This serene guest bathroom has a custom vanity cabinet and matching wood framed mirror that float above the cream colored pebble flooring. Inspired by Scandinavian design the space is intended to be light, bright and connected to nature. Distinctly California in style is the onyx countertop and protea blossom, together these elements make for a wonderful blending of elements known as Scandifornian style.
The sleek white vessel sink rests upon a decadent onyx counter top.
Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.
To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.