5 New Bathrooms With Shower-Tub Combos in 65 Square Feet or Less
Pros, including one found on Houzz, share the space-saving features and stylish details that enhanced this common layout
Shower-tub combinations save space while offering the option of a relaxing soak or a quick rinse. That versatility and efficiency has made them a common feature in American homes. See how five pros created inviting retreats by combining shower-tub combos with stylish finishes, storage-packed vanities and updated color schemes.
2. Room to Grow
Designer: Whitney Gelinas of Wit Interiors
Architect: Danielle DiVittorio
Location: Los Altos, California
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters); about 5 by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. When designer Whitney Gelinas came aboard this extensive remodeling project, the only way to get to an upstairs bedroom was via a small deck. Gelinas reconfigured the space to connect the room (now a nursery for twins) to the rest of the home, adding a small hallway and this bathroom to the existing footprint. She then used a fresh white-and-blue palette that carried throughout the home.
Gelinas used Houzz software to process invoices, purchase orders and track orders.
Special features. “Since it’s such a small room, storage was tricky to say the least,” Gelinas says. “We wanted somewhere to store extra towels, so we chose a vanity with open storage at the bottom and a recessed medicine cabinet.” The freestanding vanity is topped with quartz and custom-painted a lapis blue, which adds a pop of color to the light, neutral palette.
Designer tips. “White [paint and finishes] are great for small spaces, as they make the whole room feel so much bigger,” Gelinas says. “[White] also gives you a really nice background to build on that can transform as the kids get older.”
Many of the design choices can be updated easily as the twins’ preferences and needs change. The Leslee Mitchell photographs of vintage toy cars can be switched out down the line. And the homeowners bought a shower curtain but are waiting to hang it until the twins are older and taking showers. “Shower curtains are an inexpensive way to infuse a lot of style and inexpensive to change out for a whole new look,” Gelinas says.
Project photos: Paul Dyer
Browse a curated selection of bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
Designer: Whitney Gelinas of Wit Interiors
Architect: Danielle DiVittorio
Location: Los Altos, California
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters); about 5 by 9 feet
Homeowners’ request. When designer Whitney Gelinas came aboard this extensive remodeling project, the only way to get to an upstairs bedroom was via a small deck. Gelinas reconfigured the space to connect the room (now a nursery for twins) to the rest of the home, adding a small hallway and this bathroom to the existing footprint. She then used a fresh white-and-blue palette that carried throughout the home.
Gelinas used Houzz software to process invoices, purchase orders and track orders.
Special features. “Since it’s such a small room, storage was tricky to say the least,” Gelinas says. “We wanted somewhere to store extra towels, so we chose a vanity with open storage at the bottom and a recessed medicine cabinet.” The freestanding vanity is topped with quartz and custom-painted a lapis blue, which adds a pop of color to the light, neutral palette.
Designer tips. “White [paint and finishes] are great for small spaces, as they make the whole room feel so much bigger,” Gelinas says. “[White] also gives you a really nice background to build on that can transform as the kids get older.”
Many of the design choices can be updated easily as the twins’ preferences and needs change. The Leslee Mitchell photographs of vintage toy cars can be switched out down the line. And the homeowners bought a shower curtain but are waiting to hang it until the twins are older and taking showers. “Shower curtains are an inexpensive way to infuse a lot of style and inexpensive to change out for a whole new look,” Gelinas says.
Project photos: Paul Dyer
Browse a curated selection of bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
3. A Room of One’s Own
Designer: Jamie Roddy of EdenLA Interiors
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This bathroom update was part of a gut remodel of designer Jamie Roddy’s own home, which hadn’t been improved for 35 years. Roddy used Houzz ideabooks with inspiration photos to guide design choices. “We were able to create more space in the bathroom — yes, it was even smaller before — by taking over some awkward areas just beyond and by moving a door,” Roddy says. “The theme we wanted was happy and bright, and we are happy with the results.”
Special features. A vinyl seagrass wallpaper adds texture. A round, subtly striped mirror and porcelain floor tile that resembles hand-painted encaustic cement tile give the room coastal bohemian flair.
A separate drawer in the wood vanity offers convenient storage for hairstyling tools, leaving space for small bottles in the cabinet. Meanwhile, a handy 30-inch-deep closet next to the toilet (not shown) houses overflow toiletries, as well as towels and linens. “I don’t know if I’ll ever have a bathroom without one again,” Roddy says. “It’s such a convenience.”
8 Shower Features Pros Love to Recommend
Designer: Jamie Roddy of EdenLA Interiors
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This bathroom update was part of a gut remodel of designer Jamie Roddy’s own home, which hadn’t been improved for 35 years. Roddy used Houzz ideabooks with inspiration photos to guide design choices. “We were able to create more space in the bathroom — yes, it was even smaller before — by taking over some awkward areas just beyond and by moving a door,” Roddy says. “The theme we wanted was happy and bright, and we are happy with the results.”
Special features. A vinyl seagrass wallpaper adds texture. A round, subtly striped mirror and porcelain floor tile that resembles hand-painted encaustic cement tile give the room coastal bohemian flair.
A separate drawer in the wood vanity offers convenient storage for hairstyling tools, leaving space for small bottles in the cabinet. Meanwhile, a handy 30-inch-deep closet next to the toilet (not shown) houses overflow toiletries, as well as towels and linens. “I don’t know if I’ll ever have a bathroom without one again,” Roddy says. “It’s such a convenience.”
8 Shower Features Pros Love to Recommend
4. Child’s Play
Designer: Jaime Dupes of Copper Sky Design + Remodel
Location: Atlanta
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This hall-accessed bathroom was remodeled as part of a whole-house renovation. It’s adjacent to the rooms of the homeowners’ three kids. “We wanted to execute a design that was playful yet would age well with the children,” designer Jaime Dupes says. “Durability and adequate storage were musts.”
Special features. A sage green vanity with a Carrara marble countertop from Houzz coordinates with bands of green shower wall tile and green crown molding (Kind Green by Sherwin-Williams). The molding helps draw the eye up to give the appearance of more height, Dupes says. Black-and-white mosaic hexagonal porcelain floor tile adds a lively pattern. Open red oak shelves add storage and a touch of warmth.
Designer tip. “When mixing different patterns, make sure they vary in scale,” Dupes says. “The tight repeat of the floor tile paired with the wide shower stripes allows for interest without feeling overwhelming.”
Vanity: California in Sage with Carrara marble top, 42 inches, Kitchen Bath Collection; shower wall tile: Café in Moroccan Mint blend and white, 3 by 6 inches, Walker Zanger
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Designer: Jaime Dupes of Copper Sky Design + Remodel
Location: Atlanta
Size: 65 square feet (6 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This hall-accessed bathroom was remodeled as part of a whole-house renovation. It’s adjacent to the rooms of the homeowners’ three kids. “We wanted to execute a design that was playful yet would age well with the children,” designer Jaime Dupes says. “Durability and adequate storage were musts.”
Special features. A sage green vanity with a Carrara marble countertop from Houzz coordinates with bands of green shower wall tile and green crown molding (Kind Green by Sherwin-Williams). The molding helps draw the eye up to give the appearance of more height, Dupes says. Black-and-white mosaic hexagonal porcelain floor tile adds a lively pattern. Open red oak shelves add storage and a touch of warmth.
Designer tip. “When mixing different patterns, make sure they vary in scale,” Dupes says. “The tight repeat of the floor tile paired with the wide shower stripes allows for interest without feeling overwhelming.”
Vanity: California in Sage with Carrara marble top, 42 inches, Kitchen Bath Collection; shower wall tile: Café in Moroccan Mint blend and white, 3 by 6 inches, Walker Zanger
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
5. Timeless and Ageless
Designer: Patricia Calasich of KasaMia Interiors
Location: Coral Gables, Florida
Size: 44 square feet (4.1 square meters); 6 by 7⅓ feet
Homeowners’ request. The owners of this Florida home hired designer Patricia Calasich to increase the efficiency of their kids’ bathroom and add a larger vanity and new tub. They preferred a neutral palette and timeless, non-childlike design that would suit their daughter and son as they grew. They were game for reconfiguring the layout but the window had to stay put. “Having the right layout makes all the difference, particularly in small spaces,” Calasich says.
Special features. Calasich selected subway tile for its timeless look and a white quartz trim around the tub similar to door casings in the house. The floor is white 10½-by-11-inch hexagonal tile. A new traditional wood vanity and freestanding storage unit in an antique gray oak finish lend warmth and historical appeal. Antique-style wall sconces complete the look.
Designer tips. “When using subway tile in bathrooms, consider using decorative trims to add more detail,” Calasich says. “It’s an easy and fairly inexpensive way to elevate the design.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The tub was delivered with the drain in the wrong location,” Calasich says. “The shower system goes on the same side as the tub drain, and we had originally planned for it to be on the vanity side. There was not time to exchange it, so it ended with the drain and fixtures on the side of the toilet.”
More on Houzz
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Find a local bathroom remodeler
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Designer: Patricia Calasich of KasaMia Interiors
Location: Coral Gables, Florida
Size: 44 square feet (4.1 square meters); 6 by 7⅓ feet
Homeowners’ request. The owners of this Florida home hired designer Patricia Calasich to increase the efficiency of their kids’ bathroom and add a larger vanity and new tub. They preferred a neutral palette and timeless, non-childlike design that would suit their daughter and son as they grew. They were game for reconfiguring the layout but the window had to stay put. “Having the right layout makes all the difference, particularly in small spaces,” Calasich says.
Special features. Calasich selected subway tile for its timeless look and a white quartz trim around the tub similar to door casings in the house. The floor is white 10½-by-11-inch hexagonal tile. A new traditional wood vanity and freestanding storage unit in an antique gray oak finish lend warmth and historical appeal. Antique-style wall sconces complete the look.
Designer tips. “When using subway tile in bathrooms, consider using decorative trims to add more detail,” Calasich says. “It’s an easy and fairly inexpensive way to elevate the design.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The tub was delivered with the drain in the wrong location,” Calasich says. “The shower system goes on the same side as the tub drain, and we had originally planned for it to be on the vanity side. There was not time to exchange it, so it ended with the drain and fixtures on the side of the toilet.”
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
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Designer: Miriam Larson of Story
Contractor: Blue Sound Construction
Location: Seattle
Size: 57 square feet (5.3 square meters); 5 by 11⅓ feet
Homeowners’ request. The owners of this Dutch Colonial in Seattle wanted to fit a mother-in-law suite into the smallish home as part of a larger remodel. They hired architect Miriam Larson after seeing her work on Houzz.
This bathroom is part of the new suite, which also includes a walk-in closet and retreat-like bedroom. They requested that the space be comfortable and functional for their visiting relatives to use for months at a time. “They wanted soft colors and a clean, relaxing feel without losing the warm details that make the space fun to use as well,” Larson says.
Special features. The 13-by-13-inch ceramic shower wall tile looks similar to Delft blue tile, a nod to the home’s architecture. Pecan flooring and brushed-brass globe sconces and brass pulls, plumbing fixtures and shower door hardware add warm details. “Updating a 1904 house can lend itself to fun design elements and details that both reference the history of the house and bring it into the current year and current needs for clients and their families,” Larson says.
Designer tip. “Use your details — tiles, pulls — to make the space unique,” Larson says. “Elderly relatives don’t want to use cold spaces with no detail.”
“Uh-oh” moment. Initially, they had planned to install a shower door that opened out, but they realized it wouldn’t fit in the small space. So they went with a frameless slider, which Larson says turned out to be a nice surprise. “We think of glass sliding doors on a tub as dated, but the [matte gold-finish] hardware for this model really lends some extra detail and excitement to the space,” she says.
Cabinet and wall paint: Mascarpone, Benjamin Moore; Archer 5-foot bathtub, Caxton oval sink, Purist faucet and Cimarron comfort-height toilet, all Kohler; project photos: Miranda Estes
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