Bathroom of the Week: Scandinavian Modern Simplicity
A Toronto designer limits the palette in a master bath to black, white, charcoal gray, white oak and a splash of red
Before moving into their new condo after retirement, this Toronto couple wanted to transform it from dark and traditional to light and contemporary. They decided that the wife would handle the remodel duties and the husband would see the results after everything was complete. “She shared inspiration photos from Houzz to give me a sense of her style,” interior designer Lesley Brookes says. These photos make it clear that her client was drawn to a simple Scandinavian modern aesthetic. The look, seen throughout the home, makes the master bathroom feel airy, clean and comfortable.
The material palette throughout the condo is consistent. The first design decision was to replace the traditional dark flooring with beautiful light white oak. Brookes carried the scheme of white walls accented by dark gray and matte black into the bathroom. The bathroom flooring changes to gray tile, but she brought in the white oak through the vanity.
Two of the homeowner’s must-haves were splashes of red and a sliding barn door. The designer was able to give her both with this door between the master bedroom and bathroom.
Find an interior designer on Houzz
Two of the homeowner’s must-haves were splashes of red and a sliding barn door. The designer was able to give her both with this door between the master bedroom and bathroom.
Find an interior designer on Houzz
The bathroom floor is covered in dark gray porcelain tile, and Brookes found a quartz in the same hue for other surfaces such as the countertops. The backsplash tiles are slim matte white subway tiles. “We laid out all of the tile in the room in a grid pattern — there are no brick tile patterns anywhere in this house,” Brookes says. “Lining them up like this is very Scandinavian modern.”
Brookes credits her excellent cabinetmaker with the beautiful bookmatching of the white oak wood on the vanity. (This means the grain pattern continues across the doors and drawers.) “Another Scandinavian modern detail was using plain slab-front doors and drawers and using finger pulls instead of hardware,” she says.
Find a modern oak vanity in the Houzz Shop
Brookes credits her excellent cabinetmaker with the beautiful bookmatching of the white oak wood on the vanity. (This means the grain pattern continues across the doors and drawers.) “Another Scandinavian modern detail was using plain slab-front doors and drawers and using finger pulls instead of hardware,” she says.
Find a modern oak vanity in the Houzz Shop
Every wall that isn’t tiled is painted dark gray, including the wall to the right and the wall opposite the vanity. “This was for dramatic contrast,” Brookes says. The white door on the right (seen in the mirror’s reflection) leads to a water closet.
The matte black finish seen throughout the house appears on the faucets, shower heads, light fixture and mirror frames. The double globe sconce has a midcentury modern look.
Browse modern matte black faucets
The matte black finish seen throughout the house appears on the faucets, shower heads, light fixture and mirror frames. The double globe sconce has a midcentury modern look.
Browse modern matte black faucets
Brookes was able to keep the existing tub while giving it a new look. She removed the Carrara tiles and covered the sides in the same tile she used on the floor. She lined them up so the lines across the floor continue up the sides of the tub surround. She had a new top for the bathtub cut out of the same quartz used on the countertops.
Brookes also replaced the tiled partial wall between the tub and the shower with clear glass. This makes the shower feel more spacious and the room more open.
The large-format veined porcelain tiles on the shower surround measure 24 by 48 inches. The colors in the veining pick up on the grays used throughout the room. The matte black fixtures and a matte black metal niche provide contrast. Hexagonal tiles on the shower floor add an alternative shape to all of the rectangles while maintaining the simplicity of Scandinavian modern design.
Find a local tile professional
Brookes also replaced the tiled partial wall between the tub and the shower with clear glass. This makes the shower feel more spacious and the room more open.
The large-format veined porcelain tiles on the shower surround measure 24 by 48 inches. The colors in the veining pick up on the grays used throughout the room. The matte black fixtures and a matte black metal niche provide contrast. Hexagonal tiles on the shower floor add an alternative shape to all of the rectangles while maintaining the simplicity of Scandinavian modern design.
Find a local tile professional
Because her husband wasn’t interested in participating in the design, the reveal of his new home was a delightful surprise to him. Here’s an example of the decorating style in the rest of the condo.
See more of this home
Takeaways: Scandinavian Modern Elements
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
See more of this home
Takeaways: Scandinavian Modern Elements
- A consistent and limited material palette
- White contrasted with warm light wood
- Clean lines
- Unadorned slab-front cabinetry
- Tiles laid in a grid pattern
- Matte finishes
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Toronto
Size: 95 square feet (8.8 square meters)
Designer: Lesley Brookes
Before: “All three bathrooms in this condo were completely covered in Carrara marble,” Brookes says. And while that’s a beautiful and luxe finish, here it was too much of a good thing. The tiles were laid in a way that was less than ideal — there are stark differences in color and pattern in the tiles, and the change in tile size around the tub was odd. However, the layout worked well in the long and narrow space, and Brookes saved money by keeping the plumbing fixtures in the same place.
How to Create and Use Ideabooks