We’ve made major progress on the bathroom renovation since the partial demo last week. After removing walls and doors that had been blocking light and flow, the space already feels dramatically more open. Below I’ll share the final floor plan, our tile selections, and some of the key decisions we made along the way.
For context, the old layout was cramped and dark. There were a lot of doors clustered close together—the hallway door into the bedroom sat right behind the tub—so natural light barely reached past the toilet area. It felt closed-off and cave-like:
Here’s a photo of the bathroom taken before the demo, shot from the closet doorway looking back toward the tub. It helps show how awkward the original footprint and sightlines were:
After last week’s demo, when we opened up the walls that were trapping light, the room felt instantly more generous. That clearer view helped us make practical layout decisions—what sized vanity and tub would fit and how the shower could work within the space:
For reference, here’s the original floor plan of the bathroom so you can see the starting point:
After trying dozens of sketches, taping layouts on the floor, and consulting with our plumber and electrician to verify feasibility, we landed on the final plan below. It maximizes the room’s proportions while letting light flow from the window into both the bathroom and closet:
Our design goal is a soft, layered palette with classic finishes. After years of living with a dark, compartmentalized bathroom, we’re eager for an open, light-filled space with warm, timeless details.
We debated many layout options: adding windows, stealing space from the bedroom or closet, or creating a separate water closet. We ultimately kept the closet access through the bathroom—widened and centered—because it creates an easy path from shower to closet and allows light to travel between rooms. Once the walls were down we realized the existing footprint (about 8 x 13 feet) is plenty large; we can fit a 72″ double vanity, a deep freestanding tub, and a spacious walk-in shower without crowding the space.
Talking to the trades clarified a few technical constraints. For example, ductwork in the shared wall ruled out a pocket door, so instead we’re using a frosted single French-style door. That gives the look we wanted while keeping one door simple to operate.
We considered a water closet but decided against adding another enclosed room. The bathroom will have a single door for privacy, and keeping the space open lets us prioritize a soaking tub and roomy shower instead of partitioning off a small toilet room.
We also considered adding a window in the closet, but the placement required to look balanced on the exterior would have been awkward inside the closet and risked fading dark clothing. With good closet lighting and thoughtful storage, keeping the closet windowless and letting the bathroom window bring natural light in feels like the better choice.
With the plan finalized, we ordered the major fixtures: the tub, toilet, and double vanity (we’re likely to paint the vanity a soft gray-green). The toilet is the same model we’ve used in our powder room and we’re excited to upgrade this bathroom to match the rest of the house.
Tile selection took a lot of trial and error. We originally explored 2 x 8″ tile layouts for a unique wall pattern and experimented with several proportions (2×2, 3×3, 4×4) to see how they read visually. The “stair-stepped” look appealed to us most because it feels dynamic rather than grid-like.
Price and availability affected the choice, so we went to several stores to see tiles in person. At Floor & Decor we found a polished marble-look mosaic in 2 x 12″ that produced the same stair-stepped pattern when arranged differently. Seeing tiles laid out on the floor helped the design come together immediately.
We paired the wall mosaic with coordinating marble hex tiles for the shower floor and a large-format marble-look porcelain for the main floor. We were thrilled to find a beautiful large-format, marble-look porcelain at Home Depot that was both gorgeous and very affordable—an unexpected win that lets us use the same flooring throughout the closet and bathroom for a seamless look.
We considered several other tile patterns—chevron, herringbone, basketweave, and bold color options—but landed on the combination that felt classic and layered without being overly trendy. Even though there were many great choices, the final picks balance texture and tone while fitting the room’s size and our budget.
Next up: full demo, plumbing adjustments, tile prep and installation, wall work, and electrical updates. The vanity is due to arrive soon, and with the tub and toilet already on site we’re ready to move quickly. The goal is to have the room gutted, prepped, tiled, and beginning installation in the coming weeks. I’m especially excited to use the new tub and look forward to long baths in our refreshed light-filled space.
P.S. Read the first post about this bathroom reno to see the initial video tour and the half-demo pictures—this room will be unrecognizable when it’s finished.
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