Minimalist Guest Bathroom
This bathroom has a shared function as both a child’s bathroom and the guest bathroom, which presented several challenges, such as:
How to make the room feel bigger without adding square footage?
How to maximize storage without using additional square footage?
How to create a focal point that welcomes guests without losing sight of the minimalist design aesthetic?
How to create a minimalist shower design that is beautiful for guests and practical for a child?
How to make the room feel bigger without adding square footage?
Making this space feel larger without adding square footage came down to a play of lighting, color and floor and ceiling planes.
First, the ceiling lighting soffits were removed and replaced with recessed ceiling light fixtures. By raising the ceiling plane and increasing the amount of overhead lighting, the room instantly felt larger.
Then, we chose a white-on-white color scheme that allows the space to expand visually.
Finally, the most effective decision was to float the custom vanity about 12-inches above the floor. By elevating it and adding lighting underneath it, the tile beneath it became visible and created the illusion of more floor space.
How to maximize storage without using additional square footage?
Drawers:
Most items stored in a bathroom are small in scale and can fit into drawers. Think of drawers as the king of bathroom storage design. We created as many drawers as possible between the built-in linen cabinet and custom vanity. Drawers help reduce the need for multiple bins or baskets and allow for quicker, easier navigation. They make for a pleasant organizational experience.
Built-in Cabinet:
The original linen closet was a basic, builder-grade closet with wire shelving and a large bifold door that took up most of the room just to open it. Whether you were looking for a set of towels or a cotton ball, you had to open the door completely. The solution was to design a built-in linen cabinet to replace the closet. We fitted it with six drawers on the bottom half and adjustable shelving for ample towel and linen storage in the upper portion. By eliminating the bifold door and replacing it with individual drawers and smaller doors, the space available to move around and access storage now feels more expansive and open.
Medicine Cabinet:
It is common in a minimalist bathroom to remove medicine cabinets; however, it was essential for this client to keep it. We wanted to make it nearly invisible, so we played on the white-on-white, using the same cabinet finish color as the walls. By making that choice, we minimized and reduced visual clutter at eye level.
Most medicine cabinets sit between two wall studs, and this one was no exception. We took the opportunity to create more storage space by elongating the cabinet, still maintaining the same width between the studs. Doing this doubled the usable space without making any significant structural changes.
How to create a focal point that welcomes guests without losing sight of the minimalist design aesthetic?
If the bathroom door is open, guests can see the vanity as they walk from the foyer down the hallway. Previously, the vanity and mirror were outdated and an eyesore, which was not what the homeowners wanted.
It is tempting when designing a focal point to add more details, textures, and dimensions. We pushed back on that tension by creating a minimal but powerful visual statement with the lit mirror and floating vanity. The round mirror shape stands out among a space full of linear elements, and the combination creates a soft glow that beautiful focal point near the home’s entryway.
The homeowners now leave the bathroom door open all the time because it has quickly become a favorite feature of the house, especially at night.
“The mirror and lighting create a moment of joy and beauty that changes the atmosphere of the home.”
How to create a minimalist shower design that is beautiful for guests and practical for a child?
The homeowners wanted a glass shower enclosure for the bathtub, but it lacked practicality for a child’s bathroom. Ordinarily, the solution would have been a shower curtain, but the curtain-and-rod scenario was at odds with the minimalistic design aesthetic. Instead, we added a recessed shower curtain track to the ceiling and used a floor-to-ceiling curtain. This choice gave us the practicality of the curtain while maintaining the desired design aesthetic for the overall home.
We wanted the shower niche to feel like the wall’s vertical surface was just “pushed in” to create the ledge. To achieve that look, we designed the niche dimensions to match the tiles’ exact size, including the grout lines, which means there are no cut tiles in the area. Additionally, we mitered the edge of the tile at a 45-degree angle. While some tiles are available with finished edges and trim pieces, we chose to do it this way to achieve the illusion of the wall just simply being recessed. It took some coordination between the framer, drywaller, and tile installer to pull this off but the simple, practical, minimalist detail is worth it.