Natural Retreat: A Soothing Makeover for a Small Bathroom

Once a dated bath, this room now boasts an organic vibe with a hint of spa-like sensibility. Its earthy tones and thoughtful design inspire a space that makes a statement. From soft neutral walls to sandy porcelain tile, this bath brings the outside indoors for a natural retreat that lives large.

In keeping with the subtle color scheme, an off-white shade was chosen for the tub instead of a pure white, which would likely have dominated the space and defied the color palette. An invisible towel holder takes the place of bulky shelving and provides a stylish spot to store towels near the bath.

A small swath of fabric covering a window is sometimes the only soft design element in a bath, making it an important focal point and the driver of the room's design. This window treatment fabric set the tone for the bath's color scheme. Using its palette as inspiration, the designer chose a khaki wall color and earthy shades for tile.

Adding custom details is a thoughtful way to achieve a cohesive design aesthetic. The acrylic flowers raining down on the tub mimic the pattern in the window shade fabric and extend its design into the rest of the room.

Half-wall partitions aren't just for separating the toilet from the vanity; the decorative features complement almost any bathroom design. Most bathrooms have only one window, posing a challenge for natural light to fill the space. A glass partition between the tub and shower presents a simple solution that makes the space feel larger and brighter.

The original archway into the shower was replaced with a custom glass enclosure to make the room feel open and airy. Coordinating iridescent tile in the shower shines in the natural light of the room. A herringbone tile panel lends the shower a point of interest amongst the neutral walls.

Creative use of space and mixing hard-edge and fluid shapes makes the functional design of the vanity area look beautiful. Built-in niches create valuable storage on otherwise unused walls. A round mirror breaks up the square elements around the vanity and accommodates the electric and plumbing lines in the wall.

Between the storage niches, the original wall-mount sink was replaced with a sink cabinet for utilitarian storage. Custom details, such as a brushed nickel sink and a quartz countertop, are the jewelry for the room.

In a small bath, carving out creative storage space is paramount. Niches were built between the sink wall's studs to accommodate small storage. Thick wooden bases extend the niche area with a modern touch that keeps with the bath's organic aesthetic.

Inexpensive porcelain field tile was used as the primary material in this bathroom as an easy way to stretch the makeover budget. A small border of pretty glass tile around the tub perks up the space with a subtle splash of color -- and doesn't break the bank.