Bathroom of the Week: Small but Mighty in 60 Square Feet
A designer converts an enclosed deck in her own home into an elegant bathroom full of functionality and style
One bathroom split between two adults and two kids isn’t ideal. That’s the dilemma designer Caroline Myers and her husband, Nick, faced in their 1938 Monterey Colonial home in Oakland, California. The third floor, where the three bedrooms are, had only one bathroom. So Myers turned her attention to a 60-square-foot enclosed deck off the couple’s bedroom.
She didn’t want to take space from the bedroom, so she endeavored to stay within the footprint of the deck. She came up with a carefully designed plan that uses every square inch of space, with a custom vanity, a low-curb shower with custom glass enclosure, an inviting tub and a clever mix of marble slabs and tile. “I call it the small but mighty bathroom,” Myers says. “It’s small, but it packs a punch.”
She didn’t want to take space from the bedroom, so she endeavored to stay within the footprint of the deck. She came up with a carefully designed plan that uses every square inch of space, with a custom vanity, a low-curb shower with custom glass enclosure, an inviting tub and a clever mix of marble slabs and tile. “I call it the small but mighty bathroom,” Myers says. “It’s small, but it packs a punch.”
A custom honed Carrara marble countertop coordinates with the honed 6-by-12-inch Carrara Venato marble tiles used for the backsplash, shower walls and wainscoting around the room. “I love using marble as a surface in these older homes,” Myers says. “There’s such a beauty to it that’s so hard to replicate with a man-made product. I went to the stone yard and asked what remnant pieces they had. I was able to find two remnant pieces for the countertop and the tub surround. With a small space, I didn’t need large slabs.”
To maximize counter surface, Myers chose a small undermount oval sink. “I also wanted a wall-mount faucet to keep the surface clear and keep things feeling airy,” she says. “I tried to find fixtures for this bathroom that skirt in between traditional and modern.”
The faucet is polished nickel, which coordinates with the vanity hardware.
Sink: Caxton, Kohler
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To maximize counter surface, Myers chose a small undermount oval sink. “I also wanted a wall-mount faucet to keep the surface clear and keep things feeling airy,” she says. “I tried to find fixtures for this bathroom that skirt in between traditional and modern.”
The faucet is polished nickel, which coordinates with the vanity hardware.
Sink: Caxton, Kohler
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The two-light sconce above the vanity has a polished nickel finish that will patina over time. “I love the lines of that light,” Myers says. “There’s a little bit of drama with the lines of those arms coming out, but it’s also simple and elegant.”
Light: Vendome in polished nickel, Visual Comfort
Light: Vendome in polished nickel, Visual Comfort
A custom tempered glass enclosure and skylight give the shower an open feel and allow the marble tiles to stand out. “I always tell clients it’s important to specify getting the clearest glass possible,” Myers says. “Every fabricator has different names for what they have, but you want to avoid glass with a green tint. It can distract from the space.”
A large niche holds shower products. “I really like to be generous with shower niches,” Myers says. “Especially in a master bathroom, where you are likely to have two different types of shampoos and other products.”
Two polished nickel hooks on the wall keep robes and towels close by. “I’m a big fan of polished nickel, especially in historic homes,” Myers says. “It adds an element of authenticity, and also elevates the space to another level. And I love towel hooks. They allow you to drape towels beautifully.”
A polished nickel towel bar on the wall to the right of the vanity offers another spot for towels.
A large niche holds shower products. “I really like to be generous with shower niches,” Myers says. “Especially in a master bathroom, where you are likely to have two different types of shampoos and other products.”
Two polished nickel hooks on the wall keep robes and towels close by. “I’m a big fan of polished nickel, especially in historic homes,” Myers says. “It adds an element of authenticity, and also elevates the space to another level. And I love towel hooks. They allow you to drape towels beautifully.”
A polished nickel towel bar on the wall to the right of the vanity offers another spot for towels.
Smaller (1-by-4-inch) Thassos marble tiles in a herringbone pattern cover the main floor and shower floor. The abundant grout lines provide grip. “Because it’s such a small space I didn’t want to change from one tile to another” on the floor, Myers says. “It tricks your eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is. The continuation of the same material makes the space feel grand.”
A tiled-in linear drain was a necessary detail because of the way the floor joists run. “But it also makes the shower floor feel continuous, not broken up by a round or square drain,” Myers says.
The shower includes a fixed polished nickel shower head and a hand sprayer. “We have two kids, and if we ever need to throw them in our shower, the hand shower is great,” Myers says. “The handheld also makes it easy to clean the shower.”
The design of the skirted one-piece white elongated toilet was inspired by elegant architecture and crown molding. “We put that toilet in all our bathroom remodels,” Myers says. “It’s at a great price point and has the right look for these older homes.”
Toilet: Memoirs, Kohler
The design of the skirted one-piece white elongated toilet was inspired by elegant architecture and crown molding. “We put that toilet in all our bathroom remodels,” Myers says. “It’s at a great price point and has the right look for these older homes.”
Toilet: Memoirs, Kohler
The shower controls are mounted on the opposite wall from the shower head. “So you don’t have to get wet when you turn the shower on,” Myers says. “I also think it adds a nice balance or symmetry to the shower.”
A modern white acrylic tub with sloped lumbar support sits beneath corner windows. The same honed Carrara marble as the countertop forms the tub surround. “It’s easy to enter and exit the tub,” Myers says. “The ledge on the side is nice and wide if you need to sit on it for support. The tub is also nice and deep, and it feels like I am being totally spoiled.”
Myers says they considered a freestanding tub but ultimately decided against it. “Because this bathroom is so small, it would be really hard to get plumbing fixtures just right with the door location and everything else,” she says. “The flat marble surround also gives me a place to put candles and soap, something I wouldn’t have had if I had a freestanding tub.”
The windows have black frames that add a bit of drama and contrast to the room. Motorized shades let the homeowners open and close the shades without getting in the tub. The pocket door on the left saves space.
“Not a day goes by when I don’t feel spoiled by this space,” Myers says. “Yes, it’s small. But I have everything I want in a bathroom. This space shows you don’t have to have a lot of square footage to make your master bath feel special.”
Tub: Wright, Americh
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Myers says they considered a freestanding tub but ultimately decided against it. “Because this bathroom is so small, it would be really hard to get plumbing fixtures just right with the door location and everything else,” she says. “The flat marble surround also gives me a place to put candles and soap, something I wouldn’t have had if I had a freestanding tub.”
The windows have black frames that add a bit of drama and contrast to the room. Motorized shades let the homeowners open and close the shades without getting in the tub. The pocket door on the left saves space.
“Not a day goes by when I don’t feel spoiled by this space,” Myers says. “Yes, it’s small. But I have everything I want in a bathroom. This space shows you don’t have to have a lot of square footage to make your master bath feel special.”
Tub: Wright, Americh
More on Houzz
10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Shower
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Nick and Caroline Myers and their two children
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Designer: Caroline Myers Interior Design
Myers kept the space feeling open and airy with a classic light color scheme that includes various shades of white, different types of marble and shiny polished nickel finishes.
The walls and vanity are a soft white (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) and the ceiling is a crisp white (Simply White by Benjamin Moore).
The custom vanity has six drawers and a cabinet with a pullout inside. Polished nickel knobs add a touch of bling. “They’re really clean and timeless,” Myers says.
A three-door mirrored medicine cabinet provides additional storage and features interior outlets to plug in electric razors, toothbrushes and hair dryers. “I was very insistent on getting an operable medicine cabinet,” Myers says. “I think it’s critical in a small master bathroom not to miss storage opportunities.”
Medicine cabinet: PL Series, 36 by 30 by 4 inches, Robern