You may have seen the kitchen in this West Village apartment, which got a modern update courtesy of designer Carly Yates. One of the apartment's bathrooms also got a much-needed facelift. Check out the transformation after the jump.
The large and light feeling of the bathroom was achieved by wall mounted fixtures that allow the tile to flow underneath. That tile then continues into the shower and up the wall with curves rather than right angles. The single drain, double faucet Duravit sink creates dual function while saving space and the plumbing cost of creating two drains. Since the sink lacks on work surface, a custom teak island was design to secure in the center of the sink. When not in use it slides easily into a niche in the custom vanity drawer below.To keep the flow of the tile from wall to floor consistent, a texture was needed on the slick surfaced tile on the shower floor. This was done by a custom sand blasting to 6sqft of the tile that provided the necessary texture without penetrating the tile's protective glaze.
As in most NYC spaces we needed to bring as many functions together in one space as possible. In the linen cabinet a discreet place for the client's fury friend to use the facilities was incorporated, with an easy pull drawer for cleaning.
Nice job, Carly! Thanks for sharing!
You can see more of Carly's projects at the website for her firm, 8 Point 8 Design.
(Images: Carly Yates)






Howard Butcher Bloc...
Simply gorgeous!
NICE
I find "after" photos less impressive if the "before" is messy and the "after" is staged. I just assume the reno can't stand on it's own.
This is stunning.
Moving walls also seems to help with keeping the room spacious... This is a bit more than a facelift
Very nice. I'm looking at redoing my bathroom and would to know about the shower wall/door. It looks like there actually is no door, but rather the area where you step into the shower remains open. I've been told that I don't have enough space to do that, but my area seems quite similar to your "before" photo. Do you mine sharing the scoop on the shower door/glass wall and how it is working out for you? Thank you.
Beautifully done! - the mirror is a cabinet too no? There is a lot of hidden storage here!
Sorry for the mistakes! Next time I'll edit first, and press "send" second.
i've always wondered something about those wall-mounted, tankless toilets: how does one giggle the chain to get it to flush properly?
otherwise: amazeballs. i'll take two!
I'm confused. In the after a single sink and toilet sit tight together. In the after there is a double sink and lots of room between it and the toilet. Were walls moved? Was space taken from other rooms?
I was interested as the before is very similar to my bathroom, also in need of updating. However, being in a condo apartment we cannot move walls, move drains, or move toilet location.
Do tell how this was done here!
I completely agree about messy 'before' photos; I too assume the reno can't stand on its own.
Can we get more detail here because clearly it looks as if walls were moved or maybe a closet was taken over. The toilet was tight to the sink before and after it has all the room in the world.
Too industrial-looking for my taste but it definitely needed an overhaul.
W-O-W. That went from bad British B&B to absolutely beautiful. (Though I'm realizing I have a strange phobia of floating sinks and toilets.)
Am I the only one who doesn't like this? The after leaves me kind of cold. And do you really need that massive built in shelf? I know this is in NYC but is it necessary to have that much storage in a bathroom?
Having a teak 'island' makes the sink look odd and there's not much countertop so it's pointless to store it. Also, I think having nail clippers on display is pretty...gross.
LOL OK, enough negativity from me for today!
Just like in the kitchen post, I wish the before picture focused on the place rather than the grossness of the living situation. It makes even the after seemed staged, like there's no way the owners are going to maintain that.
Some storage in a bathroom is necessary, but to have enough storage that you don't have to leave to get anything extra is great, if you can afford it. It's really irritating in the winter to have to get out of the nice, warm bathroom to get something that's down the hall.
Furry, not fury, friend. ;)
holy cow that is a disgusting before picture! good idea to take out the tub if it's never used, a walk in shower is so much nicer.
A fara cry from a facelift, this is a major renovation. Great job if the owner was expecting a locker room aesthetic.
It's not my taste, but a well done renovation. The one thing that's bothering me is that this bathroom seems unnecessarily large (not sure if that's due to a wide-angle lense or not). I know "too big" is not a standard complaint when it comes to homes, but it does seem like a lot of work was done to expand the space without adding a ton of functionality aside from that shelf. Why all the extra floor space for a bathroom?
The after looks really nice, and clean unlike the before photo. Also by the way the lids were left up on the toilet the bathroom needs some sort of urinal.
I mourn the loss of a bathtub, but the tile is stunning.
To those that think it looks sterile, I would suggest that when there are towels added in the look will be warmer. Beautiful and spacious.
Nice!
As someone who uses a lot of hair products, I don't think this is excessive storage! If anyone in this apartment is female, she is going to need space for a hair-dryer, make-up, ointments to prevent her hair from standing on end in the summer....
Not to mention sunscreen, medications etc...
I love this remodel but the after appears to be twice as deep as the before. Optical illusion? I don't think so, but would like to know.
Why is everyone getting rid of their bathtub? Is bathing going out of style? I have the same bathtub-shower combo but have no idea how to renovate while keeping the tub. I want a tub. I want a shower. I don't have space to separate them. I haven't seen any integrated shower-tub combos on any of these before and afters. Help me?
asking for tidy and staged before photos makes me lol. I renovated my bathroom, but I didn't deep clean and stage it so I could take a few snaps 5 minutes before ripping everything out. you kids and the funny things you complain about.
Is that cabinet with the hole in the door hiding a litter box? I would love, love, love to have room for that in my apartment!
Also, can people seriously not tell how much was changed in the 'after' because there are a couple towels strewn about in the 'before'? Come on.
This seems like a completely different room, was a wall knocked down to make the linen space? If there is such a large space now, then why the large emptiness in the middle?
It's a definite improvement from the before. I appreciate all the storage in the bathroom. It's a great place for all your towels or baskets for extra toiletries.
The bathroom however is not my thing as I find it cold and sterile. I think someone hit it on the head when they made the comment about it looking like a locker room. The footprint is definitely larger than the original so I suspect they took space from other rooms. Maybe once they have towels, bathmats or art etc then it might feel a bit more homey
@geeann - People still have shower and tubs. They just don't look like the one in the "before" photo becuase those are pretty outdated looking. They're usually just a tub with the showerhead and they use a shower curtain to contain the water. I personally would never do the integrated combo like in the "before" photo. If I did, it would have to be very modern and stylish.
@geeann, baths are a huge waste of water and completely unnecessary (especially if you don't have kids). I'm glad to see them being phased out.
I like the new storage cabinet. I wish I had that much storage room in my master bathroom. The plumbing in my sink cabinets is weird so it takes most of the usable space, then my layout is also kinda strange, I have no storage... been looking for a tall piece of furniture to have some storage room similar to what you have done.
OMG, why did you have to change anything??? The before was so much nicer. That cabinet and those white tiles had so much character, specially paired with that bath towel and orange underwear/washcloth (??). The "after" is entirely lacking in charm and character ughhh. I am very disappointed and just hope somebody found a way to re-use that lovely vanity. Who needs all that space, really.
BTW, given that the "after" is so atrocious, can you please get rid of that sink and storage so I can pick them up :).
just wanted to make sure that the irony in my previous post came through. I really love the new space and would like more information about dimensions of the room.
Nice job, I like the choices for the vanity, sink, faucet and toilet. I would have kept a tub myself, but it ain't my house.
It does look like the bathroom was enlarged, I would be interested to see a before and after floor plan. Also, those wall mounted toilets are great for small bathrooms but they do require the sewer line and plumbing to move, so yeah, would be interested to hear how that was accomplished.
Thanks, that was helpful. Yes, I have kids, and oh, those baths were wooooonderful when I was preggers. They are nice also once in while for total relaxation- a splurge of water,
ScuttledCuttle, but certainly more green than, oh, a flight anywhere... SAVE THE BATHTUBS ! :)
I don't understand the windows. In some pictures, they look frosted, but in the close up, it looks clear. If they are clear glass (and I don't see any window coverings), how in the world do you shower in front of those?
@ScuttledCuttle: I normally take short showers to save water. But every once in a while when I have my period I take a very hot bath. You see, heat is the best thing against my cramps and while I use a hot water bottle on my stomach, often the pain also gets in my back and legs and pretty much everywhere, so a hot bath really is the best. If I don't have a bathtub I take a very long hot shower instead, which doesn't need less water and is less effective.
Heyyy, wait a minute, I had the same "before" sink and vanity in an old apartment! It was cheap particleboard and all warped and horrible. Makes me shudder to think of it. If I were going to change a tub I'd have a tall skinny Japanese ofuro tub in a shower compartment. There's nothing like a good hot soak at the end of a tough day. I do like the wooden board across the trough sink.
It's definitely an improvement, but personally I like to leave the "hotel" look to actual hotels. I prefer my living space to be a bit warmer and more personal.
I don't like it either, hydrozoan. It's a matter of taste, I suppose, but I find it sterile, and the teak island is impractical. Also, as others have pointed out, it looks like the footage has been increased by moving a wall--something that should be mentioned, if true. It's also not a fair comparison to photograph "before" with the space full of the usual domestic items, and the "after" with none at all.
Fair enough, though not applicable to most people. I'm sure I will now be deluged by bath-defenders, no pun intended.
@eclectorama - While I completely understand where you're coming from, I think one thing that stands out when this happens is that now there is actually a space for the owners' stuff. Whereas before maybe it was "messy" since it was inefficient and overflowing.
I also think that staged can easily be "we have a new space and we're inspired to keep it immaculate" too.
I know our own bathroom was a mess all the time until we redid it and now there's never any clutter at all because we designed it to match how we live and what stuff we use.
I love that tile.
What DonaldN said -- twice over!
Huge difference although I'd like it way better with improved lighting.
I think the new room looks kind of sterile because it probably was just finished by the designers and it isn't "lived in" yet... so no personal accessories, towels, rugs, flowers or whatever sles could be added to add some warmth to the space.
It does look bigger but maybe not by a lot if the "after" room view is in the doorway. Which suggests there isn't really a LOT of extra floor space, really... Add a bat mat or rug and it will look pretty ordinary in size.
Holy shit, How's this even possible! Gorgeous. I love the voyeur-friendly window i the shower ;d
How is that window framed? I have a window in my shower but need to keep a shower curtain over it to protect it from the water. What did you do?
OMG, my eyes have fallen on a nail clipper!!! I may never be the same again. Oh, the humanity. And the coldness. Brrr.
Does it ever occur to some of you that we're looking at photos of CONSTRUCTION? Of course this will look different when the owner's possessions are moved in. Why would they build all that wonderful storage if they didn't intend to use it?
And to the owners and Ms. Yates, I'd like to say, great work. Especially the sand-blasted tile. Great idea.
I'm sorry but those tiles in the shower are going to be a nightmare to keep clean.
Good job. The only thing I wouldn't do is use small tiles for a shower/bath as all that does is introduce many perfect joints and grout areas for mold to form. Yeah they can look nice but isn't very practical.
We really cannot see what the bathroom looked like before, given the huge towel, clutter and cramped angle of the photo. Congrats, though, for a lovely renovation.
well yes if you are going to gut and rebuild a bathroom it should definitly be a big improvement. why is it so shocking?
when i read the title describing an 'update' i was expecting just that.
this is far beyond a simple update.
just call it a reno instead of dramatizing for effect
The photographs are terrible.
It's so sterile and cold and the lighting is terrible.
I didn't even think twice about the missing tub. I have a huge garden tub in my master bath and I have never once used it. If I didn't accidentally flip the switch that turns on the jets from time to time I would forget it was there.
When we installed new IKEA vanities in our bathrooms, the certified IKEA installers asked if we were planning to have them floating, or put legs under them. When we told them we wanted legs, they looked very relieved. They told us that every time they install a floating vanity in a house, they get called back within a few weeks or months because it's started to come off the wall. And they're the experts.
"The large and light feeling of the bathroom was achieved by..." moving walls and doubling the size of the room.
Yep. This bath was both widened and lengthened. I don't like free floating toilets, and new free floating sinks (like the old fashioned, heavy, wall-hung old ones ok). Would never have a bathroom without a tub. Wouldn't want to clean the tiny tiles. The good thing is the storage - lots of storage in a bathroom is good. Had it in my last one, miss it in my current one.
It looks stunning especially when you look at the transformation. But, is that missing the bathroom tub, shower accessories ..etc.,? or not shown in the pic?
Incredible, the bathroom looks twice the size after the reno!
love the built-in litter box. love the sink. i miss the tub. i've lived with shower-only set-ups for years and really missed being able to sit and take a soak. the two years i had an apartment with a clawfoot tub (and a view from the bathroom!) were the glory days.
also, the sandblasted shower tile is really smart, but when you step out of the shower, your feet are still wet and you're stepping onto the slicker tile. maybe a different textured tile would've been more practical.
Taking baths does consume a great deal of water and some people don't take baths at all. I am one of them,however, I still like a bath for bathing the cat or dog, soaking blinds, soaking the litter box, filling a bucket and washing out things. I like the flexibility that a tub/shower combo provides but I definitely don't like that grout line I have to redo at least once a year. If only they could invent a seamless tub with three sides rising up to at least 7 feet in height with corner portions of the back of the tub at least a foot deep to sit, put leg on to shave and to store products that would be great. Hey while I am at it why not make the tub out of stainless steel just like my kitchen sink? This would make cleaning the tub super easy. If anyone knows where I can find a tub like this if not with the high sides then at least with the foot deep sitting, product storage area, I would really appreciate it.