Before and After: The Show-Stopping Magic of Amazing Tile
Those of you who are absolutely sick of white bathrooms with white floors, white walls, and white fixtures are going to LOVE this renovation. However, all you fans of black sinks are in for some heartbreak . . .

This is an astounding makeover! The geometric tile is completely irresistible, and I love the playful choice to apply it to the floor and one wall. The mid-century modern vanity and fascinating tub pop against the blue backdrop; the hues are perfectly complementary. This delightful renovation was done by the design firm Stewart-Schafer.
This tub looks almost tragic in the bathroom before — how wonderful that it now has a chance to shine in stunning surroundings — but you still get a sense of what a cool piece it is. Here’s a little backstory on the room from Stewart-Schafer:
We purchased the house knowing that we were going to do a full gut renovation on the entire home, including the bathroom. It was in very bad shape and did not align with our aesthetic taste.
The bathroom was in a terrible state prior to our renovation, and was in need of a modern refresh. The walls had been done with a cheap vinyl paneling, and the cramped, poorly laid out configuration did not allow for ample space or proper flow.
Here’s a mid-renovation shot that reveals the extent of the project. Let’s dive into the details:
The bathroom renovation took six weeks to complete from start to finish. We reconfigured the layout, which meant we had to tear down a wall and move the plumbing. We added underfloor heating and waterproofed the whole bathroom. We opened up the ceiling above the custom vanity and added a skylight for brightness. We added a custom mirror above the vanity to give the space a more contemporary feel. We re-enameled the original clawfoot bathtub and retiled the entire bathroom; we worked with contractors and a tile installer on the renovation.. The toilet and all of the plumbing fixtures were changed for an updated look. [It cost] around $22,000-$25,000.
We’ve worked on dozens of gut renovation projects for our clients, so we know what to expect when it comes to all of the planning and scheduling that goes into it. For our bathroom renovation project, every detail was planned in advance and went smoothly.
Tiling is shockingly expensive—the tiles themselves are often seductively cheap, it’s the labor that’s quite pricey—but Stewart-Schafer recommends going with a professional for such a complex, crucial task:
Make sure to plan ahead and schedule your time accordingly. Spend money on a good tile installer if you plan to retile the space. A big mistake we see during renovations is not using a skilled tradesman to install the tiles, which can lead to a lot of mishaps down the road.
Words of wisdom that I’ll keep in mind next time I’m ogling discount tiles, with visions of sugarplums and flawless first-time tiling dancing in my head!
This is so beautiful! They’ve chosen the perfect color of wood to bring out the orange of the tub, all the pieces have tons of personality, the gold hardware suits them perfectly, and the vertical white tiles add a crisp modern edge. Unsurprisingly, the Stewart-Schafer team is thrilled:
The bathroom exudes an airy, bright, and open feeling which we love. The playfulness of the bright tiles against the tonal palette add a fun, contemporary twist. We love the bathroom and the sophisticated and fresh end result!
This is a major upgrade from that single, tiny pedestal sink! Side-by-side sinks are a luxury, and that buffet-as-vanity adds so much storage and style. And all of us should have such a plush mat — and heated floor, if we’re dreaming big — to stand on while brushing our teeth in the morning.
Thank you, Stewart-Schafer!