Before & After: Modern Touches for a Brooklyn Bathroom

When Chris and Amber renovated their Brooklyn apartment, transforming their kitchen and adding an extra bedroom for their son, they hadn’t originally planned on redoing their bathroom, too. Then halfway through the remodeling process, they realized that they never, ever wanted to do another remodel — and that if they were going to re-do the bathroom, it was now or never.

The original bathroom was, in Chris’ words, “tired and shabby.” The white wall tile had gotten dingy with age, and the enclosed shower felt a bit claustrophobic. Chris and Amber wanted a fresh, modern upgrade, one that would update the bathroom’s look but also keep it simple and practical.

The old floor tiles were replaced with large, dark grey tiles — which means a lot less grout lines. The dark tile also helps to ground a space where pretty much everything is white.

For the shower and around the tub, they chose a long, narrow subway tile, with a dark grout that hides dirt and adds a bit of a modern edge. The new IKEA vanity has plenty of storage space, and raising the ceiling in the shower makes it feel much roomier.

Chris and Amber found their contractors, Kent and Nick, on Sweeten, a free online resource that connects homeowners with local design and construction experts for renovations. You can read more about the project, see more photos, and find sources on the Sweeten blog.