Award-Winning Bathroom Remodel: The Open Shower Concept

Many of us love our remodeled bathrooms—but how many of us can say they’re award-winning?

Karl Utzman, one of Design Studio West’s expert designers, recently won the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) 2016 Bath of the Year with a creative and classic open shower concept bathroom.

Utzman’s clients needed more space, a timeless look, and a bathroom they could use for a lifetime in their forever home. Here are reasons this bathroom remodel took home the gold.

Remodeling A Bathroom for a Lifetime

There’s a difference between remodeling a home you might leave, and a home that you’ve chosen to live in forever. The design should be timeless (unless you want to remodel every 5-10 years). The bathroom should also be accessible for all ages—meaning that clawfoot tub could be charming now, but could prove more difficult to get in and out of when you’re 89. Utzman raised the floor and removed the sunken shower so the owners can enjoy easy access for years to come.

A Seamless Floor

Don’t underestimate what’s underfoot. The floor in this bathroom remodel is 12”x24” textured porcelain tile connecting the open shower to a vanity space. Wondering how a seamless shower-to-bathroom-floor system works without flooding the bathroom? A floor slope channels shower water to a linear drain system.

Beautiful Bathroom Lighting

We all notice when a bathroom doesn’t have great lighting. Avoid frustration every time you try to apply makeup or tweeze, and focus on striking a balance between functional and ambient lighting in your bathroom. In addition to natural light from windows and soft lighting around the mirrors, there are recessed LED lights behind the bench seat and above the wood shelves to create dimension and beautiful light. (They do double duty as night lights!)

The Open Concept & Porcelain Perfection

The large format Neolith porcelain slabs on the shower walls run from floor to ceiling. Not only are they strikingly beautiful, but have minimal seams and zero grout—making them super easy to keep clean.

Is it time to remodel your own award-worthy bathroom? Get in touch with the team at Design Studio West today to get started!