1. Modern Designers: Heidi Bonesteel and Michele Trout of Bonesteel Trout Hall
Location: Newport Beach, California
Size: 42½ square feet (3.9 square meters); 8½ by 5 feet (2.5 by 1.5 meters)

Homeowners’ request: Make over a guest bathroom.

Vanity: Custom, painted in Fiesta with a high-gloss finish by Benjamin Moore. 

Backsplash: Charcoal grey rectangular tile installed vertically with grey grout.

Other special features: Carrara marble countertop.

2. Traditional

Designer: Annette English
Location: Beverly Hills, California
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters)

Homeowners’ request: A comfortable, inviting guest powder room with Cape Cod style. 

Vanity: Custom transitional-style vanity cabinet painted in Antique Pewter by Benjamin Moore, with fabric and metal door inserts. 

Backsplash: Beadboard panelling painted in Grant Beige by Benjamin Moore; raffia wallpaper and Stellar White marble. 

Other special features: Cast bronze vessel sink. Onyx accent plumbing. Antique bronze mirror. Antique mirror and metal sconces. 

Designer secret: “We decided to hang the mirror in an unconventional way, with a decorative chain and an antique doorknob,” designer Annette English says. “Due to the thickness of the backsplash, we had to find a way to hang the mirror away from the wall. This allowed all of the parts to work together and created a solution that was both functional and aesthetically interesting.” 

“Uh-oh” moment: “A frequent challenge that occurs is deciding the placement of a wall-mounted faucet in conjunction with a vessel sink, the backsplash height and the mirror,” English says. “You always need a taller backsplash, making the placement of the mirror sometimes higher than the standard. In this case, our client was also below the typical eye level, so we had to be careful that everything worked together. There were no standard dimensions here. We tailored the heights of the cabinets and placements of the fixtures to work with the client.”

3. Transitional 

Designer: Rebecca Van’t Hull of Martha O’Hara Interiors
Location: Wayzata, Minnesota, near Lake Minnetonka
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters); 9 by 6 feet (2.7 by 1.8 meters)

Homeowners’ request: A new home with interesting materials, wall coverings, lighting, cabinetry and more. 

Vanity: Custom, painted in Seersucker Suit by Benjamin Moore.

Backsplash: Quartz, from Cambria, that looks like marble.

Other special features: Quartz countertop matches the backsplash. Geometric wallpaper. Metal sink. 

Designer secret: “Don’t be afraid of patterns and colour in a small space,” designer Rebecca Van’t Hull says. “I think it’s a common misconception that you can’t do anything bold or dark in a smaller space. This room proves my point, because the ground of the wallpaper is almost black, and yet the room reads with a lightness that is probably unexpected.”

4. Contemporary 

Designer: Evelyn Eshun 
Location: Toronto
Size: 200 square feet (18.5 square meters)

Homeowners’ request: A fresh and contemporary bathroom that still feels traditional. “The goal was to make it feel familiar yet very brand new,” designer Evelyn Eshun says. 

Vanity: Floating vanity with marble countertop. 

Backsplash: Marble mosaic.

Other special features: Vessel sinks. Polished marble floor tiles (24 by 24 inches). 

Designer secret: “Balance and proportion, a shot of texture, a dash of sparkle and, most importantly, a focus on functionality make this room a success,” Eshun says.