Family Bathroom
with Blue Subway Tile.

About This Project

This is a family bathroom renovation built to work for young kids now and still look current ten years from now. The brief was practical — keep the tub, make it easy to clean, give it some personality without going so far that it dates quickly. The steel blue vertical subway tile achieves exactly that. It has colour and presence without committing to a trend that will feel tired in a few years. Run vertically rather than the standard horizontal orientation, it makes the tub surround feel taller and gives the tile a more modern read than the same material set in a standard brick pattern.

The Tub Surround

The tub surround runs floor to ceiling in the shower zone with a recessed niche built into the back wall for shampoo and soap storage. The niche is tiled to match the surround so it reads as a clean, intentional element rather than an afterthought. Chrome handheld and tub spout keep the hardware simple and consistent with the rest of the bathroom. Wedi Pro certified waterproofing was used throughout the full tub and shower assembly, and the homeowners have a written 10-year waterproofing warranty on the wet area.

The Vanity

The natural oak flat-panel vanity is the warm counterweight to the blue tile. White oak in a bathroom needs to be sealed properly and the cabinet construction needs to handle moisture exposure long-term. The marble-look quartz countertop keeps the vanity light and ties it back to the white walls and terrazzo floor. The wavy black-framed mirror is the one statement piece in a room that is otherwise restrained. The industrial-style glass globe vanity light above it adds warmth without competing with the mirror shape. Chrome single-handle faucet, chrome towel bar, and chrome robe hook keep the hardware finish consistent throughout.

The terrazzo-look large-format porcelain floor runs through the entire bathroom including into the tub zone. The decorative frosted window provides natural light and privacy simultaneously. This is a bathroom that will get heavy daily use and was specified with that in mind at every decision point.