This Small Bathroom Didn’t Have Room for a Walk-In Shower Until the Bathtub Came Out
This small bathroom left little space between the vanity, toilet, and tub. Toronto-based designer Jacklynn Little of Jacklynn Little Interiors reworked the room by removing the bathtub and replacing the dark cabinet vanity with a pedestal sink.
The tub’s former footprint now holds a walk-in shower with clear glass, white subway tile, black accents, and black-and-white hex mosaic underfoot. Storage moves into a narrow cabinet beside the shower, while the toilet and sink remain within the same compact setup.
Dark Fixtures Filled Much of the Original Bathroom
The original bathroom placed a dark wood vanity along the left wall, with the toilet between it and the tub. Square gray floor tile covered the narrow walkway, while beige walls, white doors, and dark fixtures divided the room into several contrasting surfaces.
The vanity provided cabinet storage and counter space, but its width left little separation between the sink and toilet. Toiletries on the toilet tank and the glass shelf above it added storage within the limited footprint.
Bulky Vanity Extended Into the Narrow Floor Plan
From the tub end, the original vanity shows how much floor width it occupied. The cabinet extends toward the toilet, topped by a black counter and paired with a thick dark-framed mirror.
Replacing it meant giving up enclosed under-sink storage. That space would later be recovered elsewhere rather than putting another full cabinet in the same position.
Tub and Curtain Occupied the End of the Room
The bathtub filled the bathing zone at the far end, with a curved shower rod extending the curtain beyond the edge of the tub. When closed, the opaque curtain concealed the entire bathing area.
The renovation uses this same end of the bathroom for the new shower. Removing the tub eliminates its high front wall and allows the enclosure to use glass instead of a curtain.
Walk-In Shower Replaces the Bathtub
The former tub area now contains a tiled walk-in shower enclosed with clear glass. From the doorway, the shower wall remains visible through the enclosure instead of disappearing behind a curtain.
The dark vanity is also gone. A white pedestal sink occupies the sink position and exposes more floor around its base. White walls and fixtures dominate the room, with black reserved for the faucet, shower hardware, tile accents, and smaller accessories.
Clear Glass Exposes the Full Shower
The enclosure uses clear glass with restrained metal hardware, keeping the tile visible from the rest of the bathroom. Glossy white beveled subway tile covers the shower walls, while two rows of black subway tile form a horizontal band around the enclosure.
Matte-black shower hardware continues the contrast through the showerhead, hand shower, controls, hose, and mounting rail. The toilet remains beside the shower, with the pedestal sink opposite it.
Narrow Cabinet Replaces Some of the Lost Vanity Storage
A slim cabinet beside the shower addresses the storage lost when the vanity was removed. Its tall black door opens to reveal stacked pull-out trays sized for bottles, toiletries, and grooming products.
The cabinet uses a narrow vertical strip rather than taking up the floor area required by a standard vanity. When closed, its dark front also connects with the black shower fixtures and tile band.
Pedestal Sink Exposes More of the Floor
The pedestal sink has a broad white basin but a much smaller base than the former cabinet. Floor remains visible on either side, increasing the separation between the sink and toilet.
A wide rectangular mirror spans much of the wall above it. Integrated lighting runs near the upper and lower edges, with a circular magnifying mirror incorporated into one side. A matte-black faucet and soap dispenser continue the shower’s black hardware palette.
Black Subway Tile Runs Through the Shower
White beveled subway tile covers the shower walls, interrupted by the black horizontal stripe. The dark band runs behind the shower system and continues onto the adjacent wall, connecting both sides of the enclosure.
A square hand shower sits on an adjustable vertical rail with a black flexible hose and controls below. The black hardware stands against the white tile without requiring another wall finish or accent material.
Hex Mosaic Covers the Shower Floor
Small white hexagonal tiles cover the shower floor, punctuated with individual black hexagons. The mosaic follows the slope toward a square drain near the center of the shower.
The black inserts repeat the wall stripe and fixtures at floor level. The pattern also continues into the main bathroom, linking the two floor areas despite the glass enclosure and shower curb.
Sink Area Repeats the Black-and-White Palette
The finished sink wall has no base cabinet or heavy mirror frame. A matte-black faucet sits on the white pedestal basin, while the illuminated mirror reflects the black shower stripe across the room.
White towels with thin black stripes carry the same contrast onto the accessories. Pink roses introduce color without adding another permanent finish.
Removing the tub and full vanity came with two clear trade-offs: no bathtub and less conventional cabinet storage. In return, the same narrow bathroom now fits a walk-in shower, keeps storage in a slim vertical cabinet, and leaves more floor visible around the fixtures. Would you give up the bathtub and vanity for this setup?
Image credits go to Jacklynn Little Interiors.