The Before and After Photos of This Bathroom Reno Project Are So Satisfying

Photo credit: Kevin Francis
Photo credit: Kevin Francis


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Designer Kevin Francis is always excited about taking on new projects, but this one was particularly special, as it was his mother who enlisted his keen eye and expertise to overhaul her new home. Having recently moved into a newly built modern-industrial style townhome, she needed extra help overhauling the primary bathroom. He decided to renovate it "with a new layout featuring a large walk-in shower, double vanity, new tiling, lighting, plumbing, and warm nude walls," Francis tells House Beautiful.

Photo credit: Kevin Francis
Photo credit: Kevin Francis

When his mom first moved in, the entire space was like a totally blank canvas, but "rather than try to match the simplicity of the modern architecture, I complemented it with a great fusion of styles which makes it such a jewel box of design," he gushes. His objective was to make it more functional and to channel a "Soho House look with an in-town style that mixed old antiques with fresh colors, patterns, and sleek hardware and light fixtures," he adds.

Keep reading to see how Francis turned the formerly generic bathroom into a comfortable and elegant space that honored his mother's classic style while mixing in his own playful-meets-romantic touches and a layout that honors her needs. Fair warning: It might inspire you to swap your tub for a walk-in shower, too!

Photo credit: Kevin Francis
Photo credit: Kevin Francis

One of the most fun and challenging elements of the renovation was incorporating his mom's beloved antiques while also making it feel contemporary. "I like to bring styles together in a playful way," Francis says, which means mixing old and new and striking a balance between warm and cool tones. He also wanted the bathroom to feel light and fresh, mirroring the use case. "The result balances warm woods with cooler, natural hues and always features a mix of wood tones, textures, and pops of pattern," he adds. "My mom’s furniture features lots of dark woods, and I love pairing these heavier pieces with cooler tones to give them some levity."

As far as the color palette goes, it all developed from one piece of furniture: a fabulous antique chaise. "I always dreamed of upholstering it in green velvet. We knew this space was the perfect opportunity to do that, so green became a thread we pulled throughout the home’s design from the kitchen cabinets to the bathrooms. They did ultimately have to pivot the color scheme in the primary bathroom. As they got further along in the project, a new paint color idea came to Francis.

"I originally planned to paint the room a warm grey, but the way the warm blush-nude color (sort of a band-aid color) of Behr’s Mesquite Powder paint complemented the green vanity, while tying together the various grey tones in the floor and shower tiles, was a huge gamechanger in the design." The finished space is bursting with personality while still feeling refreshing and invigorating, making it the perfect place to unwind and freshen up.


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