Brown tile covers nearly every surface, a chrome-framed shower enclosure cuts the room into separate sections, and dark cabinetry adds visual weight to the vanity wall. This is shared by Bathroom Remodel Reddit user parco11 Shows how removing those features helped transform a builder-grade space into something that feels more custom built. walls, and around the tub. A chrome-framed shower enclosure divided the room into separate sections, while dark cabinetry added visual weight to the vanity wall.
The shower remains next to the tub and the vanity occupies the same wall, but almost everything visible has changed. Frameless glass, marble-look tile, brass fixtures, refinished cabinetry and round mirrors replace the dark finish, giving the bathroom a brighter and more current look.
Brown tile covers almost every surface
Before the remodel, the same brown tile was seen throughout the floor, shower walls, tub surround and decorative accent band.
The repeated color made the room feel heavy from one end to the other. Instead of creating contrast, each surface blends into the next, making the bathroom look dated despite its generous size.
Matching white tile ties the entire room together
The biggest upgrade is replacing the brown finish with a large marble-look tile.
The same material now appears on the floor, shower walls and around the tub. Instead of treating each area as a separate zone, the new surfaces create a continuous visual flow throughout the room.
That change alone makes the bathroom feel huge.
A frameless glass opened shower
The original shower enclosure relies on thick chrome framing, multiple vertical supports and a large top rail.
The new frameless enclosure eliminates almost all of those visual obstructions. Sightlines now extend through the shower instead of stopping at the metal framing.
Even though the shower looks bigger, the footprint remains almost the same.
Brass fixtures replaced builder-grade chrome
The chrome hardware blended into the old bathroom and disappeared against the brown tile.
Brass fixtures present a more deliberate finish in showers, faucets, cabinet pulls, towel rings and lighting. Repeating the same metal throughout the room created a cleaner, more cohesive design.
Brass also pairs naturally with the refinished wood vanity and light tile palette.
An existing vanity got a new life
Many remodels completely replace the vanity.
In this project, the homeowners kept the existing vanity structure and refinished it with a light wood look. The update preserves storage while removing much of the visual weight created by the original dark finish.
The result looks custom rather than builder grade.
Round mirrors soften the vanity wall
The original vanity rests on a large rectangular mirror spanning the wall.
Two oversized round mirrors now break up the straight lines created by the cabinets, countertops, windows and tile.
That simple shape change introduces balance and gives the vanity wall a more furniture-inspired look.
A large floor tile creates continuity while a rug adds the finishing touch
The original bathroom relies on dark brown floor tile that contrasts with the shower and tub surrounds. Combined with dark finishes throughout the room, the floor added visual weight to the entire space.
Large-format marble-look tile replaces heavy surfaces with brighter and more consistent bases. Fewer grout lines and a continuous finish allow the eye to move through the room without interruption, helping the bathroom feel larger than it already is.
One of the smartest decisions came after the completion of the major construction work. Instead of covering the floor, the owner introduced a large patterned rug that brings color and personality to a room dominated by tile, glass and stone.
A rug helps break up hard surfaces while making the bathroom feel more collected and lively. It proves that not every impressive upgrade needs to be groundbreaking, sometimes the final details have just as much impact on the end result.
The layout remains the same but the bathroom looks completely different
The shower sits next to the tub. Vanity occupies the same wall. The windows remained in place.
Yet replacing the brown tile, removing the chrome-framed shower enclosure, introducing frameless glass, refinishing the vanity and adding brass accents completely changed how the room looked.
The result looks brighter, more open and far from the builder-grade bathroom that was there before.
What do you think about this change? Would you have kept the tiled soaking tub like the owners, or replace it with a freestanding tub and floor-mounted faucet?
All credits go to the Reddit user parco11. Images shared by and original remodel parco11 on reddit.
