Synopsis: Ten innovative and unusual ideas on bathroom design from as many houses. Brief descriptions and illustrations cover showers, a backsplash, lighting, a towel rack, and even a fireplace.

Bathrooms are busy little places. Unless you live on the space shuttle, you won’t find a similar density of fixtures, wiring and plumbing anywhere else in your house. Bathrooms must also reconcile contradictory design elements: They should be as waterproof as a locker room, yet be as comfortable as a living room. These basic requirements can make a tall order for any designer.

Fortunately, bathroom design can be exceptional. Bathrooms can cost a lot, but with a bit of thought and less money, you still should be able to get a good bathroom. To find some ideas, I took an unscientific survey among architects, designers and builders. The results are mixed regarding cost, but I hope all these projects give you food for thought for your next bathroom project.

Bruce Norelius of Elliott & Elliott Architecture, Blue Hill, ME

When clients requested a shower without a curb or door, Elliott & Elliott had to work out details that would confine water. A well-drained floor with a substantial pitch is the cornerstone of the design. A fixed 9-ft. by 4-ft. screen of acid-etched tempered glass blocks the spray. The shower’s interior walls are covered with 1 1/4-in. thick granite. Without a full enclosure, the shower throws small amounts of water on the floor, but usually no more than a normal shower. Photo by Brian Vanden Brink.

Sarah Susanka, architect, Raleigh, NC

Without careful detailing, small bathrooms can seem cramped. One way to make a small room seem larger is to make the eye move around the room. To give a half-bath some visual interest, Sarah Susanka came up with an idea that extends the lines of the countertop backsplash around the room, much like a chair rail. Although made of tile in this example, the backsplash can be made of wood. This continuous line around the room is an effective means of breaking up a space; the room is divided visually into upper and lower halves, an arrangement that lends itself to contrasting paint or material schemes.

When the great wide open calls, you have to go there. Or factor it into the design. The owners of this house spent a good deal of time in outdoor showers on Hawaiian vacations and liked that feeling of openness. When it came time to remodel their master bath, they asked Linder Jones to incorporate this feel.

The shower monolith is covered with 1 1/2-in. thick slate over a plywood box bolted to the floor. Kneewalls of concrete and glass block on each side of the shower keep the splash factor to a minimum. Custom doors by BZ Design of Mountainview, California, open onto a private backyard. Photo by Ken Gutmaker.