Our Primary Bathroom - What We’d Do Differently (And What We’d Keep)

Building a bathroom comes with a lot of choices. From picking the right tile and layout to figuring out storage and lighting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Here’s a look at what we’d do differently in our primary bathroom and the features we love most.

Primary bathroom in our new build home with wood vanity, double sinks and walk in shower

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You’d think building a new home from scratch would mean getting everything just right. After talking with others who have gone through the process, I’ve learned that’s hardly ever the case. Even though our primary bathroom looks beautiful to us, living in it for a while taught us a few important lessons about what works and what could be improved.

With that in mind, I’m sharing the changes we’d make if we could do it all over again, along with the details we absolutely love. Hopefully it gives you some helpful tips and inspiration as you plan your own new-build bathroom or renovation. Let’s just say I wish I had read something like this before we started ours!

1) Add More Storage

The vanity holds a lot, but an upper built-in or medicine cabinet for smaller, everyday items would be so handy. We’d also add a small table or niche beside our freestanding tub for soaps, towels, or a candle. Little storage touches can make a big difference in daily use.

Freestanding tub with brass faucet in primary bathroom

Source: Brass Tub Filler and here // See tile below

2) Tile the Full Vanity Wall

We opted for a countertop return using the same quartz, but tiling the full wall behind the vanity would feel more polished and make cleaning easier. It’s a small design detail that can have a big visual impact and add longevity.

Wood vanity with drawers and double sinks in primary bathroom

Sources: Wall and Trim Colour // Cabinet Hardware // Widespread Faucet and here // Quartz Countertop // Aged Brass Sconce

3) Install Matte Floor Tile

We chose glossy porcelain to mimic the look of Carrara marble, but it shows water spots easily and can be slippery at times. Matte tile on the floor would be safer, easier to live with, and still give a timeless, sophisticated look. We’d also go a bit darker next time.

Primary bathroom with 12x24 inch polished porcelain marble tile on floor

See tile sources and details below:

Primary bathroom tile selections, including white penny round, subway and porcelain Carrara

Sources: Penny Round (similar) // Frost Grout // Piccadilly Subway Tile // Porcelain Carrara

4) Move the Handheld Shower Wand Higher

We almost got the positioning of the shower components right. Over time the hose relaxed and now touches the top of the bench slightly. Next time we would allow a little more clearance in the plan to avoid this altogether.

Tiled bathroom shower with brass rain shower head and handheld wand

Sources: Shower Head and here // Valve Trim Kit and here // Handheld Shower Head and here // Wall Elbow and here

5) Less Glass, More Tile

With our high ceilings, there’s a lot of shower glass to squeegee after every use. Tiling the full side wall would reduce the amount of glass and make daily maintenance much easier. In our experience, tile is simply easier to live with day to day than glass.

Primary bathroom shower with white tile, glass surround and door

6) Seal Shower Tile Before First Use

Our builder skipped this step and didn’t advise us, but thankfully our tile guy caught it early. Applying a tile sealer before first use prevents staining and wear, which is a small step that makes a big difference in the longevity of tile. (I shared a short video of this on Instagram.)

Primary bathroom tile with matte white penny round tile and Frost grout

What We’d Do Again

There are so many things we love about our bathroom! Some of our top picks:

A timeless, spa-like feel with wood for warmth
Layered lighting with dimmer switches (recessed, sconces, and pendant over bathtub)
The freestanding tub with wide edge and lip (perfect for styling and daily use)
Heated floors (a must-have for tile floors)
Large shower bench (function and comfort)

What about you? If you’ve built or renovated a bathroom, what’s one thing you’d do differently, or a feature you absolutely love? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Also, let me know if you have any questions about this bathroom project.

Want to see more? Look under “New Build” in my story highlights on Instagram for progress updates and behind-the-scenes snippets of this home.