This Apartment Bathroom Got a Luxe Gut Reno That Makes It Feel 2x the Size

Sarah EverettHome Projects Editor
Sarah EverettHome Projects Editor
I organize the Before & After series and cover DIY and design. I joined AT in October 2020 as a production assistant. I have an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri and a BA in Journalism from Belmont University. Past editorial stops include HGTV Magazine, Nashville Arts Magazine, and local magazines in my hometown, Columbia, Missouri.
published Oct 18, 2025
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Although dark color-drenched bathrooms are trendy in the interior design world, an all-white (or off-white) bathroom also has staying power and is a classic. 

When working with a pro designer and a contractor to renovate her Manhattan one-bedroom, Amanda Mactas (@manhattantwist) chose to go dark and dramatic for the living room and bedroom walls but went with bright white for the bathroom. 

“I love the juxtaposition of the bathroom to the drama of the rest of the apartment,” pro designer Kim Liptak says. “The other rooms are dark and moody while the bathroom is light and serene. It gives elegance and drama in its own way while being timeless.”

Credit: Erin Kestenbaum
Credit: Erin Kestenbaum

The makeover was a complete gut job but kept the same footprint. 

In short, Amanda wanted to change everything about the bathroom, Kim says, from the small vanity to the dropped ceiling to the dated tile to the hard-to-reach shower faucet. The shower was the most difficult to fix, Kim recalls — in part due to the layout and size of the apartment overall. 

“The contractor wasn’t comfortable moving the plumbing to an exterior wall, so after much debate and brainstorming, we decided to install a fixed glass piece with a smaller ‘door’ that would allow Amanda the ability to reach the fixture from outside the tub,” Kim says. 

The shower boasts new gold hardware and new Carrara white Italian marble tile, too. 

Credit: Erin Kestenbaum

The vanity is more practical — and more stylish. 

“We added a custom vanity at the maximum possible size for that space,” Kim says. The vanity is from Etsy, and the contractor did some adjusting to get it to fit snugly in the small bathroom. The new round mirror that replaces the sheet mirror from before is from Ferguson Home, and the lighting is from Visual Comfort. 

To see the rest of Amanda’s apartment, check out her house tour