Ask A Designer™
Ask A Designer™: Gillian Atkins’ Best Advice for Creating a Vintage Bathroom
Published on January 14, 2026
In this edition of Ask A Designer™, Gillian Atkins, senior designer at Lynda Reeves Design Studio, LRDS, shares her best advice for creating a heritage bathroom.
Q: I need help with our tiny bathroom. The house is a circa-1887 worker’s cottage, so I want it to have a Victorian look while preserving the brightness. I like the existing white subway tile, but the tiles are loose, and I’m at a loss for a humidity-tolerant storage solution near the shower. I love the look of black and white mosaic floor tile, and a medicine cabinet over our sink would be great. — L.C., Toronto
This bathroom is tight, but you can make it feel larger. First, make use of every inch by removing the nib wall and opening up the space. Also, remove the shower insert and drop ceiling. This will make the bathroom feel bigger. Do a small black and white mosaic tile on the floor and slope it toward the window to create a curbless shower. Install a fixed-glass panel with minimal hardware, leaving just enough space to walk into the shower.
Keep your existing fixtures if they’re in good shape. I agree; the white subway tile is fine. Re-install it on the shower walls and from the floor up to about 48 inches around the rest of the room. Add a bullnose tile to properly finish the top edge.
Swap out the console sink for a closed vanity raised on feet that contains storage. Mix in some aged brass accents in the faucet, mirror and sconces. Hopefully, the vanity will provide enough storage so you can have an antique mirror like the one in the mock-up, but this medicine cabinet will almost give you that look. Finally, consider painting the wall above the subway tile a soft heritage colour.
1. 24″ Dayan Freestanding Mid-century Modern Bathroom vanity with Ceramic Sink in Black by Charlton Home, $750. Wayfair Canada. 2. Voijin Recessed Framed Metal medicine cabinet in Antique Silver by Winston Porter, $440. Wayfair Canada. 3. 8″ Santorini Ceramic Chair Rail tile trim in Blanco by Merola Tile, $35 each. Wayfair Canada.
4. Select Lexus Fixed shower panel set in Chrome by Fleurco, $1,599. Agua. 5. Small Ridgewood sconce in Burnished Brass by Visual Comfort, $246. Robinson Lighting & Bath. 6. Cassidy Widespread Bathroom faucet with Pull-down Spray in Champagne Bronze by Delta, $766. Splashes Bath & Kitchen. 7. Carrara Octagon tile with Black Marble, $30/sq.ft. Saltillo Imports.
Photography by Jason Stickley (Gillian’s portrait)