Bathrooms
Nyla Free Designs A Prairie Modern Ensuite in Calgary
Published on August 20, 2025
A renovated ensuite in a home in Calgary’s Lake Bonavista neighbourhood takes its cues from nature. “This house is right off the lake, so that was our jumping-off point,” says designer Nyla Free. “The soft blues and chocolatey walnut stain on the oak vanity create an earthy prairie vibe.” The client takes cold plunges in the lake every morning and ends the night with a warm bath. The renovation meant reimagining the layout to create a central wet room that consolidated the tub and shower into one space and eliminated extra walls. A corridor leads to a private area with a coffee station where they can get ready.
The reeded walnut vanity has a furniture look, with gunmetal-finish faucets as a fresh alternative to brass. Two mirrors serve as a perch for whimsical birds.
The renovation of the 198-square-foot ensuite took four months. Custom elements include the reeded walnut vanity, closets, painted tub and the shelving unit with open display for a coffee station. The style goal was to play up the lakeside inspiration and include all of the owners’ amenity requests such as the coffee bar and wardrobe storage.
A painted tub the colour of prairie grass balances the cool zellige-like glazed tile. Large-format porcelain tile is budget-friendly and easy to clean while penny tile on the floor offers traction.
The biggest challenge? Levelling the tub while sloping the shower floor to drain in the wet room. To complete the project, the designer had all of the plumbing, rough-ins, fixtures and amenities moved. Nyla stole a foot of space from the bedroom to accommodate the new layout, and created a new wet room, including a tub. She designed a custom, furniture-like double vanity with reeding, had a zellige-style tile installed for the backsplash and in the wet room, and had floor-to-ceiling storage built in the hallway. Plus, she had wallpaper applied to a niche in the custom makeup area.
Floral wallpaper was applied in the niche with pretty fluted sconces framing the mirror.
Money Talk*
- $44,000 for the plumbing (including relocating all plumbing, rough-ins and fixtures, supplies and installation)
- $35,000 for the millwork (including custom closet, vanity and makeup area)
- $12,000 for the tile (including labour, floor levelling, in-floor heating, anti-fracture membrane, dry pack in shower, waterproofing and Schluter drain)
- $10,650 for lighting
- $5,700 for the counters
- $5,600 for the mirrors
- $3,100 for the frameless shower glass
- $2,300 for the wallpaper (including installation)
- $1,500 for the hardware
*Costs are from 2023
Designer Advice
- Invest in quality fixtures — faucets are an important tactile element you touch every day
- In a showroom, some finishes aren’t necessarily on display, so ask your designer and showroom staff to see more than the standard offerings
- Incorporate luxuries like a coffee bar
- Consider a tub upgrade like a painted exterior to make a statement
- Elevate flat-front cabinet doors with special hardware
- Try a patterned wallpaper in a niche or dressing table area — too many neutrals can get boring!
The bathroom floor plan, showing the walk-in closet, shower and tub, and vanity.
Phil Crozier
House & Home
Nyla Free