Designing a Bathroom That Balances Function and Flow

Home Organization

Oct 12

From the start, Matt and I were excited to make our Chicago home truly ours—functional, organized, and comfortable for everyday life.

When it came to our primary bathroom, our goal was simple: create a space that works as hard as it looks. The original layout had a small shower, a large tub, and a Jack-and-Jill connection to the guest bedroom. We closed that off to craft a more private, spa-like primary bath, replaced the tub with a spacious walk-in shower, and moved the washer and dryer upstairs for everyday convenience.

Maximizing Every Inch of Space

Storage was one of the biggest priorities in this redesign. Before, the bathtub often became a landing zone for my Dyson and hair tools—a clear sign that better organization was needed. To solve that, we added a custom drawer inside the shower bench. It’s now the perfect home for hair supplies, hot tools, and accessories, neatly organized with *drawer dividers* and *drawer organizers*.
Switching to a *pocket door* was another simple but impactful update. It eliminated the issue of doors swinging into each other, opening up the space and making the new layout feel intentional and efficient.

Vanity Updates That Made All the Difference

The original vanity had great bones—spacious drawers and solid construction—but it sat a few inches too low. Instead of replacing it, we had our contractor raise the base by a few inches to reach standard height. Then we gave it a fresh coat of paint (SW 7025 Backdrop), *updated hardware*, and a new quartz countertop. The end result feels brand new!

Drawer-by-Drawer Organization

Once the renovation was complete, it was time to add systems that keep the space functional long-term. Every product was chosen with both form and function in mind—durable, easy to clean, and visually consistent so the entire space feels cohesive and calm.

Bamboo drawer dividers: Perfect for creating custom sections in deep drawers and giving everything a tailored look.
Clear acrylic drawer organizers: Ideal for everyday toiletries. Their modular, Tetris-style layout makes them easy to adjust and clean.
Pre-made acrylic makeup organizers: Keep different product categories separated and easy to find.
Under-sink storage drawers: A great way to take advantage of vertical space and make bulkier items more accessible.