Doorless bathrooms, toilets behind glass walls, showers and tubs placed openly in bedrooms—these “open concept” bathroom trends are popping up more often. Some people find them exciting and modern, while others worry about privacy. In this episode we explore what’s driving this trend, where we stand on the bathroom privacy spectrum, and the practical trade-offs of open layouts. Sherry also shares a playful date-night idea for DIY couples, and I reflect on how taking a break from social media changed me in both positive and challenging ways. Plus: a cautionary tale about our own half-bathroom installation that went spectacularly wrong.
You can download the episode through major podcast platforms or listen on the site. Use this page to follow up on the links, notes, and photos referenced in the show.
What’s New
- Here’s a sneak peek of the house Sherry mentioned staging in the episode—the one staged with a more evening-oriented approach. After we recorded, it went on the market and sold within 12 hours.
- Sherry has showcased other staging projects in earlier episodes, where you can see more before-and-after photos and staging ideas.
- I also revisited my experience trying to detox from my phone. I originally experimented with a free course last winter, then later tried a premium 14-day program that offered additional structure and ideas for reducing screen time.
That’s Embarrassing
- The photo above shows the console sink we struggled to install. The exact model isn’t available anymore, but similar styles still exist.
- Below are two photos: the left shows the bathroom as it looked when we bought the house, and the right shows a quick paint-and-accessories refresh we did before a later full renovation.
- We don’t have complete documentation of this remodel because it happened during a period when we weren’t actively blogging. Here I am, mid-demo, making a face that, in retrospect, belies how difficult the project became.
- After stripping the room down, only my shoes remained. Fun fact: we kept the existing plumbing and simply spray-painted the exposed PVC to make it look more intentional.
- Once the installation issues were resolved, I reconnected everything. Relief looks subtle in the photo, but it was very real.
- We discussed this room’s full makeover further in our second book, where more details and photos are available for anyone interested in the complete transformation.
Listener Question
- Above is the Dream Hotel bathroom in South Beach that we mentioned from a past book tour stop—definitely one of those memorable toilet moments.
- I also found an old photo from our Toronto book tour that reminded me of a hotel bathroom with glass showers and blinds. We laughed remembering that the blinds were on the outside of the shower, meaning the person inside couldn’t control whether they were closed.
- If you want to read more about open concept bathrooms, several past articles and design features have covered the trend, its appeal, and privacy concerns—ranging from design roundups to critical takes on the movement.
We’re Digging
- We highlighted an unsettling article about a nightmare roommate situation that felt reminiscent of true-crime stories we’ve discussed before. For readers who prefer video, that piece includes a short video segment embedded on the page.
- On a lighter note, we’ve been enjoying small tabletop clocks for the kitchen; one compact pink clock recently caught our eye and fit perfectly on our counter.
- We also collected a few quiet tabletop clocks that are designed without an audible ticking sound—handy for bedrooms and quiet spaces.
If you want to find a specific topic we covered in a past episode but don’t remember which show notes to check, we keep a master list of everything we’ve discussed across episodes to help you track down past resources and links.
Finally, a thank-you to our sponsor, Universal Furniture, for supporting this episode. They ran a sweepstakes to win new bedroom furniture; past winners included listeners of this podcast, so we appreciate their continued support and engagement.
Thanks for listening and reading along.
*This post contains affiliate links*