Best of Design 2026: Best Renovated Bathroom

PHOTO BY ERIN ASH KELLY

Dr. Coralee Toal was used to having a small bathroom. She and her husband, Austin Everett, shared a tiny space, with a minuscule vanity, at their previous home in the South Side slopes.

“Many people commented that they were surprised our marriage had survived the size of our bathroom,” jokes Toal, an OBGYN with UPMC.

But when they moved to a nearly century-old Spanish Revival-style home in Squirrel Hill, the couple decided they could do with a little more space in the primary bathroom — as well as more pizazz in the white-tiled space. They enlisted designer Amanda Bock, who also redesigned their kitchen, to help make it happen.

“When we found the house it had so much character to start, but we knew we would need a professional touch to truly bring it to the best version of itself, and we knew some high-priority places like the kitchen and bathrooms would benefit from her vision,” Toal says.

PHOTO BY ERIN ASH KELLY

Bock says the bathroom had two unusual elements — a stained glass window above the toilet and a vestibule with a mirrored vanity that preceded the main space.

To create a unified domain, Bock eliminated the vestibule, but she kept the stained glass, which inspired the rest of the bathroom’s design, including the mossy green Zellige tiles found in the shower and surrounding the mirrors above the custom fluted vanity.

Green also happens to be Everett’s favorite color.

“If it were his way the entire bathroom would be green,” Toal says. “Thankfully I also enjoy green, and the house has beautiful stained glass throughout that primarily features — green! So it was a natural fit and our bathroom was a great moment to let some statement moments shine.”

PHOTO BY ERIN ASH KELLY

To keep the shower from looking too cavelike, Bock added a glass window on one side of the enclosure. At Toal’s request, Bock also arched the openings, which blend seamlessly with the home’s original architecture.

The smart design choices won over this year’s Best of Design judges, who named it their Best Renovated Bathroom for 2026. Judges also praised the furniture-like wood vanity and linen closet, which complement elements found in the reconfigured kitchen.

“I like that they picked materials that were inspired by the original time period,” says judge Crystal Knapik, a senior associate with CannonDesign in St. Louis. “It looks authentic to that time period without being too referential to it; it’s a subtle nod to the age of the house.”

Vendors

General Contractor: Steel Standard
Plumbing: Brizo
Cabinetry: Custom designed by Amanda Bock
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Lighting: Anthropologie
Flooring and tile: Cemento
Countertops: Armina Stone
Mirrors: Rejuvenation
Shower glass: Elegant Enclosures