Date:  June 2, 2024  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Angela Alexander  |  

Designer Kristen Booth updates her home’s primary bath, making full use of the space and creating calm in the process

Is this the house?” It was a phrase that echoed in Kristen Booth’s mind when she first saw pictures of what is now her west Little Rock home. At the time, Kristen and her family were living in Virginia and working remotely with local Realtor Brandy Harp when she became excited about the promise of this listing. “It needed some love but it had great bones, the price was right, and I knew we could make it what we wanted,” she says.

While Kristen and her husband, Austin, started big projects like a kitchen renovation and electrical upgrades prior to moving in, they lived with the primary bath for more than a year, taking time to figure out what features would best suit them at this stage of life. It soon became obvious raising the height of the vanity counters, updating uninspired contractor-grade mirrors and lighting, and expanding the shower to fill the space were priorities. “It had the tiniest little shower that we referred to as ‘the cruise ship shower,’” Kristen recalls. “It was like this house was built knowing that whoever ended up with it was going to renovate anyway.”

In planning, she opted to stay with the existing plumbing layout. “We wanted to save where we could while using the renovation to better fill the space,” she says. She also weighed replacing the tub with a freestanding option. “I love sitting on the side of the tub and bathing my kids, and you can’t do that in a freestanding,” she says. “So functionally, it made more sense to go with this,” she adds, pointing to the newly installed tub with a wood surround that matches the cabinetry. Existing built-ins were updated with new doors, hardware, a fresh coat of paint, and personalized accessories that give a collected-over-time feel that’s reflective of Kristen. “I want someone to look at my style and not be able to place a timeline on when it was done,” she says. Here, a blend of antiques and contemporary selections alongside mixed metals all play into the idea of a design that has thoughtfully come together. “Your bath is most likely your quiet haven or your little oasis away from the world, so you want it to feel peaceful,” Kristen says. “It’s a nice feeling when you travel and stay at a hotel and think, I really like what I did at home; I can’t wait to get back to it.”

“My favorite projects are the ones that really address the needs of the client—how they’re going to use it and how it’s going to fit their lifestyle.”
—Kristen Booth

Finding a Niche
The shower wall was designed to conceal a niche that’s perfectly sized for soaps and sponges. The same quartz seen on the countertops and shower surround outline the cubby and pair with the walls’ porcelain tile.

Fresh Formation
The semi-flush light over the tub complements the room’s soft white palette while its scalloped shape gives the fixture a personality all its own.

Detail Oriented
Raising the height of the vanity allowed Kristen to personalize the design with a textured profile on the front. “I wanted it to look like a piece of furniture,” she says. Mixed finishes—seen on the burnished brass hardware and nickel faucet—add to the curated look.

Character Addition
With little wall space near the tub and shower entrance for towel hooks, Kristen found a solution in an antique African pot bench—a piece that is as functional as it is intriguing.

Design Resources
Interior design Kristen Booth, Kristen Booth Design Accessories, hardware, fixtures, lighting, mirrors, and tile Kristen Booth Design Countertops Countertop World Glass Sherwood Glass Hardware and lighting (sconces) Pottery Barn Millwork JL Price Construction