A Fresh Start

Nothing beats starting the New Year with a truly spectacular bathroom transformation.  We love a good design challenge and this bathroom was the perfect opportunity to clean up the elements, streamline the design to create a beautiful and relaxing space for our clients.

The master bath at our Preston Hollow Contemporary Craftsman project had fallen into disrepair from unexpected water damage and years of use. The original bathroom had a mix of styles with craftsman sconces, traditional tile, a tired tub and worn cabinetry and an odd mix of details. There were also funky hanging towel rods and a shower seat that divided the space and restricted flow.

Our goal was to unify the style of the room to create a serene and functional environment and update the fixtures and finishes. As a first step in any bathroom remodel, we had to address the floors. There was an odd step between the shower and the main floor that we wanted to eliminate.

Loving Stripes as I do, I though it would be a dynamic pattern for this bathroom floor and would be a modern detail to unify the space. We selected a durable grey porcelain floor tile paired with a Carrara White mosaic stripe that has a mix of honed and polished marble pieces. Small details, like combining stone textures, elevates the space and add interest. We worked hard to get the stripe centered on the entry door and with the contractors help, successfully figure out how to remove the small step down.

Another move to modern, was tiling the entire shower and tub area.  The original bath had a tile wainscot, drywall and wood window surrounds, broken up by 2 windows.  There was no consistent look on the walls.  Also, since we had 2 windows in the shower /tub area, it was important to make the walls and windowsills water resistant.  We decided to take the 12” square honed Blanco Carrera tile to the ceiling and remove the wood window jambs and sills and use stone slab.  It’s a crisp look and visually simplifies the walls adding to a more serene space.

For another modern touch, we stacked the wall tile instead of the traditional running bond pattern and paired it with a frameless glass panel to define the shower space but also create a functional divider between the shower area and the bathroom’s entry door. To balance the graphic lines of the floor and the walls, we added a graceful egg shaped modern tub. The old tub was too traditional and large for the new sleek space.   A beautiful rain shower head and modern lever handle fixtures in polished nickel finish off the space.

The existing cabinetry was classic in feel, but needed new paint and hardware. We decided to keep it to save on cost, but changed out the countertop in exchange for a thicker Carrera top with a waterfall edge on the left side facing the tub.  Not only was this a nice look, but also it protects the side of the vanity from tub splashes.  With fresh paint and new t-pull cabinet knobs the existing vanities look fresh and new.

To balance out the cool tone of the tile and stone, we deliberately introduced warmer furnishings. A pair of saddle stitched chestnut leather mirrors hang above each vanity.  Rich teak wood is used in the shower and on the countertop accessories. These accents furnishings along with the polished nickel sconces with paper shades interject the right balance of residential details.

Although odd, the client loved the old towel rack and asked for plenty of spots to hang towels.  Since we removed the racks throughout, we had to very carefully placed towel rods and hooks out of direct sight so they were functional for the client but didn’t clutter the space.

Want to see more bathroom remodels? Check out the previous blog on my powder bath remodel, Before & After: My Bathroom’s Interior Design Update.