Recent Project: Bathroom Renovation

My client said her bathroom went from "Motel 6 to 5 star!"  This was a fun project that was a true collaborative effort to transform a master bathroom.

As with all projects, they start with an interview to find out my client's needs and desires.  I look at pictures to see their dream spaces to determine the style they are drawn too.  You also need to consider the style of the home and their current style.  This particular client lives in a beautiful historic home in downtown Annapolis.  The house is filled with mostly traditional furnishings along with artwork and accessories from their travels.  Their desire was to update their bathroom with an updated traditional look with classical details.

The next step is to take detail measurements and put them in Autocad.  Then a before and after floor plan is created with notes for the contractor.  We used the existing footprint because we could not steal space from anywhere else.

The design process for a bathroom can be different then that of a living room that uses fabrics and floor coverings.  This bathroom had little opportunity to introduce fabric because there are no windows and a shower curtain would not be used in the new design.  There was one piece of artwork that was to stay but it was neutral in color.  So basically the tile we selected was the starting point.  From there, the cabinet style, vanity top, plumbing fixtures, lighting and hardware were selected.

So here is the BEFORE picture...

Here's Dave, the contractor and perfectionist at work.  He's the same contractor who installed the kitchen in the 100 year old cabin that you can see here...Time to Get Cozy in the Kitchen.

Here's the AFTER picture.  You can click on the picture to enlarge.  I'm sharing the pictures before the frameless shower doors go in so you can see the tile work without the glare of the glass.   

You'll notice the tile with the classical look of marble.  Keeping the tile background more white versus beige keeps the space feeling lighter and brighter.  Granite was used for the vanity top, thresholds, and shower seat.

Here's another BEFORE picture from the other direction...

Here's the AFTER picture.  We used polished chrome fixtures and accessories, my finish of choice.  The lighting fixture is a great accent.  I can't say enough about how important it is to have good lighting fixtures.  They can make or break a space.  We also added can lights in the ceiling for good general lighting.  There's also a skylight above the shower that floods the space with lots of great natural light.

Here's a recessed cabinet with mirrors on the inside and an electrical outlet.  This bathroom is shared by both the husband and wife so outlets were needed on both sides of the vanity.

We used a "square" shape for most of the fixtures and accessories.  I like the simplicity of the one handle faucet keeping the surface of the vanity less cluttered.

Here's the old toilet...

Here's the new Toto toilet with the client's artwork above.  We considered the Kohler Cimarron toilet but in order to save another inch or two on length, the Toto toilet was installed, a definite upgrade in look also.  My client's artwork, another classical touch, is a replica of the Nike, warrior goddess of victory, adjusting her sandal.

This is the original Nike found at the Temple of Athena, Athens, Greece.

Another view of the Toto toilet.  But also notice the shower tile in the background.  Simple and elegant.

Floor tile is laid on a diagonal.

Here's the vanity with inset doors and drawers and pretty hardware.  I like to mix shapes for the hardware.

Here's the shower seat and niche for toiletries.  We used 7x11 tiles in the shower.  This tile shape is more contemporary but when used with the more traditional marble look, it strikes a nice balance.

Here you can see the 2x2 tile used on the floor of the shower.  What you can't see is the wall tile going all the way up to the ceiling.  This helps elongate the walls and doesn't leave an awkward section of wall above.

One more AFTER picture...

I hope you enjoyed seeing this recent project.  I feel fortunate to have another wonderful client to work with who really enjoyed the design process.  

Don't forget to click on the above pictures to get a closer look!

Have a great weekend!