Powerful Pattern in a Blue-and-White Bathroom
A designer packs function, light and style into 66 square feet
Before. The bathroom was dark and dated. And with all the kids almost grown up, no one needed a bathtub anymore or enjoyed showering in the tub-shower combo. The vanity was golden oak and low, and the floors were sheet vinyl.
Scope of work. This was a down-to-the studs renovation. Work included repairing the skylight, fixing problems with the ductwork, which was not properly connected to the furnace, and adding insulation to make the bathroom warmer and more soundproof. Also, the new floor has radiant heat, something much appreciated during Ontario’s cold winters.
Tip: Repairing the ductwork allowed Cross to hide the register in the toe kick underneath the vanity rather than letting it interrupt the herringbone marble floor.
Layout. The homeowners were pleased with the layout, though they wanted increased storage. Keeping the toilet in the same spot made sense and eliminated the expense of moving any plumbing lines. If you look in the mirror’s reflection you can see that the new shower stall is to the left. The toilet area is to the right.
Tip: Repairing the ductwork allowed Cross to hide the register in the toe kick underneath the vanity rather than letting it interrupt the herringbone marble floor.
Layout. The homeowners were pleased with the layout, though they wanted increased storage. Keeping the toilet in the same spot made sense and eliminated the expense of moving any plumbing lines. If you look in the mirror’s reflection you can see that the new shower stall is to the left. The toilet area is to the right.
Mirror. “The skylight overhead was the only source of natural light in the room. It was very dark,” Cross says. “Using one big mirror helps bounce that light all around the room.” She also notes that using separate mirrors over each sink would have looked choppy, cluttered and less modern.
Lighting. “The lighting design was really important because the room was so dark,” the designer says. In addition to pot lights in the ceiling to enhance the skylight, she mounted two long and elegant hand-rubbed brass-and-glass sconces right onto the mirror. This also helps bounce the light around the room.
Lighting. “The lighting design was really important because the room was so dark,” the designer says. In addition to pot lights in the ceiling to enhance the skylight, she mounted two long and elegant hand-rubbed brass-and-glass sconces right onto the mirror. This also helps bounce the light around the room.
Vanity. One problem with the existing layout was a lack of storage. In order to include the homeowner’s must-have, a linen cabinet, Cross shortened the vanity. At 66 inches long, it still has plenty of room for two sinks. It is also a more updated height, 34½ inches. Underneath, the deep drawers have cutouts to fit around the plumbing. Cross had the plumbers fit the P-traps in as far back as possible to eke every inch out of the drawer space. And their slab doors have a modern look.
Vanity and cabinet color: Blue Nose, Benjamin Moore; countertop: Swanbridge Quartz, Cambria; faucets: Grandera, Grohe; sinks: Ladena, Kohler; check out more two-sink vanities
Vanity and cabinet color: Blue Nose, Benjamin Moore; countertop: Swanbridge Quartz, Cambria; faucets: Grandera, Grohe; sinks: Ladena, Kohler; check out more two-sink vanities
Color and material palette. Cross contrasted the blue with white and hints of gray. The countertops are quartz with a soft gray veining pattern. The vanity, linen cabinet and mirror frame pick up on the wallpaper’s calm blue hues. She used a lacquer finish and added lucite and hand-rubbed brass cabinet hardware that echo the silhouettes and finishes on the sconces.
“I love to mix metals,” Cross says about her choice of polished chrome for the faucets, towel bars and shower fixtures. “I think it’s modern and it adds depth to a design. Sometimes when you use just one finish it can make your eyes just glaze over. The golden tones of the brass add warmth and another dimension.”
“I love to mix metals,” Cross says about her choice of polished chrome for the faucets, towel bars and shower fixtures. “I think it’s modern and it adds depth to a design. Sometimes when you use just one finish it can make your eyes just glaze over. The golden tones of the brass add warmth and another dimension.”
Linen closet. The tall new linen closet is 26 inches wide and 24 inches deep. This provides plenty of space for towels, cleaning supplies, toilet paper and other toiletries for the homeowners’ kids.
Shower. The new shower has a rain shower head and a mounted handheld one, and the thermostatic controls are on the left side of the shower so they can turn them on without getting wet (the shower door swings both ways).
Tile. The field tile is a large polished porcelain 12-by-24-inch tile. The shower floor is small white penny rounds. Both have white grout. “We already had enough pattern going on in here, so I kept it simple,” Cross says. She used the same quartz from the vanity on the thresholds.
Niche. She added some flair to the back of the three shower niches (one for each of the homeowners’ children) with a hexagonal mosaic tile.
Shower fixtures: Grandera, Grohe; niche tile: Nature Opalo Hex Mosaic, Onix
Tile. The field tile is a large polished porcelain 12-by-24-inch tile. The shower floor is small white penny rounds. Both have white grout. “We already had enough pattern going on in here, so I kept it simple,” Cross says. She used the same quartz from the vanity on the thresholds.
Niche. She added some flair to the back of the three shower niches (one for each of the homeowners’ children) with a hexagonal mosaic tile.
Shower fixtures: Grandera, Grohe; niche tile: Nature Opalo Hex Mosaic, Onix
Toilet area. If you check out the “before” photo, you can see that there used to be a full wall between the tub-shower and the toilet, making this the darkest corner in a dark room. Cross moved the shower’s plumbing wall to the opposite side so she could put in a knee wall topped with clear glass. This made the area lighter and brighter. And the glass surround makes the room feel larger and more open.
“This room is less muted than the rest of their home, but a bathroom is a chance to do something unexpected because it’s in a private area of the home,” the designer says. “People shouldn’t be afraid of pattern and color. It truly adds joy to a home and makes people happy.”
Takeaways
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“This room is less muted than the rest of their home, but a bathroom is a chance to do something unexpected because it’s in a private area of the home,” the designer says. “People shouldn’t be afraid of pattern and color. It truly adds joy to a home and makes people happy.”
Takeaways
- A large mirror lets you bounce more light around the room.
- When using a strong pattern, let the other elements be supporting players, not competitors.
- Mixing metals gives a room more personality.
- Repeat a countertop material on shower thresholds for continuity. You can have them all cut from the same slab.
- Have a little fun with a shower niche.
- Hide an unsightly HVAC register in the toe kick under a cabinet (this works in kitchens and other rooms too).
- Let a lively pattern bring some joy into your home.
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: This is a family bath for a couple’s three children. Two are away at college and one will be leaving for college soon.
Location: Near Toronto
Size: 66 square feet (6 square meters); 8 by 8 feet
Designer: Sandra Cross Interiors
This family bath had been untouched since the house was built in the 1980s. Its dramatic makeover began with a striking wallpaper. “I have been working with these clients on this house for awhile,” says interior designer Sandra Cross. “They had been in it for years and their style has evolved from traditional to a more modern transitional one.” Cross knew a patterned wallpaper would be pushing them out of their usual comfort zone, but she also knew the back wall of the bathroom, seen here on the right, would be visible from the hallway and staircase and was an opportunity to draw the eye with a special view. “I proposed this wallpaper and a quieter one, but once one of the homeowners saw this one she knew she had to have it,” she says.
Wallpaper: Thibaut; browse blue geometric wallpapers