Bathroom of the Week: Clean Modern Style for a Master Bath
Designers transform a dated bathroom into a spa-like space with a better layout and new fixtures, finishes and storage
Comfort and an airy and clean modern style were the top requests of homeowners Mary and Doug Miller when it came time to renovate the cramped master bathroom in their home in Brookhaven, Georgia. The homeowners enlisted designer Lauren Hoke from Innovative Construction to manage the design, along with architect Cynthia Karegeannes.
“They knew they wanted a ‘wet room’ layout with the shower and the tub located together within the glass enclosure. They also wanted a very modern and clean look and feel, which resulted in full-flush overlay wood cabinets with slab fronts,” Hoke says. The new layout created a more efficient use of space with the open shower, deep tub and sleek cabinetry. The team resolved challenges from working through the pandemic and a snafu with the tile, and the result is a calming, sophisticated, spa-like space.
“They knew they wanted a ‘wet room’ layout with the shower and the tub located together within the glass enclosure. They also wanted a very modern and clean look and feel, which resulted in full-flush overlay wood cabinets with slab fronts,” Hoke says. The new layout created a more efficient use of space with the open shower, deep tub and sleek cabinetry. The team resolved challenges from working through the pandemic and a snafu with the tile, and the result is a calming, sophisticated, spa-like space.
Before: The previous layout was awkward, with the clunky positioning of a tub in the corner, across from a separate shower enclosure in the other corner (seen in the vanity mirror). A cluttered vanity had a serious lack of storage and counter space, and the fixtures, finishes, flooring and paint color showed their age.
After: The team installed a custom vanity constructed of white oak with a tung oil finish. Tung oil provides a durable water-resistant finish that resists mold and enhances the color of wood. The drawers provide plenty of storage, including clever solutions like the pullout trash drawer seen here. Coved crown molding creates an elegant transition between the walls and ceiling.
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
A push-to-open toe-kick drawer that holds a scale is another handy storage fix. The designers included two electrical outlets for even more convenience.
Before: The standalone enclosed shower was crammed into a corner of the previous bathroom.
After: The team eliminated the old tub and shower enclosure, creating space for the new wet room. The new shower area is opposite the tub and features matte black fixtures that include a fixed shower head and a hand-held one on a sliding bar.
Two recessed white quartz niches in the shower provide plenty of room for bathing supplies. The 8-by-20-inch soft white ceramic wall tiles brighten up the area and are textured, adding a stylish feel.
The designers sourced a teak bench and a shelf for the tub to match the floor, tying in the spa-like theme. In general, teak is resistant to mold and mildew and adapts well to water, but it needs to be oiled once or twice a year.
Matte black faucets match the hardware in the rest of the space and add a contemporary industrial feel that stands out against the white tub and tile.
The designers included a pony wall between the vanity and the tub in the wet room. “The pony wall was installed to provide a physical separation between the countertop and the tub. The tub faucet is located in the pony wall,” Karegeannes says.
The color scheme continues with the unpolished black floor tile that measures 12 by 24 inches, from tile store Traditions in Tile and Stone.
The color scheme continues with the unpolished black floor tile that measures 12 by 24 inches, from tile store Traditions in Tile and Stone.
Other design details include charcoal gray quartz countertops that extend up as a backsplash to the same height as the pony wall, and white quartz capping the top of the wall.
The homeowners store linens and towels in the tall cabinet atop the vanity. The designers chose recessed Kohler black-trimmed medicine cabinets with built-in vertical LED lights.
Here are the “before” and “after” floor plans that show a smarter use of space that provides the homeowners the functionality and comfort they were seeking.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Mary and Doug Miller
Location: Brookhaven, Georgia
Size: 225 square feet
Designers: Lauren Hoke of Innovative Construction; architect Cynthia Karegeannes
The centerpiece of the bath is the wet room, with its teak floor, soaking tub and shower area enclosed by frameless glass. The existing window bathes the space with natural light.
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