Bathroom of the Week: Colorful Tile and Streamlined Comfort
A designer strikes a compromise between midcentury and eclectic style for a couple’s primary bathroom
Designer Kaitlyn Wolfe had to find a balanced compromise for this couple’s primary bathroom. “He is Swedish and loves a Scandinavian midcentury modern look, while she likes things a little more eclectic,” Wolfe says. The new design balances clean lines for him with colorful and dynamic geometric tiles that dance up the wall for her. Most important, it has a feel that suits them both — hygge, a Danish word that describes a warm and cozy atmosphere that encourages a comfortable lifestyle.
After: The first item that set the tone for the room was the wall-mounted teak vanity. “This cabinet brought in a lot of warmth,” Wolfe says. “And they had used the same teak veneer in the kitchen, so it created a cohesive feel in the house.”
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Exposed dovetail details on the vanity are a construction element that adds to the midcentury modern vibe. The countertop is plain white quartz, and the sink is one long trough, with two space-saving wall-mounted faucets above it. The mirror is a simple frameless rectangle centered over the vanity and sink. These elements brought in the clean lines the husband loves. In addition, Wolfe added backlighting behind the mirror and undercabinet lighting beneath the vanity.
One might assume that the dynamic tile was the jumping-off point for the design, but it wound up being the last thing they chose. “The tile we’d originally picked had a very long lead time, so we needed to find something else after we’d already planned out the rest of the bathroom,” Wolfe says. “This tile is so colorful, it’s super warm and it plays off the wood beautifully.”
The screen-printed tile is made in Portugal and has a handmade look. The shapes and colors brought in the eclectic and fun look the wife craved. “As soon as she saw it, she loved it and knew it was the one,” Wolfe says. The designer was able to customize the colors and shapes and then render the composition for her clients to approve. Then the tile company laid it out based on the square footage. “There were also specific tiles with glazed edges to place around the window,” Wolfe says. “Installation was a challenge.” But the tile installer completed the job beautifully.
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Tiles: After Lowry, Smink Studio
The screen-printed tile is made in Portugal and has a handmade look. The shapes and colors brought in the eclectic and fun look the wife craved. “As soon as she saw it, she loved it and knew it was the one,” Wolfe says. The designer was able to customize the colors and shapes and then render the composition for her clients to approve. Then the tile company laid it out based on the square footage. “There were also specific tiles with glazed edges to place around the window,” Wolfe says. “Installation was a challenge.” But the tile installer completed the job beautifully.
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Tiles: After Lowry, Smink Studio
Carefully curated accessories like these vases also suit the wife’s eclectic taste.
Browse wall-mounted faucets in the Houzz Shop
Browse wall-mounted faucets in the Houzz Shop
The pendant lights are milk glass and metal. They add some circular shapes and more dashes of yellow to the room. They also have a midcentury modern spirit to them.
Find the right vanity lighting for your bathroom
Find the right vanity lighting for your bathroom
For extra storage, Wolfe installed a tall recessed medicine cabinet near the vanity. The teak veneer is the same one used on the vanity.
After: “Both of them were interested in a wet-room concept, with the tub and shower placed behind the same enclosure,” Wolfe says. Two large panes of clear glass flank the opening to the wet-room space.
Removing the shower stall’s wall allowed the large window to bathe the entire bathroom in natural light. Wolfe replaced the glass block with reeded glass that has a vertically oriented texture.
The flooring in the main part of the bathroom consists of large-format concrete tiles that measure 3 by 3 feet. The transition into the wet room is curbless, but the flooring changes to jumbo (2-inch) pebble tiles that work well with the wall tile and add more circles to the mix of shapes in the room.
Jumbo penny rounds: Bedrosians Tile and Stone
Jumbo penny rounds: Bedrosians Tile and Stone
The freestanding tub has a beautiful and simple sculptural shape. “The organic shape and matte finish are really nice,” Wolfe says.
Bathtub: France & Son
Bathtub: France & Son
After: With the wall removed, the shower is larger and airier. Wolfe sized a large niche to maintain the lines of the tiles — no cuts were required. “This kept things looking clean,” she says.
She chose plumbing fixtures that are also very simple and clean, including this circular shower head. The finish on all of the fixtures is brushed stainless steel, and she included a handheld wand in the shower.
She chose plumbing fixtures that are also very simple and clean, including this circular shower head. The finish on all of the fixtures is brushed stainless steel, and she included a handheld wand in the shower.
Fun little robe hooks with the simple lines the husband loves and bold color the wife loves hang outside the wet-room area.
“This couple was such a joy to work with that we felt like family by the end,” Wolfe says. “And it was fun to find the right balance that made them both happy.”
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“This couple was such a joy to work with that we felt like family by the end,” Wolfe says. “And it was fun to find the right balance that made them both happy.”
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Size: 125 square feet (12 square meters)
Designer: Kaitlyn Wolfe of Iconic Design+Build
Before: “The existing bathroom was like a maze,” Wolfe says. “There were a bunch of walls and it was chopped-up.” And the style suited neither his nor her taste.