Room of the Day: A Handsome Master Bath for Him
A spacious second master bathroom is overhauled with functional farmhouse style
Sometimes a house divided can stand — at least when it comes to having separate bathrooms. That’s what this husband and wife discovered when they chose to create two distinct master bathrooms, one for her on the first floor, the other for him on the second.
The existing bathroom for him wasn’t short on space, but its vanilla, builder-grade appearance and boxy layout needed spicing up. The couple tapped designer Bethany Van Hecke for help, and she developed zoning for optimum function, storage and a new elegant-yet-handsome look that features the work of local artisans.
The existing bathroom for him wasn’t short on space, but its vanilla, builder-grade appearance and boxy layout needed spicing up. The couple tapped designer Bethany Van Hecke for help, and she developed zoning for optimum function, storage and a new elegant-yet-handsome look that features the work of local artisans.
To create more usable area, Van Hecke designed a privacy wall that puts the toilet in its own zone, hidden from view from the entry.
She replaced all of the fixtures and made some adjustments to accommodate their new locations. However, to keep costs down, she kept the drains where they were. She also retained the original wood vanity because it was in good shape and stylistically fit the new scheme.
None of the windows or doors were modified, and because the gorgeous view is of fields and woods, there was no need for privacy, so the windows remain delightfully bare.
Red wall paint: Tuscan Russet UL-110-1, Behr; Dryden toilet paper holder in Venetian Bronze, Delta; toilet: Boulevard, American Standard
She replaced all of the fixtures and made some adjustments to accommodate their new locations. However, to keep costs down, she kept the drains where they were. She also retained the original wood vanity because it was in good shape and stylistically fit the new scheme.
None of the windows or doors were modified, and because the gorgeous view is of fields and woods, there was no need for privacy, so the windows remain delightfully bare.
Red wall paint: Tuscan Russet UL-110-1, Behr; Dryden toilet paper holder in Venetian Bronze, Delta; toilet: Boulevard, American Standard
The frameless glass shower features two shower heads: an overhead rainshower and a wall-mounted handheld.
The floor is clad in eco- and water-friendly Marmoleum with a wood-grain look.
The design approach for the bathroom contrasts contemporary with traditional. For example, classic subway tile joins a modern mosaic linear band in the shower, and the traditional clawfoot tub was modernized with glossy black-painted feet.
The palette itself is a narrative in contrasts too: dark grays and black set against whites and a pop of red. “I used red because it is dramatic and luxurious, but also masculine,” Hecke says.
Flooring: Striato in Petrified Wood, Marmoleum/Forbo; shower deorative tile: 5/8-inch Cristallo in Trento, Dalla Terra; shower fittings: Addison Collection in Venetian Bronze, Delta; shower floor pebble tile: Tiger Eye Sliced Pebbles, Dalla Terra; frameless low-iron shower glass: Starfire; glass shower construction: Paul Crawford, Crawford Studios
The floor is clad in eco- and water-friendly Marmoleum with a wood-grain look.
The design approach for the bathroom contrasts contemporary with traditional. For example, classic subway tile joins a modern mosaic linear band in the shower, and the traditional clawfoot tub was modernized with glossy black-painted feet.
The palette itself is a narrative in contrasts too: dark grays and black set against whites and a pop of red. “I used red because it is dramatic and luxurious, but also masculine,” Hecke says.
Flooring: Striato in Petrified Wood, Marmoleum/Forbo; shower deorative tile: 5/8-inch Cristallo in Trento, Dalla Terra; shower fittings: Addison Collection in Venetian Bronze, Delta; shower floor pebble tile: Tiger Eye Sliced Pebbles, Dalla Terra; frameless low-iron shower glass: Starfire; glass shower construction: Paul Crawford, Crawford Studios
Local furniture company Live Edge Design crafted the two salvaged maple wood shelves that create a perch for small bath accessories and soften the austerity of the ceiling and roof lines.
David Scott, the grandfather of a friend of Van Hecke’s, made the towel rack from copper pipe and rocks gathered from the nearby Tsolum River.
On the opposite side of the bathroom, the original vanity base remains intact, but upgrades were made with the new undermount sink and quartz countertop.
Van Hecke says that in terms of improving this area, the sloped ceiling was a limiting factor in ensuring there was adequate headroom, so a larger sink was challenging. To make the most of the awkward space, she opted for much-needed storage and designed an angled set of built-ins.
Boulevard 0610 undermount sink, American Standard; countertop: Serra Polished, Viscostone; Blackrock drawer pulls in Brushed Bronze, Amerock; Atomic Industrial Guard sconce in Black, Barn Light Electric
More
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Van Hecke says that in terms of improving this area, the sloped ceiling was a limiting factor in ensuring there was adequate headroom, so a larger sink was challenging. To make the most of the awkward space, she opted for much-needed storage and designed an angled set of built-ins.
Boulevard 0610 undermount sink, American Standard; countertop: Serra Polished, Viscostone; Blackrock drawer pulls in Brushed Bronze, Amerock; Atomic Industrial Guard sconce in Black, Barn Light Electric
More
How People Upgrade Their Main Bathrooms, and How Much They Spend
Bathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: The husband of a couple who previously worked in the oil and gas industry. He and his wife recently pursued a lifestyle change and bought a hobby farm on Vancouver Island.
Location: Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, Canada
Size: 132 square feet (12.3 square meters); 11 by 12 feet
Interior designer: Bethany Van Hecke
The previous master bathroom configuration, though roomy, was squarish, with all the fixtures, including an enclosed acrylic shower and a clunky built-in jetted tub, against one wall, leaving much wasted space in the middle. Storage was lacking too.
Designer Bethany Van Hecke says her client didn’t have any particular demands regarding the overall look of the new bathroom, but he did like her suggestion of a free-standing tub. Taking his lifestyle and the farmhouse itself into consideration, she thought a cast-iron clawfoot tub would be fitting. Plus, there was room to accommodate both a tub and a separate shower. The tub was one of the project’s splurges, along with its sculptural stand-up faucet.
Wall paint: Bleached Linen, Behr; wood side table: homeowner’s collection; artwork: by Vancouver Island artist Helen Utsal; Valley cast iron bathtub, Valley Acrylic (exterior painted by manufacturer); faucet: Virage single-handle free-standing tub filler in Venetian Bronze, Brizo