Room of the Day: Ferraris, Fossils and Bubbles Inspire a Bath Update
A pink 1950s bathroom decimated by black mold is brought back to life with color and loads of artistic touches designed by the homeowner
Psychologist Jan Ferris knows what she likes and what rubs her the wrong way. She disliked her 1954 pink bathroom, but it wasn’t until two difficult life events struck — the death of her father and a leak that destroyed her bathroom — that she decided to finally tackle some upgrades. Ferris tapped into her former practice as an artist and embraced her love of color to create a cheerful new bathroom that also helped her heal.
AFTER: Ferris kept the same locations for the sink and toilet, but swapped out the tub and separate shower in lieu of a larger glass-walled shower. The original shower was small, completely tiled in and dark. Friends balked at her decision to get rid of the tub because of resale value, but Ferris stuck to her guns. “Resale value be damned,” she says. “You only live once.”
The idea for using round tiles was inspired by her master’s degree art project years ago — a futuristic magnifying glass she made with tinted fluids and bubbles. “I wanted to design something cheerful and uplifting,” she says. “I like color. I think most people are afraid to use bright colors. Psychological research proves they can impact mood.”
Glass shower installation: Yanev Hergass of Edden Glass and Mirror
The idea for using round tiles was inspired by her master’s degree art project years ago — a futuristic magnifying glass she made with tinted fluids and bubbles. “I wanted to design something cheerful and uplifting,” she says. “I like color. I think most people are afraid to use bright colors. Psychological research proves they can impact mood.”
Glass shower installation: Yanev Hergass of Edden Glass and Mirror
Her hunt for just the right tile ended when she found Mercury Mosaics’ Bubbles. Besides offering just fun-colored circular tiles, the manufacturer gives the option of having textured patterns pressed into the clay before glazing, as shown here in the detail. Because Ferris collects fossils, these tiles especially spoke to her.
Ferris selected the color mix and arranged the tile in a random pattern. She designed and fabricated the circular mirror, which continues the bubble pattern.
Stainless steel sink: Elkay; chrome-finish faucet: Hansgrohe via Costco; soap dispenser: SimpleOne by Philippe Taglioni, Accelerated Intelligence
Stainless steel sink: Elkay; chrome-finish faucet: Hansgrohe via Costco; soap dispenser: SimpleOne by Philippe Taglioni, Accelerated Intelligence
Ferris used Bubbles on the walls and floor as well. She solved an adjacency problem with the floor tile by ordering 1-by-1-inch floor mosaics, which come on a mesh, instead of standard-size floor tile. Wherever she wanted to embed Bubbles, she removed a couple of the mosaics and fit it in with some minor tile cutting. “Worked like a charm,” she says. Her standard poodle, King, lounges on the floor.
Mosaic tile: Sandstone mix #8323-H, Jasba
Mosaic tile: Sandstone mix #8323-H, Jasba
On the shower wall, a single ribbon of Bubbles interspersed with mosaics climbs the height of the wall and continues the length of the floor.
To help counter the high cost of the specialty tile, Ferris used an economical large-format ivory wall tile for the background. These tiles have thin beige pinstripes, and she mixed up wavy, bas-relief tiles with flat ones.
Porcelain wall tile and bullnose: Infinity Crema, Fanal
To help counter the high cost of the specialty tile, Ferris used an economical large-format ivory wall tile for the background. These tiles have thin beige pinstripes, and she mixed up wavy, bas-relief tiles with flat ones.
Porcelain wall tile and bullnose: Infinity Crema, Fanal
Ferris also ordered as many products online as possible and painted the walls herself. While not noticeable in the image, this isn’t ordinary wall paint. There’s two coats of a water-based metallic with a light pearlescent finish. A third coat applied by Ferris with a sea sponge adds a nuance of shimmering texture.
Since she knew exactly where she wanted the Bubbles tile to be, she helped her tile contractor with installation.
Silvered blown-glass artwork installed on the wall opposite the shower ties into the bubble theme. Ferris used special curved drywall hooks to hang the larger ones, and a small nail was sufficient for the smaller globes.
Artwork: Wordly Goods; wall paint: Oyster ME-705, Modern Masters; toilet with top washlet: Toto
Since she knew exactly where she wanted the Bubbles tile to be, she helped her tile contractor with installation.
Silvered blown-glass artwork installed on the wall opposite the shower ties into the bubble theme. Ferris used special curved drywall hooks to hang the larger ones, and a small nail was sufficient for the smaller globes.
Artwork: Wordly Goods; wall paint: Oyster ME-705, Modern Masters; toilet with top washlet: Toto
Far from conventional, Ferris wanted her vanity to be “something Ferrari-like,” she says. She attributes her love of sweeping, sculptural curves to being half Italian. She designed the bow-front vanity and hired a cabinetmaker to finish it with a metallic silver lacquer.
With lots of storage in the vanity, there was no need for a medicine cabinet. However, to help hide the contents and add another splash of color, she designed textured turquoise art glass to be inserted in the doors.
Vanity carpentry: Yosef Kadoori of JK Carpentry; cabinet hardware: Snyder Diamond
With lots of storage in the vanity, there was no need for a medicine cabinet. However, to help hide the contents and add another splash of color, she designed textured turquoise art glass to be inserted in the doors.
Vanity carpentry: Yosef Kadoori of JK Carpentry; cabinet hardware: Snyder Diamond
The inset shower niche shows off one of Ferris’ prized possessions — an ammonite fossil. Ferris collects ammonites and hopes to someday build a backlit ammonite wall.
Tilework: SB Tile
More
10 Things to Consider Before Remodeling Your Bathroom
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
Tilework: SB Tile
More
10 Things to Consider Before Remodeling Your Bathroom
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Artist and psychologist Jan Ferris and her standard poodle, King
Location: Los Angeles
Size: About 94 square feet (9 square meters); 8½ by 11 feet
Ferris is a no-fuss sort of woman with three art degrees and a doctorate in psychology under her belt. Before her father’s death, she spent three months taking care of him in Florida.
When she returned home to Los Angeles, she found a mess: A leak had flooded portions of the home with several inches of water, and black mold was growing up the walls, including in the master bathroom.
BEFORE: Even before the water damage, she disliked the space. The vanity jammed against the tub, making everything feel crowded. The vinyl flooring had to go, and the lighting was an issue — there wasn’t enough of it. “Overall I pretty much detested the entire room,” she says. “It was very bland and reflected none of my personality or aesthetics.”