Bathroom Makeovers
Bathroom of the Week
Bathroom of the Week: Cobalt Vanity Energizes a Luxe Space
A designer mixes marble, a geometric tile pattern and a bold vanity in a primary bathroom for parents of young children
With seven young children in the household, this couple needed their primary bathroom to serve as a luxurious retreat. At the same time, interior designer Kelly Finley created a room that could energize them on sleepy mornings. With its dynamic geometric floor tile and dazzling cobalt vanity, the bathroom helps wake up the homeowners before they even step into the shower. And functionally, the designer carefully planned certain elements to work for her clients’ tall heights.
After: Finley worked within the 80-square-foot footprint, removing the tub and placing a large shower stall along the wall with the window. She replaced the existing window with one placed higher up for privacy. It still lets in plenty of natural light.
The new, expansive shower measures 8 by 3½ feet and is one of the most luxurious features of the bathroom. The dual shower head aspect was a must-have for the couple. They each have their own designated side of the shower where they keep their toiletries.
The two circles underneath the window are thermal controls. Finley placed them so the homeowners can step in and turn on the shower without getting soaked by cold water. She chose the wood bench to add a warm touch in the room.
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The new, expansive shower measures 8 by 3½ feet and is one of the most luxurious features of the bathroom. The dual shower head aspect was a must-have for the couple. They each have their own designated side of the shower where they keep their toiletries.
The two circles underneath the window are thermal controls. Finley placed them so the homeowners can step in and turn on the shower without getting soaked by cold water. She chose the wood bench to add a warm touch in the room.
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This floor tile was the first thing Finley and her clients chose and it served as the starting point for the material palette. The marble mosaic leans more traditional while the dynamic geometric pattern makes it modern. The tiles have a variety of gray tones in them as well as lots of movement. Finley continued this tile from the main portion of the bathroom onto the shower floor.
While most of the hues in the space are white, gray and black, the vibrant cobalt vanity electrifies the color palette. “Originally we were going to keep it more simple with a white oak vanity,” Finley says. “But then I realized I wanted to give them something more fun, interesting and colorful. They were game, and the bathroom is luxurious either way.”
The bold color squarely marks the vanity as a focal point in the room. Its symmetry makes it pleasing to the eye, while wall-mounted matte black faucets help maintain the clean, uncluttered look. Finley also recommended wall-mounted faucets for function. “The vanity wasn’t deep enough for deck-mounted faucets, and because both of the homeowners are over 6 feet tall, these work better for them,” she says.
Another item on the must-have list was recessed mirrored medicine cabinets with outlets inside. The curves of the cylindrical sconces, round faucet fixtures and hand towel rings add softness in a room full of crisp straight lines.
Vanity paint: Pitch Blue, Farrow & Ball; medicine cabinets: Robern
Browse black wall-mounted faucets
The bold color squarely marks the vanity as a focal point in the room. Its symmetry makes it pleasing to the eye, while wall-mounted matte black faucets help maintain the clean, uncluttered look. Finley also recommended wall-mounted faucets for function. “The vanity wasn’t deep enough for deck-mounted faucets, and because both of the homeowners are over 6 feet tall, these work better for them,” she says.
Another item on the must-have list was recessed mirrored medicine cabinets with outlets inside. The curves of the cylindrical sconces, round faucet fixtures and hand towel rings add softness in a room full of crisp straight lines.
Vanity paint: Pitch Blue, Farrow & Ball; medicine cabinets: Robern
Browse black wall-mounted faucets
“The house is a Craftsman and has lots of pretty wood trim, so we chose wood and metal pulls to play off that,” Finley says. The hardware stands out like jewelry on the cabinetry, whose inset style provides a clean look. (Inset means the drawer fronts and door frames fit inside the cabinet face frame openings.)
The countertop and backsplash are quartz with marble-like veining. Quartz is harder than marble and therefore less susceptible to scratches and chipping.
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The countertop and backsplash are quartz with marble-like veining. Quartz is harder than marble and therefore less susceptible to scratches and chipping.
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For the shower surround, Finley chose a marble tile with a more subtle color range than the floor tile. While the material adds a traditional touch, the larger-than-standard subway tile proportions lean contemporary, as do the matte black shower fixtures. The black stands out against the light grays and white and plays off the darker hues in the floor tile.
Two sheets of clear glass serve as the enclosure on either side of the shower. “Our clients absolutely did not want a shower door, so we did a lot of case studies with the placement of the opening and the shower heads to make sure we prevented the water from splashing out onto the bathroom floor,” Finley says. Also, because the homeowners are tall, making sure the shower heads were properly placed to function well for them was another important consideration.
With a heated towel warmer conveniently located next to the shower, the couple can easily step out and grab a nice, warm towel.
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With a heated towel warmer conveniently located next to the shower, the couple can easily step out and grab a nice, warm towel.
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On the right, a pony wall separates the shower stall from the vanity area. Finley wrapped the same quartz around the pony wall and the shower curb.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The trim around the window is original. “At first we thought about painting all the trim white but decided that keeping the wood of the original Craftsman trim added warmth,” Finley says.
The one-piece toilet has a minimalist skirt that makes cleaning easy. Even the toilet brush holder has a sleek, minimalist look.
The one-piece toilet has a minimalist skirt that makes cleaning easy. Even the toilet brush holder has a sleek, minimalist look.
This is the homeowners’ bedroom. The cobalt vanity inspired a custom upholstered cobalt headboard that Finley designed and had made.
Before: The small square on the right in this floor plan represents the pedestal sink. Finley kept the toilet in the same spot in the remodel.
After: Finley didn’t expand the footprint of the bathroom, but placing the shower stall under the window and using clear glass on the enclosure opened up the space. The new layout has an easy flow that makes it feel bigger and airier.
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More on Houzz
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their seven children
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 80 square feet (7.4 square meters)
Designer: Kelly Finley of Joy Street Design
Before: “The bathroom looked like something on a spaceship,” Finley says. The pedestal sink offered no storage or counter space. And the tub-shower combo provided only a small area for showering.