Bathroom of the Week: Thoughtful Balance Brings Serenity

“After” photos by Kathryn Perry of Ascendant Imaging

Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two kids
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Size: 145 square feet (13 square meters)
Designer: Jeremy Lanier of ReVision Design/Remodeling

Before: Lanier collaborated on the project with the wife, who picked out the light fixtures and a fabric for the Roman shade. “My clients wanted to keep the footprint of the room intact,” he says. “The main goal was to update the look.” This included getting rid of the soffits, replacing the jetted tub and surround with a freestanding tub, eliminating a large shower bench and bringing in fresh finishes. At the left is a linen closet; the door at the back leads to the toilet room.

As for style, Lanier began by clocking what his clients liked as he walked through their home. “As soon as I walked into the house, I could see that the living room space was an incredible sleek, speakeasy-like lounge that was drenched in dark and moody colors,” he says. “We were also redoing their closet, and I could see her fantastic fashions and noted the colors she liked.” Overall, he could see that they liked elegant transitional style.

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To bring color to the room, Lanier found an earthy sage green paint, Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams. He used it on the vanity, the ceiling and the mirror frame.

“Early on we discussed a sheet mirror versus wall-hung mirrors,” the designer says. “My client was interested in the idea of mounting sconces to the mirrors, and the sheet mirror reflects lots of light on this wall. It would have looked dark in comparison to the window over the bathtub if we’d used wall-hung mirrors.” By framing the mirror in green, continuing the backsplash up to meet it and adding molding at the top, he elevated the look of the mirror.

The wife picked out the sconces, which appear doubled by the mirror’s reflection. They are brass in a bamboo pattern.

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The countertops and backsplash are an engineered quartz by Cambria. “This product has an embossed texture where the veining dips in. This gives it a tactile feel,” Lanier says. “Repeating the same quartz on the countertops and backsplash is a great way to unify the space. We were adding some details in here that were louder punches, but the repetition makes it feel serene.”

The faucets and cabinet hardware are polished nickel. It’s a classic choice that adds another traditional touch. So does the Art Deco style of the faucets.

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Lanier mixed kerfed, or grooved, cabinet doors and slab-front drawers on the inset cabinetry. In the transitional mix, the inset style and slab fronts are modern, while the kerfing adds just the right amount of traditional style as well as texture.

Functionally, the cabinets provide husband and wife with their own sets of drawers and doors. Lanier also included a pullout for easy access to everyday products.

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Lanier repeated the floor tile on the shower walls. This is another use of repetition that adds to the calm feel.

Lanier deliberately chose a shower door handle that can double as a towel bar. “There’s not a lot of wall space in here for towel bars, so this was a good opportunity,” he says.

“We blended a pale green penny tile into the shower on the floor and in the niche,” Lanier says. This brings in some of the green from the rest of the bathroom in a subtle way.

Lanier repeated the countertop quartz in the shower, including on the curb, on a ledge, on top of the pony wall and in the niche.

“My client wanted a ledge tucked out of sight for bath products. This allows her to keep the shower niche looking pretty, as it’s within view of the rest of the bathroom,” Lanier says. A small toe ledge makes leg shaving easy.

Before: The large jetted tub with the tiled deck surround was one of the most dated elements in the room. “My clients really liked having a bathtub in here and wanted one to serve as a focal point,” Lanier says.

After: The new freestanding tub has clean lines. Lanier added a traditional floor-mounted faucet for balance.

“My client picked out the light fixture. She knew she wanted something that would add a little bit of a statement without distracting from the shade fabric,” Lanier says. “I love that this one is matte white and works as a secondary player to the shade.” It’s also great to look at when lounging in the tub and staring at the green ceiling.

“We wanted to give the walls around the tub a bit of detail to balance the rest of the room,” Lanier says. “We looked to the existing water closet door’s paneling and repeated the lines on the walls around the tub.”

When the water closet door is open, it allows for a peek at the wallpaper. Lanier pulled the color from the Roman shade fabric.

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“Going into the project, my client knew she wanted to wallpaper the water closet,” Lanier says. “This one has a playful pattern and adds texture without being overwhelming. It also works with the color palette really well.”

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