European-Inspired Bathroom Blends Modern and Traditional Features
Streamlined elements, ornate details, thoughtful architecture and romantic touches combine in a primary bathroom
When this Bellevue, Washington, couple were ready to remodel their primary bathroom, they already had a team in place to help them do it. Architect Heidi Helgeson had worked with them on a previous home, and interior designer Kat Lawton had been helping them with furnishings, lighting and smaller cosmetic changes in their current home.
“They had a lot of projects they wanted to work on throughout the house, but their own bathroom was the most important one on their list,” Helgeson says. Accordingly, renovating this space served as phase one in their construction plan. The bathroom’s European-inspired blend of streamlined modern elements and more ornate traditional details established the couple’s style and set the tone for future projects in the home.
“They had a lot of projects they wanted to work on throughout the house, but their own bathroom was the most important one on their list,” Helgeson says. Accordingly, renovating this space served as phase one in their construction plan. The bathroom’s European-inspired blend of streamlined modern elements and more ornate traditional details established the couple’s style and set the tone for future projects in the home.
The bathtub’s new location is across from the bathroom entry door so when the homeowners walk into the room, they soak in this lovely view. “We took our inspiration from Belgian and other European design styles,” Lawton says. “This bathroom is a hybrid between clean contemporary and fussy traditional styles. I love the marriage between these two things. It’s something you often see in European design.”
An example of this marriage is the traditional tub juxtaposed with the streamlined wall-mounted plumbing fixtures. Cafe curtains in a sweet pinstripe wool sheer fabric from Rose Tarlow add softness, provide privacy and let natural light through.
Bathtub and plumbing fixtures: Kohler
An example of this marriage is the traditional tub juxtaposed with the streamlined wall-mounted plumbing fixtures. Cafe curtains in a sweet pinstripe wool sheer fabric from Rose Tarlow add softness, provide privacy and let natural light through.
Bathtub and plumbing fixtures: Kohler
A chandelier (see previous photo) inspired by French Art Deco offers indirect light at night. “We chose fixtures that provide diffused light because these clients preferred soft light,” Lawton says. “We also wanted to incorporate light fixtures that were more sculptural.” On the right, an embellished antique Italian candle sconce creates contrast with the streamlined chandelier.
Mollino medium tiered chandelier: Visual Comfort Signature
10 Bathroom Vanity Features Pros Always Recommend
Mollino medium tiered chandelier: Visual Comfort Signature
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To maintain indirect light throughout the space, Lawton had the mirror backlit. This helped her avoid using overheads or fixtures with exposed bulbs. “The contractor mounted the mirror to a piece of plywood,” she says. “This created reveals, where they installed LED tape lights.” Lawton then flanked the mirror with sculptural marble sconces that glow and direct the light up the wall. “One of my favorite details is that the fluting on the sconces echoes the bullnose shape along the top of the wainscoting,” she says. “Repetition is always important in design.”
Previously, the room had two vanities — one on this wall and the other on the opposite wall. To gain more space for linen storage, Lawton designed one long vanity with room for two sinks, plenty of countertop space and easy-to-access drawers. The vanity’s drawers, waterfall edge and feet give it a freestanding furniture look inspired by European design.
Vanity paint: Grecian Ivory, Sherwin-Williams; sconces: CB2; mirror: RH
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Previously, the room had two vanities — one on this wall and the other on the opposite wall. To gain more space for linen storage, Lawton designed one long vanity with room for two sinks, plenty of countertop space and easy-to-access drawers. The vanity’s drawers, waterfall edge and feet give it a freestanding furniture look inspired by European design.
Vanity paint: Grecian Ivory, Sherwin-Williams; sconces: CB2; mirror: RH
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Freestanding cabinetry, tumbled limestone flooring and a reclaimed antique door from France also bring in a Belgian look. The contractor retrofitted the swing door into a pocket door that opens to a toilet room. “This was very difficult, and he did an amazing job,” Lawton says. “Using this warped 1800s pine door was a way to bring in an interesting architectural element.”
The rug adds a classic diamond pattern to the floor in an unexpected seagrass texture. “This rug marries into the texture of the old pine door,” Lawton says. “It’s got a modern-yet-traditional quality. So it does all the things you need it to do.”
To increase the room’s storage capacity, Lawton found two freestanding cabinets that were a perfect fit for the space. “Using this furniture rather than designing custom cabinets was a savvy way to value-engineer the project,” she says. “The furniture also anchors the back wall.”
A small abstract painting in an ornate gold frame draws the eye. “It’s important to bring in some romance, more through the accents than through the architecture,” Lawton says. To help amp up the romance, she enlisted interior and floral stylist Teressa Johnson, who brought in the floral arrangements and accessories like the towels, soaps and perfume bottles.
Original seagrass rug: Rush House for Chairish; cabinets: Four Hands; painting: Chelsea Sommerfeld
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The rug adds a classic diamond pattern to the floor in an unexpected seagrass texture. “This rug marries into the texture of the old pine door,” Lawton says. “It’s got a modern-yet-traditional quality. So it does all the things you need it to do.”
To increase the room’s storage capacity, Lawton found two freestanding cabinets that were a perfect fit for the space. “Using this furniture rather than designing custom cabinets was a savvy way to value-engineer the project,” she says. “The furniture also anchors the back wall.”
A small abstract painting in an ornate gold frame draws the eye. “It’s important to bring in some romance, more through the accents than through the architecture,” Lawton says. To help amp up the romance, she enlisted interior and floral stylist Teressa Johnson, who brought in the floral arrangements and accessories like the towels, soaps and perfume bottles.
Original seagrass rug: Rush House for Chairish; cabinets: Four Hands; painting: Chelsea Sommerfeld
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In the shower, the porcelain slabs from the wainscoting continue on the shower bench, which is heated for extra comfort. “It’s important to me to include a water source like a handheld wand in a place where it can be used while sitting on a shower bench,” Lawton says. The main shower head is on the wall opposite the bench. Lawton placed controls for the shower heads in the center of the shower so the homeowners can turn on the water without getting wet.
The elongated subway wall tiles, laid in a brick pattern, provide subtle variation in soft tones. The tumbled limestone on the bathroom floor continues on the shower floor in the form of small-scale tiles. Because the homeowners were concerned about hair clogs in the shower, Lawton recommended a drain with a removable strainer that catches hair. The inset drain allows the tiles to continue in the center of the square, which makes it inconspicuous.
Wall tile: Cloé in white, Bedrosians; square shower drain: Infinity Drain
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The elongated subway wall tiles, laid in a brick pattern, provide subtle variation in soft tones. The tumbled limestone on the bathroom floor continues on the shower floor in the form of small-scale tiles. Because the homeowners were concerned about hair clogs in the shower, Lawton recommended a drain with a removable strainer that catches hair. The inset drain allows the tiles to continue in the center of the square, which makes it inconspicuous.
Wall tile: Cloé in white, Bedrosians; square shower drain: Infinity Drain
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos for ideas
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Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple who are empty nesters
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Designers: H2D Architecture + Design (architecture) and Kat Lawton Interiors (interior design)
The existing bathroom had a lot of dated design elements, including a two-sided fireplace, lots of glass block, badly proportioned arches and faux columns that served no purpose. “The bathroom had a lot of these nonfunctional elements taking up space,” Helgeson says. “This renovation was about making the bathroom more functional in the space that was available.”
The homeowners’ wish list included a soaking tub, a spacious shower stall, two sinks and ample storage and countertop space. Lawton took the lead on reworking the layout. To create a better flow and let more light into the room, she swapped the shower stall and bathtub locations. The window over the tub is new and is a duplicate of the existing window in the shower stall. “The bathroom felt like a cave before,” she says. “Flip-flopping the shower and the tub and adding the window really opened it up.”
While functionality was first on the homeowners’ priority list, making the room beautiful was a close second. Enveloping the space in marble-look porcelain slab wainscoting added a beautiful architectural element to every wall. Lawton used the slabs as the backsplash behind the vanity, then continued them at the same height around the room. She topped them with elegant bullnose trim pieces. This trim is simple yet adds some flair.
Wall color: White Heron, Benjamin Moore
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