Symmetry Rules in a Warm, Contemporary Bathroom in Missouri
Floating elements, clean lines and a glass mosaic accent wall create the room’s anything-but-ordinary style
After: Again, the picture window is at the bottom.
Solution: After running through many different layouts, Allmeyer and her clients landed on a symmetrical plan that gave each client a vanity and mirror. Behind the vanity on the left is the walk-in shower; behind the vanity on the right is the water closet. The partial walls behind them are at the same height; a vaulted ceiling covers all the spaces.
Solution: After running through many different layouts, Allmeyer and her clients landed on a symmetrical plan that gave each client a vanity and mirror. Behind the vanity on the left is the walk-in shower; behind the vanity on the right is the water closet. The partial walls behind them are at the same height; a vaulted ceiling covers all the spaces.
Splurge: “The large window wall is the first thing you see when you walk in the room,” Allmeyer says. “I knew it had to be an important focal point.” A stunning glass mosaic tile on the wall is the star of the room. The designer pulled colors from the mosaic for the rest of the room.
Accent tile: Mosaic in Firenze with Pearl finish, Lunada Bay; find mosaic tile
Accent tile: Mosaic in Firenze with Pearl finish, Lunada Bay; find mosaic tile
Details: Subtly sculptural vessel sinks and faucets with narrow profiles contribute to the sleek, contemporary style of the room.
Sink: Vox, Kohler; faucet: Loure, Kohler
Sink: Vox, Kohler; faucet: Loure, Kohler
Storage: While both husband and wife have a lot of room in their individual vanities for their toiletries, they did lose a linen closet in the process. Allmeyer added cabinet towers to make up for the loss.
Mirrors: Along with the chandelier, circular mirrors throw some curves into the space. Placing them opposite each other creates an infinity effect.
Inspired idea: The design evolved during the process. At first, designer and client had settled on vanities with marble countertops. The sides and bottoms would be wrapped in white thermofoil. But something was off, and, after running through a handful of different imitation thermofoil wood looks for the cabinet fronts, Allmeyer realized it wasn’t the look of the wood that was off, it was the look of the marble. She came up with an idea she’d never heard of before. “We decided to wrap all four sides of the vanities in white thermofoil,” she says.
The result is a graphic white outline around the contrasting doors and drawers of the vanities. “It looks so clean,” Allmeyer says. “The sides meet perfectly.” The final touch was lighting underneath the vanities that provides a pleasant glow at night.
The partial walls are covered in large-format porcelain tile. In this photo, the opening at the left leads to the walk-in shower.
Cabinet doors and drawers: Adriatic thermofoil by UltraCraft with doors in Silver Walnut and sides wrapped in Gloss White; wall tile: 12-by-24-inch Formula in Equation Grey, Daltile; browse bathroom vanities
The result is a graphic white outline around the contrasting doors and drawers of the vanities. “It looks so clean,” Allmeyer says. “The sides meet perfectly.” The final touch was lighting underneath the vanities that provides a pleasant glow at night.
The partial walls are covered in large-format porcelain tile. In this photo, the opening at the left leads to the walk-in shower.
Cabinet doors and drawers: Adriatic thermofoil by UltraCraft with doors in Silver Walnut and sides wrapped in Gloss White; wall tile: 12-by-24-inch Formula in Equation Grey, Daltile; browse bathroom vanities
The save: The shower walls are large-format porcelain tiles that resemble marble but are more durable and less expensive.
The shower floor is a marble mosaic.
Tile: 12-by-24-inch Florentine Carrara, Daltile; shower faucets: Loure, Kohler
More
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
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The shower floor is a marble mosaic.
Tile: 12-by-24-inch Florentine Carrara, Daltile; shower faucets: Loure, Kohler
More
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Bathroom
Read more about using tile
Find a bathroom designer
Room at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple of busy working parents
Location: Olivette, Missouri
Size: 141 square feet (13.1 square meters)
The backstory: “This bathroom was not bad — it was just ordinary, and my clients were looking to do something extraordinary,” says interior designer Arlene Allmeyer of RSI Kitchen & Bath. The room had a beautiful picture window, but the space in front of it was taken up by a large bathtub and deck that the homeowners never used.
Wish list:
- Get rid of the tub.
- Carve out a roomy walk-in shower.
- Create some privacy for the toilet area.
- Provide ample storage for the couple.
- Use stand-out contemporary style.
The homeowners’ great idea: The sophisticated take on a Sputnik chandelier helps bring the high vaulted ceiling down to human scale. “This project was a true collaboration between myself, the homeowners and Oberle Construction,” Allmeyer says. “My clients have great taste and they sourced this chandelier.”