Room of the Day: Little-Used Dressing Room Becomes a Master Bath
Defined zones create intimacy, while creamy marble tiles bring in warmth and classic style
No matter what layout configuration they tried, interior designer Larina Kase and designer-builder Adam Sherman couldn’t improve the function of a small Pennsylvania master bathroom — only its looks. So they asked the homeowners if they could instead turn an underused sitting and dressing room into a new master bathroom — and the homeowners went for it.
The homeowners wanted the room to have a classic look, with white walls and warm tones. Crema Marfil marble tile on the floor sets the stage for the refined room, which also has white paneled walls and millwork around the tub, sitting niche and toilet zones.
Flooring: Crema marble, Porcelanosa; paint by Benjamin Moore: Cotton Balls (walls) and Decorator’s White (wainscoting)
Flooring: Crema marble, Porcelanosa; paint by Benjamin Moore: Cotton Balls (walls) and Decorator’s White (wainscoting)
The only fixed piece left from the original room is the radiator, which is now concealed by a custom cover and sits behind a tufted bench.
Kase chose a dark vanity to create a focal point and provide contrast for the cream-colored marble countertop and white walls. “The warmth of the wood ties in nicely with the warmth of the Crema marble and paint,” Kase says. “It has a really timeless look to me.”
Vanity: Restoration Hardware; countertop: Caesarstone in Frosty Carrina; mirror: Ballard Designs
Vanity: Restoration Hardware; countertop: Caesarstone in Frosty Carrina; mirror: Ballard Designs
Adam Sherman of design-build firm Cottage Industries fabricated the molding on the jetted tub surround to match the original molding around the windows.
One of the homeowners created the art above the tub. It’s an enlarged photograph she took of a cherry tree in full bloom outside the window.
Tub deck: Crema marble, Porcelanosa; fixtures: Restoration Hardware
One of the homeowners created the art above the tub. It’s an enlarged photograph she took of a cherry tree in full bloom outside the window.
Tub deck: Crema marble, Porcelanosa; fixtures: Restoration Hardware
A new shower replaced what was orginally one of two master bedroom closets. The same marble tile that covers the floor lines this new space.
Tile: Porcelanosa; fixtures: Restoration Hardware
Tile: Porcelanosa; fixtures: Restoration Hardware
Pebbles lining a niche match those used for the shower floor. The homeowners liked how the colors blended with the other colors in the room. The pebbles also add a bit of texture without overwhelming the space. The different edges keep them from being too uniform, and the glass shelves float within the space.
Design-build: Cottage Industries
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Design-build: Cottage Industries
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Master Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with a school-age daughter
Location: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Size: Main room: 112 square feet (10.4 square meters); shower: 18 square feet (1.7 square meters)
Designer: Larina Kase Interior Design
Because this was essentially an empty space, Kase was able to design the layout from scratch. The spacious room allowed the homeowners to fit in all their requests, including a built-in bathtub, a double vanity and a small seating niche.
Lighting: Restoration Hardware; Quartrefoil Bone mirror (on back wall): Wisteria