Room Tour: A New En Suite Bathroom in a Converted Loft
Gorgeous dark green tiles, walnut furniture and crisp white sanitaryware have lifted this longed-for bathroom
When this Canadian family started to outgrow their home, the last thing they wanted to do was leave behind their beloved neighbourhood in Victoria, British Columbia. “This is a fantastic neighbourhood that’s walkable to shops, restaurants and the beach,” Robbyn McDonald of MAC Reno Design Build says. “We finished the attic to create space for a main bedroom suite and living room. They’d never had an en suite bathroom before, so they were really excited.” The new, light-filled bathroom is a fresh take on midcentury modern style.
“The jumping-off point for the room was the clients’ wooden towel stand,” Robbyn says. “We echoed it in the walnut floating double vanity unit.” The vanity unit sets a midcentury-modern-inspired tone, emphasised by brushed gold fixtures.
Simple mirrors with rounded edges maintain the clean look. The room has a lot of straight lines, so the subtle curves of the mirror frames add softness.
Simple mirrors with rounded edges maintain the clean look. The room has a lot of straight lines, so the subtle curves of the mirror frames add softness.
The vanity unit has three large drawers in the centre for efficient storage. There’s motion-activated lighting underneath. This makes navigating to the toilet alcove easy at night without turning on a bright light.
The worktop is a porcelain slab that looks like marble. The designers used the same porcelain on the shower bench. The bench is heated and serves as a toasty seat in the shower.
The worktop is a porcelain slab that looks like marble. The designers used the same porcelain on the shower bench. The bench is heated and serves as a toasty seat in the shower.
The flooring is also porcelain, composed of large-format tiles. The open door offers a glimpse into the main bedroom. Underfloor heating keeps the bathroom nice and warm.
The shower has a partial enclosure, which keeps the water inside. Tight insulation and energy-efficient glass on the windows and skylight help prevent draughts.
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The shower has a partial enclosure, which keeps the water inside. Tight insulation and energy-efficient glass on the windows and skylight help prevent draughts.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
One of the challenges in a loft renovation is addressing a lower ceiling. Placing the bath beneath the slope and adding the skylight was a good layout strategy here. It’s easy to get in and out of the bath without hitting the ceiling.
“The vaulted ceiling added height and visual interest, creating a cosy and inviting bath area,” Robbyn says. “Positioning the skylight above the bath brought natural light throughout the room, reducing reliance on artificial lighting.”
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
“The vaulted ceiling added height and visual interest, creating a cosy and inviting bath area,” Robbyn says. “Positioning the skylight above the bath brought natural light throughout the room, reducing reliance on artificial lighting.”
More: How to Plan for a Bathroom Renovation
Midcentury modern style also inspired the sumptuous green tiles in the shower. Their vertical composition nods to the era. The tiles are glossy, with 3D bevelled edges – a fresh update on the style, as tiles from the era would have been flat.
Flauti tiles in Sage Gloss, Ceramic Tileworks.
Flauti tiles in Sage Gloss, Ceramic Tileworks.
The tucked-away toilet behind the shower wall has privacy and light from a small window. The green tiles and brushed gold accessories keep the space cohesive with the rest of the bathroom.
“High-quality materials and precise construction techniques ensured the bathroom met industry best practices for sustainability, water conservation and performance,” Robbyn says. These include:
“High-quality materials and precise construction techniques ensured the bathroom met industry best practices for sustainability, water conservation and performance,” Robbyn says. These include:
- Updated plumbing and mechanical systems.
- Water-conserving shower fixtures.
- Low-E energy-efficient windows that create a tight envelope.
- Underfloor heating that provides even, energy-efficient heat.
- LED lighting.
- Plenty of natural light to reduce the use of artificial lighting.
Here’s a glimpse of the bathroom from the new bedroom.
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What do you like about this bathroom redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
See more of this project.
Tell us…
What do you like about this bathroom redesign? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A young family
Location Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Room dimensions 11 sq m
Designer-builder MAC Reno Design Build
Photos by Dasha Armstrong Photography
The new bathroom includes a double vanity unit, a generous walk-in shower, a freestanding bath and a private toilet alcove behind the plumbing wall in the shower. The shower has a long bench with a hand-held shower wand above it. There’s no tray, so the floor slopes imperceptibly to direct water to a linear drain next to the bench.
To increase the loft space, the firm removed the home’s existing hipped pyramid roof. It framed the walls a few feet higher, then added a new cross-gable roof.
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