our primary bath design, part 1
Before I go into the details of our primary bath design, let me give you a bit of background. My husband and I married in September of 2018 and at that time had been looking for a home in a particular area for a few months. My husband is a firefighter for our local township and therefore, had to be within a certain distance within the township limits. After looking for months. we finally decided on a two bedroom, two bathroom, 1450 sq. ft. home. We knew there was going to be quite a bit of work to update the home and an addition be completed adding another bedroom for children in the future. We chose the home because of the location and the 10 acres the home sits on. Our driveway is just shy of 1500 sq. ft. from the road, the drive back feels as if you’re driving to another part of the world. We knew the home could be modified but the location and land could not. We ended up closing two weeks before our wedding.
OUR WISHLIST
Fast forward to 2019, we started our addition to the back side of the house in July. The addition started off as a walkout basement with two bedrooms and a shared bathroom on the top floor. As planning began, I thought if we were going to add an addition it would be better suited to utilize the space versus having two bedrooms go possibly unused. We were currently in the original primary bedroom with two smaller closets and primary bath that was a bit dark and felt closed in. We decided the new plan would be our primary bedroom, bathroom and closet along with a small bedroom and bathroom. This decision actually makes for two primary ensuites within the home after completion of the addition.
When designing our primary bath I knew I wanted a soaking tub with views of our property. My husband on the other hand, wanted a large shower with a rainfall shower head. We were also in need of storage for linens, clothing hamper, extra bathroom supplies, etc. We wanted the room to feel light and airy with a nod to the outdoors in which we are surrounded by. It was a challenge to fit everything into the narrow space but with some creativity we were able to come up with the design below. You’ll see as I walk through some of the changes from the rendering I created to the finished design in part 2, the overall feel of the room stays the same and accomplished everything we needed on our list.
THE LAYOUT
As you can see below, I kept each piece to the perimeter of the space and was able to tuck the toilet in between the shower and the linen closet, which works well for our needs. I didn’t want the toilet visible when looking directly into the bathroom. I know I may be a bit crazy with this one but this is a detail that I’m glad was considered. Next to the toilet is the linen closet matching the vanity cabinets. The soaking tub is placed in the corner with views, completely private, on both sides. We also decided one sink for our vanity would be appropriate for the way we live. I know a lot of people will disagree with this and that is ok! My husband and I rarely get ready at the same time which was obviously key in making one sink work. Dare I say my husband’s version of getting ready is a five minute routine, slightly different than mine! The vanity is 60”, two sinks would have fit but would’ve been tight and not have allowed for much counter space. Two sinks would also be more expensive and more work to clean and in the end we simply didn’t NEED two sinks. Good design is implementing plans around how YOU live within a space.
THE FINISHES
When choosing the finishes, we wanted a neutral color palette we wouldn’t tire of in a few years. I also knew I wanted a tile underfoot that felt as if I was walking on pebbles resembling a barefoot walk outdoors. Penny tiles is a great option and looks beautiful next to the 18” narrow tile chosen for the walls. The splurge in the bathroom was the countertop for the vanity. We chose a stunning quartzite I am absolutely in love with. The slab has such a beautiful, neutral tone and natural veining throughout. After installing quartz in our kitchen I knew I did not want to go that route again, more on why in another Journal post. It was pricier than quartz but a decision I am thrilled with everyday. For the faucets and hardware we chose a chrome finish to give the space a bit of elegance. Your choice for hardware can make such a different within a space depending on the overall look and feel you are attempting. I think an aged black, not matte black, would’ve looked really fantastic too. I also wanted very simple vanity sconces and can lighting overhead, possibly a lamp for soft, evening lighting. There were changes from the original finishes and what we ultimately chose, I’ll go more into that why the reveal.
Stay tuned for part 2 to see how each piece of the design process came together. We are very happy with the final result and think you will enjoy it too! Let me know if you have any questions below.
xxLH
