Re-Imagine: Your Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the busiest rooms in a home and because of this it is important for the bathroom to be comfortable, clean and organized. Even a tiny powder room can be well organized. I instantly fell in love with the bathroom in the images below after seeing it in House Beautiful! Here are a few tips for a gorgeous bathroom that are often overlooked:

I have always loved natural light in a bathroom, nothing is better than soaking in the tub and looking out at the stars! Use a thin roman shade on the window for privacy. Consider adding a ceramic garden stool or small bench to set a drink or magazine.

This bathroom is spacious and has everything you could possibly need. Marble tiles line the walls of the bathroom for a grand aesthetic as well as convenience to keep clean. The band of blue glass mosaic tiles wraps around the perimeter of the space giving the feeling of being underwater. If using paint on the walls make sure you use mildew resistant paint and install an efficient fan!

When choosing materials for use in your bathroom consider these first: 

Can it get wet? For instance wood is not the best choice for a bathroom because it can mold.

How does the product handle water? If you want large stone slabs make sure they are honed or choose smaller tiles for added grout lines and therefore better slip resistance.

Think about the fixtures in your home. Do you use dark bronze or brushed nickle? 

I think it is perfectly fine to mix metal accessories in interior decor, however I try to coordinate metals for fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen.

If you want your bathroom to feel like a spa consider adding unique 

touches such as a large soaking tub, a teak wood bath caddy and luxe over sized cotton towels.

Consider a rain shower over head and built in features that make your shower enclosure feel custom, when you have a dedicated place to set shampoo and soap clutter can be cleared once and for all.

A band of glass tiles can be an inexpensive way to add color or pattern to your shower. 

Small bathrooms or powder rooms are the perfect opportunity to use the highest quality products.
(You may only need 10sqft of carrara marble tiles to cover the floor, making luxury affordable.)

 To determine what type of vanity you need think about who will be using the space. 

How will you be using the space and what items you need storage for. Are drawers or shelves better? Open or closed storage? Vanities can be built-in or free-standing, you can even use an antique dresser or sideboard. Proper lighting in the bathroom is also important, layer lighting from overhead ambient lights to task lighting near the mirror and in the shower surround.

This vanity is free-standing and has good open and closed storage, drawer dividers can be used to organize toiletries. The open shelf below the sink is a convenient place to store towels.

When choosing a mirror make sure that it will not rust or get mildew from steam. A simple and elegant beveled glass mirror can be a great choice adding a bit of feminine detail.

Make sure you have hooks or towel bars so that towels don't end up all over the floor 

and if you have the space add a designated place for a laundry hamper.

 All images courtesy of House Beautiful.

Often overlooked, these tips can provide an easy update for your master bath or powder room.
Cheers to a wonderful weekend!

Look That I am Loving...

Lately I have seen so many gorgeous photos of dark walls and am absolutely loving the look. When choosing paint schemes for clients I often select lighter colors to make the space feel lighter, brighter and larger. However I think that deep, rich tones can dramatically change the look of a space and should not be overlooked when redesigning your home.

One of my favorite rich charcoal grays: Farrow & Ball Off Black No. 57

Happy Thursday!

Home Tour: Alice Lane Private Residence

I found this home last year while searching for design inspiration and am so happy to share it with you today. Designed by Alice Lane as a private residence in Provo, Utah. The exterior resembles a palace and the interior is nothing short of royal. This residence has "14,000 elegantly detailed square feet". The pale aqua trim contrasts with the neutral stone siding and sets the stage for the interior color scheme. The round dormer windows are picturesque, I can only imagine the view from inside!

This is such a gorgeous entry, I love the rounded ceiling and that amazing door.

The sweeping staircase is made of finely-crafted patina rails. The wood floors in the dining area were set in a chevron pattern which is an unexpected and unique detail.

Rather than painting the walls a dark color and the trim white they left the walls white and stained wood for the moulding and details. I think this is a great way to showcase the beautiful wood grain.

The wood ceiling and large beams mix beautifully with the casual linen furniture and the fireplace is perfect scale and aesthetic for the space, I love it!

A large kitchen island can add work space in the kitchen as well as a casual place to dine. 

The kitchen has an over sized apron front farm sink. I Love the tile back splash that goes up the walls to the tops of the cabinets.

Open shelves are a great way to display pretty dishware. The designers coordinated the colors of the tile with the colors of the dishware, these are the details that make up a gorgeous design.

A mixture of gilded golds, patina metals and dark bronze make up a ensemble of
natural metals in the space and contrast well with the soft linens and pale blue tones.

The details are extraordinary!

All photos courtesy of Alice Lane.

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