THAT SINKING FEELING The biggest issue was the sink, which had to be tiny to clear the door. A pocket door was not possible. Not visible, above, is a floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinet on the wall opposite the toilet.
As design dilemmas go, this one seemed especially puzzling. The space in question was a bathroom with a tub at the far end (and a hard-to-use ledge beyond it), a tiny pedestal sink wedged into a corner by the door, and awkward angles just about everywhere. Its style was outdated and frenzied, and the sink, toilet, and tub were “oddly scaled,” to quote Gregory Jagmin, one of the designers we consulted. We hoped to make it pretty, and more functional for a family that uses it both as a powder room (it’s on the first floor) and as a full bath (it’s the only one in the house with a tub).
We called in three design pros to hear what they’d propose, bearing in mind that the room could not be expanded, that the tub had to remain, and that the house is occupied by tall people. We asked architect Julie Fisher and designer Arden Nelson for complete renovations at any cost; we challenged Jagmin to come in under $2,000, excluding labor. Their ideas were inspiring and could be implemented in any bathroom. Maybe yours?
Kohler small Greek bath is extra deep.
SOFT MODERN
Julie Fisher
fcstudioinc.com
312-850-0850
Fisher’s plan involved a mix of high-end finishes and lower-priced accessories, all with an Asian accent that felt right for the Prairie-style bungalow. She designed a shallow granite console over a low-back San Raphael toilet from Kohler, to spread out toiletries. Floating red shelves from Ikea match the red in the wallpaper on the opposite wall. A spa stool, also from Ikea, tucks under the console and provides storage. A tall mirror draws eyes up to the room’s high ceiling.
FLOOR Ann Sacks Penny Round ceramic tile, Savoy.
ACCENT WALL (not shown on plan) ROMO Rubani wallpaper from Workroom, 773-472-2140. “Brings some femininity to the room but is not girly. The colors are still masculine.”
WALL TILE Two colors of 24-inch square Lino linentextured porcelain, Ann Sacks
SINK Eden Bath rectangular wood vessel sink, efaucets.com
Illustration: John Kenzie
Photography: (Tile And Wallpaper) Leonard Gertz
Glass door shows off the light-filled window vignette.
GLAM
Arden Nelson
abninteriors.com
773-251-9510
“I like a classic, timeless look,” says Nelson, “not fussy.” She mixed antiques—a chandelier and a mirror—with new elements such as concrete tiles made in Mexico, and suggested a sink with squared-off corners from Duravit’s 1930s Series. Nelson’s genius stroke was to build up the triangular space next to the tub to the window line, and include a niche for shower essentials. Clad in travertine, the structure provides a place for plants and other decorative touches, and eliminates worry about grout getting wet and dingy over time.
TUB AREA Slabs of ivory travertine, Belstone, belstone.com
FLOOR AND WALLS Eight-inch square concrete tile, Ormi collection, from Mona Lisa Stone & Tile; Farrow & Ball’s Ranelagh wallpaper. “I wanted to get in some color because everything is so neutral.”
ACCENT TILE Brown ceramic tile from Ann Sacks Medina collection
LIGHT Italian chandelier, circa 1960; Ivy Home at Lakeside Antiques, 269-469-4467
Illustration: John Kenzie
Photography: (Tile And Wallpaper) Leonard Gertz
Floor-to-ceiling curtain adds elegance.
COTTAGE COOL
Gregory Jagmin
312-316-0968
Jagmin was given the task of providing a low-cost, quick-fix makeover that did not involve replacing wall tile or tub. His advice was to clean up and regrout existing tile and to splurge on a custom-made monogrammed floor-to-ceiling white linen shower curtain (Stockholm linen, from Fishman’s Fabrics) to completely hide the tub area. Inexpensive beadboard, which hides a multitude of plaster sins, was another key component. He suggested a calm gray and white color scheme; a train rack from Pottery Barn holds towels.
SINK American Standard Town Square pedestal sink, Home Depot
LIGHT Boston Functional library wall light, antique nickel, circalighting.com
WALLS Benjamin Moore Thundercloud Gray (“A dark color will make all the odd angles recede, and will make the white seem even whiter.”)
FLOOR Glossy black penny-round porcelain tile, luxetile.com (“In older bathrooms, a white and black floor appears clean even when it’s not.”)
Illustration: John Kenzie
Photography: (Tile And Wallpaper) Leonard Gertz