Something More Than A Place To Shower
These homeowners were entering the retirement phase of their lives and were intent on spending their remaining years in the comfort of the home in which they felt happy and secure. To accomplish this goal, they wanted to convert their 30-plus year old master bath into something special yet very practical. Specifically, the homeowners wanted their new bath to provide a make-up space, a hanging closet, shoe storage, and seating for dressing.
By moving the paired sinks from an island in the center of the room to the outside walls of the room, what had been clumsy became extremely functional. The new floor plan also provided a great deal of additional counter and cupboard space, and individual shoe storage, and free-floating benches, which improved the way the clients were able to use and move about the area. By removing the existing steam shower, the clients were afforded a walk-in closet. The new tile surfaces, addition of GFI outlets, and lighting made the area more functional and certainly much safer, and the floor plan, with his and hers sides, made it easier for two people to use the space at the same time without getting into each other’s way.
The new design blended function and materials into a seamless representation of the client’s wishes. The repetitive detail in the tile, as well as the arrangement of the fixtures, brought better symmetry to the area. The darker maple against the lighter tile and marble countertops brought a strong sense of both contrast and continuity.
Custom millwork throughout the cabinetry and trim, along with the detail in the tile design and application, and a refaced fireplace on the raised sitting area between the master bedroom and bathroom lent that something extra, something special the homeowners were hoping for.
There were no innovative materials used in the remodel, but the materials were used in very creative ways. Readily available, but expensive tile was used to transition the functional areas around the space. The uniquely drawered custom cabinets throughout the space created more storage than would normally be available in comparable square footage, and the free-floating benches on either side of the central custom cabinets made the space more user friendly.
There were three obstacles in the remodel. Both the plumbing and electrical components had to be moved without altering the floor to ceiling dimension and within the current inner wall space. Moving the plumbing in a 30-year-old structure isn’t everyone's cup of tea, but was a necessity for relocating the dual sink areas from the middle of the room in a common chase to the sides of the room. Relocating both the electrical and lighting was also necessary for the new space. Between the two, the entire floor, wall and ceiling surfaces had to be removed then replaced to accommodate all the new electrical circuits and switches to best serve the space. Then there were the floating bench seats. With no structure under the bench, a structural member to carry the weight of the bench, and the person sitting on the bench became a problem. The fix had to be structurally sound and invisible. Two pieces of angle iron were sandwiched between the outside panels of the cabinet. Then the benches were slid over the protruding, horizontal pieces of the angle and secured to the bench.
The end result was exactly what the clients wanted from the project: a new, revitalized personal space they could use for many years to come.
