Portfolio

Sometimes you wonder what builders thought in the past. This bathroom served as the only full bath for a two-story, three-bedroom home. Initially, I could stretch my arms and touch both main walls side to side. They determined the home’s footprint and stuffed the required spaces into it. The clients’ young, growing family needed an overhaul. We expanded the bathroom into the adjacent oversized bedroom closet. We pushed the bath wall over about one foot, but that little change made a big difference. This allowed us to switch from a pedestal sink to a full vanity, adding much-needed storage space for the family.

Although controversial, we proposed eliminating a bathtub for a more spacious walk-in shower. The large horizontal niche stores necessary bathing supplies and adds space around the arms. In a 30-inch wide shower, this extra niche space means comfort versus cramped conditions when washing hair and using the hand wand. These changes make the bathroom feel more suited to the home’s size and the clients’ growing family. The end result is a more functional and enjoyable space.

Additionally, we updated the lighting fixtures and installed energy-efficient LED lights. These changes enhance the bathroom’s aesthetics and reduce energy consumption. We also self-leveled the floors to be perfectly flat, as the old house had settled towards the doorway. This adjustment ensured a safe and comfortable environment, eliminating any uneven surfaces.

This bathroom showcases Zellige, a new tile trend that is gaining popularity. Known as ‘the perfectly imperfect tile,’ it mimics authentic handmade Moroccan tile. It features an organic gradient of color, imperfect flatness, and a 3-dimensional look and feel. As a perfectionist, it can be hard to install a tile meant to look imperfect, but the end result is stunning. We eliminated tile trim details around the niche and curb, favoring miters and epoxy on the corners. This maintained the organic minimalist appeal and added to the overall design. This trend seems to be a new instant classic and will likely become a staple in modern bathroom designs. The combination of practicality and aesthetic appeal makes this renovation a standout project.