At the Intersection of Art, Architecture & Design » A Modern Remodeled Hall Bath – At the Intersection of Art, Architecture & Design

A Modern Remodeled Hall Bath

Jackie Braitman — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:54:57 +0000

A Modern Hall Bath Remodel

Before we remodeled, this bath was a classic hall bath dating from the 1950′s. White and black tile, gray-patterned Formica countertops, a standard white enameled cast iron tub and black, white and red geometric wall paper (probably from the 1970′s). The client wanted a comfortably sized shower with the ability to independently operate a hand-held shower and overhead shower; she wanted lots of storage and a modern style that would blend with the newly modernized split level in upper Northwest, Washington, DC. But she wanted ”water” shades of blue, aqua and green instead of the muted palette of grays, charcoals, and mauves used in the rest of the house. She did not, however, want the bath to feel like it belonged at the beach. And, of course, since you could see the bath as you walked up the stairs to the bedroom level, the colors still had to blend with the more muted palette of the house. Finally, as with the rest of the remodel, she wanted to be conscientious of environmental concerns.

The old bath (see picture below) was dismantled so that all the useable materials could be re-used. Most of the materials were donated to Community Forklift, a local non-profit that collects and sells surplus and salvaged building materials. Additional items that Community Forklift wasn’t interest in were given away using Craig’s List and Freecycle.

We used a local cabinetmaker to craft the cabinets. He uses a local mill. Thus we supported the local economy as well as limiting transportation. We also used countertop and tile material that employs over 80% recycled source material — Bioglass countertops and Eco-Terr terrazzo tiles from Coverings, Etc.. While these materials are manufactured overseas, we selected in-stock material that had already been shipped. It was a compromise. The lighting is a mixture of energy-saving fluorescent and LED.

To control costs, the plumbing fixtures all remained in their original locations. The only structural change was to widen the doorway from 24″ to 32″.

To reduce the “beach” look, the water colors are deep and intense tones. Plus we introduced warm, honey-toned alder cabinets. To blend the palette with the rest of the house, the terrazzo has the muted grays found in the rest of the house. The hallway leading to the bath employs a deep grayed brownish/mauve on the walls and a deep reddish-rust in the carpet. These tones are near complements of the “water” tones of the glass and paint making for a pleasing transition. [See discussion on using color complements.]

Notice the design of the glass tile. We used a 1″x4″ mosaic on the floor under the floating vanity and up the wall a variable amount. This resulted in a variable horizontal grout line separating the gradations of color moving up the vanity wall and in the shower — creating a gentle wave effect.

The shower uses separate mixing valves for the ceiling mounted rainhead-style shower head and a bar-mounted hand-held shower. The hand-held bar is installed low enough to allow it to be used as a body spray directed to the shoulders or low-back. The hand-held has a variable spray to allow a gentle or pulsing spray. The separate shower mixing valves allow the hand-held and shower heads to be set at different temperature and to be used simultaneously.

Detail of Vanity and Floor Tile

View of Bath From Hallway

View of Shower

: Bath Before RemodelingShower Before Remodeling

Sources:
	Donation of Salvaged Materials	Community Forklift
	Cabinetry	Design: Braitman Design/Build
	Countertop – BioGlass	Coverings, Etc
	Terrazzo Tile – Eco-Terr	Coverings, Etc
	Glass Tile – Artic Line	Medici Mosaics
	Faucets, Towel Rods, Sink	Lacava
	Toilet (dual flush, ADA Compliant	Kohler
	Shower Pan (solid surface material)	Royal Stone
	Medicine Cabinet	Wave

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

Using Color To Accentuate the Architecture

Jackie Braitman — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:01:03 +0000

Cabinets Finished with Oyster Milk-Paint

You don’t think color when you look at this kitchen from this view – the cabinets are an oyster milk paint finish. In this view, only the island cabinet is a cobalt blue milk paint.

Cabinets Finished with Cobalt Milk-Paint

But look from this angle and cobalt blue is a dominant color. The impact of the cobalt is heightened by its limited and dramatic use. We use it on the island cabinet, the hutch seen in the foreground, and the angled wall that designates the basement stairway. Often basement doors are an uninteresting or even ugly note in older homes. In this home, we moved the door to the basement to the basement level which allowed us to open up the stairwell with a see-through glass cabinet. New wood paneling in the stairwell is painted the off-white used on the trimwork throughout the house. The white of the stairwell plus the deep cobalt of the angled wall, adds interest and a sense of space to this remodeled kitchen.

Tumbled Cararra Tiles w/ Cobalt Accent

Mosaic w/ Marbles

The grays and off-whites of the Cararra backsplash and concrete countertop compliment the oyster and cobalt tones in the rest of the kitchen. To further blend the composition, we included 3 colors of cobalt in the custom diamond tiles inserted into the tumbled Cararra backsplash. Overall, the palette is quite cool including a light grayed-mauve on the walls. The other dominant color in the palette comes from the natural oak flooring. The golden oak adds a warm compliment to the otherwise cool palette. A playful mosaic composed of marbles and round ceramic coasters on the stairway wall adds additional definition to the cobalt color with small, bright touches of red, blue, green and yellow. Cobalt blue grout blends the mosaic into the wall.

If we had used the deep cobalt more extensively, the overall feeling would have been much darker and more formal. However, by using a palette of cools off-whites and golden oak as the dominant tones, the deep cobalt is becomes a sophisticated accent. The predominantly neutral palette also allows us to use bright colors in other parts of the house as additional accents.

We will be writing a series of articles on this kitchen in the next few days.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

A Low-Cost Stylish Bath

Jackie Braitman — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:07:54 +0000

Entry to Bath

This bath uses a combination of inexpensive stock material and custom glass tile to make an attractive Retro statement. Notice the inlaid glass tile as you approach the bath from the bedroom. The sink was placed in the corner so that large windows could let in light from two sides. A simple light fixture and medicine cabinet complement the pedestal sink that was salvaged from another part of the house.

Simple Napkins Used As Curtains

Window treatments are simple linen napkins tied onto the top of the lower window sash. [Follow this link for other inexpensive but attractive window treatments.] The maze colored floor tile was picked up at at a surplus building supply shop for less than 50 cents a square foot.

Waterfall Effect with Glass Tile

Detail of Glass Tile

The same tile combination was used to create a waterfall effect in the shower area. Black iridescent glass tile was used to create a Retro border. A dark grey fabric shower curtain further frames the shower area. Again, inexpensive fixtures — tub, toilet, and accessories — make a terrific foil for the touch of custom glass tile. The homeowner, a glass artist, made this tile. Other accent materials (mosaic commercial glass or stone tile, for example) could also have been used for a similar effect.

Note the open-front closet to the left of the tub. Originally we planned a door, but the walls in this old house were anything but square and plumb. The open front conceals this fact and makes the bath feel much more modern as a result. Instead shelves wrap around a chase hiding ductwork.

The trimwork throughout is simple 1×6 stock. It’s inexpensive, makes a clean statement and looks far more luxurious than more typical clamshell base and casing.

The homeowner laid the tile herself, further reducing the cost of the remodel. The combination of “sweat equity”, effective use of stock and salvaged material, and just the right custom touches results in a low-cost but very stylish, light-filled bath.

This is yet another example of how we work with our clients to produce luxurious, one-of-a-kind and low-cost modern home remodels.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build