The Details
Ledges also have great utility in the bathroom, as they can act as dividers between the shower and toilet zones, as well as being pretty useful for storing toiletries. Shower ledge. If you’re building or renovating a bathroom, a ledge in the shower should be on your wish list. Who wants shampoo bottles sitting in the corner on the floor? Here, a shallow, tiled marble ledge is built out of the shower wall. And see the bonus ledge? A deeper ledge is built right into the shower—that’s a ledge we can actually call a bench.
Lining the opening with steel allows maximum light into the space. The thin profile circumscribes the opening to precisely define the cut in the wall and also to provide a textural counterpoint to the rough-hewn stone. Thin, light and machined against the mottled limestone, the steel defines a logic for spanning openings in stone walls that is carried throughout the project. Many view steel as appropriate only in industrial/ultramodern spaces, but it can play well w/all types of materials. Use steel for slender, sleek and thin profiles around your openings
Steel Trim—The trimmed frame of these openings is particularly beautiful. The window proportions seem derived from the module of stone that comprises the wall. The window has the appearance that a stone block was carefully removed to let light in. The trim treatment supports the lightness of the glazed insertion but also highlights the thickness and monolithic nature of the stone wall
Drywall-Return Hybrids—If the drywall-return look is too stark for you, consider adding a deeper sill of contrasting wood or stone. It will add texture, color and shadow and can be a fine place to place plants, objects or personal effects on. This bathroom has Sheetrock returns at the head and jambs, but has a darker stained oak sill (sometimes termed a stool). Look closely for an added reveal detail between the sill and the wall beneath. Shadow lines are important in this composition. The thin mullions, dark sill line, shadows in the structure above and reveals are all tightly controlled/intentional
Drywall Returns—If the goal is to call attention to the opening itself or the window frame, choosing a drywall return is a no-hassle way to trim your window. This can save on finish carpentry and preserves the planar wall aesthetic w/o the need for reveal trims. This process is used often in commercial construction; it entails wrapping or returning the Sheetrock at the window perimeter back to the window frame. This takes the traditional place of the wood extension jamb and provides a clean, no-frills look
Extension Jambs—the interior portion of the window frame that extends to the full depth of the wall. A common treatment of the extension jamb is to paint it the same color as the wall or window surface. Here the architects have emphasized the wall depth and opening by choosing to contrast the clear-finished wood window w/the surrounding painted Sheetrock wall. This highlights the windows as distinct architectural elements in the wall assembly and brings in a natural wood component. There are a few different methods for achieving this type of look. One is to return the Sheetrock into the opening and apply the wood extension jamb on top of the Sheetrock returns. Another is to relieve the back edge of the trim board enough to cover the gap between Sheetrock and window. Either way, the look feels rooted in tradition while remaining stripped down, modern and clean
Reveals A thin shadowed line surrounding the window frame describes another contemporary approach to window trim. This one acknowledges the difference between window and wall but ever so subtly. Reveals can be created by using different extruded trims at the edges of the Sheetrock surrounding the window. These trims come in various widths and are fabricated from either metal or vinyl by manufacturers like Pittcon, Fry Reglet and Trim-tex. The reveal enables one to achieve a planar look to the wall without the added dimension of trim protruding outward. It’s a thoroughly modern aesthetic that quietly showcases the window frame as an opening, without the fussiness and associated stylistic hang-ups of trim. The Sheetrock finishing costs are higher with this type of treatment, but if it’s a tailored modern look you’re after, this is for you.
Window trim
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