Wish List
Chestnut-look porcelain tiles wrap the wet-room area and, along with the maple-look porcelain floor tiles, add plenty of warmth. The floor tiles have grooves that help prevent slippage and “replicate the feel of a traditional Japanese slatted-wood floor,” Lorain says. Accents of polished blue glass tiles add color. “We wanted to add some color to the otherwise neutral wood-tone palette,” Lorain says. “They also have a translucent quality that reflects light,” Laughlin adds. A new custom double vanity in textured light white oak laminate has a lower sink with knee space underneath for a wheelchair in the future. The coordinating makeup area at the right also includes plenty of knee space below. Shower wall tiles: Cypress in Natural, 9 by 48 inches, Happy Floors; floor tiles: Elan Ribbon Maple, 24 by 48 inches, Soho Studio; blue accent tiles: Brook Stacked in Sky, Soho Studio; wall paint: Alpaca, Benjamin Moore
A contemporary toilet paper holder in matte black features an integrated assist bar. Blue glass tiles accent the toilet wall. A vinyl grasscloth-look wallcovering “adds a little bit of softness and texture in a room that otherwise has hard surfaces,” Laughlin says. A floating wood shelf holds decorative accessories, and a wall cabinet provides storage for extra rolls of toilet paper. Toilet paper holder: Contemporary tissue holder with assist bar in matte black, Delta
The shower system includes a multifunction hand shower on a 24-inch matte black slide bar that doubles as a grab bar. “It’s one of the few adjustable shower bars that is designed to also be used as a grab bar,” Lorain says. “I like to think of it as an invisible accessibility feature.” Shower fixtures: Five-setting hand shower, Trinsic valve trim and adjustable slide bar/grab bar assembly with elbow, Delta
The vanity and makeup areas have concrete-look quartz countertops. On the vanity, seen here, two undermount white sinks are paired with widespread faucets in a matte black finish. “The sinks are a relatively shallow depth, which allowed for knee space underneath,” Lorain says. The faucets coordinate with matte black cabinet pulls and other black details. Each mirror has a defogger feature and LED lighting. “They add light all around you instead of just above you, which eliminates shadows on your face,” Lorain says. Countertops: Metropolis Gray Della Terra quartz, Arizona Tile; mirrors: Angelo, Fresca; faucets and towel ring: Trinsic in matte black, Delta; hardware: flat rail pull in flat black and half circle backplate in flat black, Top Knobs
Lorain Design Associates The shorter length of the double vanity allowed space for a new linen cabinet on the end. Three seeded glass pendants with an embossed geometric pattern and matte black chains add accent lighting over the vanity. The bathroom also has new LED ceiling lights. Pendant lights: Emerson, Capital Lighting Fixture
Shape of the handrails on the pool
The landscaping curves
Fire pit design
the pathway curv e
Factor Design Build created a pathway of hexagonal tile flooring that extends from this Denver home’s entryway, where it’s interwoven into the wood flooring, to this powder room. The tile provides a path for guests who are looking for the bathroom. The tile continues partway up the wall, where it transitions into a bold botanical wallpaper. An origami bird light fixture completes the natural look and feel of the space.
Storie Collective combined old and new in this row house in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. A modern wall-mounted countertop with an integrated sink adds a hefty stone element with lots of visual movement. Meanwhile, aged brass faucets, an antique mirror frame and detailed baseboards nod to the home’s historic architecture.
Half-inch penny rounds in the floor's grout lines
The color combinations and the vent material
Calasich selected subway tile for its timeless look and a white quartz trim around the tub similar to door casings in the house.
Teal and yellow combination with light wood
Wood cabinets add warmth to this sleek contemporary New York kitchen by Tina Ramchandani Creative. Notice how the cabinet fronts combine a flat-panel look with a thin Shaker profile to arrive at a compelling in-between style.
Nice entryway
A rustic stone-look ceramic tile backsplash and quartersawn white oak cabinets in a natural finish give the room character.
The wood tones and color mix.
Sleek, handleless light-beige custom cabinets combined with wood units and other wood details create a soft yet sophisticated look. The breakfast table can be expanded to accommodate additional guests.
The yellow flowers that spill onto the path are Hartweg’s sundrops (Calylophus hartwegii, zones 5 to 9). “These are such great plants, because they look like this for about half the year,” she says. The homeowners have two dogs and wanted a lawn area. Gliksman chose Kurapia, a drought-tolerant ground cover that looks like green grass.
A paneled trash and recycling center sits to the right of the sink, a paneled dishwasher to the left. “We used a panel-ready dishwasher with a door and drawer design to create symmetry for the right and left of the sink,” Lopez says.
Pendants with glass globes and brass details provide task lighting over the island. “They don’t compete with the vintage chandelier and don’t visually take up lots of space,” Lopez says. “They just add to the airiness of the newly designed kitchen.” (The kitchen and dining area also have LED recessed lights in the ceiling that were digitally removed from these photos by the photographer.)
The dining area features banquette seating and a pantry storage cabinet in the corner.
CobbleMix System Tiles from VitrA
Ceiling-mounted towel bar and On the wall, Stripes Blue Glossy from the Homey collection by Ceramiche Piemme
mass of low-water ground cover such as Outback Sunrise emu (Eremophila glabra ‘Mingenew Gold’, Zone 8), an Australian native shown here that’s easy to care for and sprouts yellow flowers in the spring.
“We hemmed and hawed about how to get a lot of color in here, and I finally said, ‘How about we do ombre?’ The color of the tile changes throughout the space, from over the vanity to over the toilet to the shower,” Price says. The tile is by Heath Ceramics. “It is handmade and hand-glazed. I chose tiles with a bullnose edge for the backsplash so that we didn’t have to use any sort of edging above or below it — clean and simple,” she says. “I wanted to keep it all about the tile.”
Another important material in the palette is quartersawn oak in a vertical orientation with a clear matte finish on the vanity. “This is a fabulous finish — it feels almost silky,” Price says
An angled corner to the left of the refrigerator includes a flip-up cabinet that hides the couple’s microwave. “They just wanted a small microwave, and they didn’t want to see it,” Rauner says.
Rollout shelves hold mugs and other coffee items, as well as a bread station with a toaster that plugs into an outlet inside the cabinetry.
A pullout to the left of the range includes canisters for utensils, a knife block and space for small cutting boards and cooking oils.
Rauner used slab fronts for the slim top drawers on the lower cabinets and Shaker style for the rest. “It gives a more custom look,” she says. Navy blue outlet covers minimize distraction from the backsplash tile. “It drives me crazy when there’s a drastic difference in the color for the outlets,” Rauner says.
Wood leg on painted island
Shower and vanity lighting
The stainless steel workstation sink features various inserts, including a colander, cutting boards and knife storage.
The molding over the cabinets
Wood pattern on cabinet doors
Fireplace with the plants behind it
A hefty beveled mirror sets a glamorous tone in this Atlanta-area powder room by VRA Interiors.
mirror clips
Use of stainless steel on backsplash and overhead
Q