Bathroom of the Week: Modern Farmhouse and a Nod to Nature
A designer found on Houzz adds life to a master bath with botanical wallpaper, green cabinetry, wood accents and plants
This couple looked to Houzz to find a local interior designer when they moved from Salt Lake City to Southern California. They chose Bonnie Bagley Catlin, and the results of their close collaboration are seen in this bathroom. “They are young and were looking for something fresh, not standard,” Catlin says. Their master bathroom is an eclectic take on modern farmhouse, with biophilic elements that connect the room to nature. Highlights of the space include green cabinetry, large-scale botanical wallpaper, a bold black bathtub and smart storage solutions.
One not-so-standard must-have on the homeowners’ list was green cabinetry. “This color is a mossy mid-tone green with rich undertones,” Catlin says. The calming hue looks like it was plucked from nature.
Cabinet color: Eucalyptus, Medallion Cabinetry
Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop
Cabinet color: Eucalyptus, Medallion Cabinetry
Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop
One of the first suggestions Catlin made brought in the boldness the homeowners wanted — a black freestanding tub with a strong silhouette. “She was dying to do it, but he was a little reluctant. We had to do some convincing,” she says.
The black tub plays perfectly off an element that was the wife’s idea — a beautiful botanical black-and-white wallpaper. The large-scale flowers are rendered in a way that gives them a 3D look.
Another element the homeowners wanted to include on the wallpapered accent wall was open shelving. “I find when I buy floating shelves from cabinet companies they are usually only 2 to 3 inches thick and have a very ‘stock’ look,” Catlin says. “She wanted something more rustic and was open to things that weren’t standard.” So the designer sourced these chunky wood shelves directly from a craftsperson.
On the day of the photo shoot, Catlin arrived ready to stage the shots but found that her clients’ everyday setup already was ready for its close-up. “I think I may have added a candleholder or two — that was it,” she says. “She really has a great eye.”
Plants on the shelves receive the natural light they need from the window. The wallpaper, plants, natural wood tones and green paint on the vanities are all elements of biophilic design. This means it helps people feel connected to nature, which is thought to promote wellness.
Wallpaper: Stone Rose, Graham & Brown
Another element the homeowners wanted to include on the wallpapered accent wall was open shelving. “I find when I buy floating shelves from cabinet companies they are usually only 2 to 3 inches thick and have a very ‘stock’ look,” Catlin says. “She wanted something more rustic and was open to things that weren’t standard.” So the designer sourced these chunky wood shelves directly from a craftsperson.
On the day of the photo shoot, Catlin arrived ready to stage the shots but found that her clients’ everyday setup already was ready for its close-up. “I think I may have added a candleholder or two — that was it,” she says. “She really has a great eye.”
Plants on the shelves receive the natural light they need from the window. The wallpaper, plants, natural wood tones and green paint on the vanities are all elements of biophilic design. This means it helps people feel connected to nature, which is thought to promote wellness.
Wallpaper: Stone Rose, Graham & Brown
“The homeowner knew she wanted upper-cabinet storage for items like skin-care products,” Catlin says. The designer used her expertise in cabinetry to find a creative alternative to recessed medicine cabinets. She flanked both vanities with pullout storage towers that provide easy access to everyday items. They are similar to spice rack pullouts typically seen on lower cabinets in a kitchen.
The designer added a bridge to connect the two towers overhead. This was to echo the architecture of the existing soffit over the other vanity. The structure also provided a good spot to mount the sconces. “Instead of narrowing the mirror space to make room for sconces on the wall, I hung the sconces from this framing,” she says.
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The designer added a bridge to connect the two towers overhead. This was to echo the architecture of the existing soffit over the other vanity. The structure also provided a good spot to mount the sconces. “Instead of narrowing the mirror space to make room for sconces on the wall, I hung the sconces from this framing,” she says.
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This is the vanity with the existing soffit overhead. Along with the tub, the arched mirrors and conical sconces add curves that contrast with the bathroom’s straight lines.
Alva 1 suspended wall sconces: Hudson Valley Lighting
Alva 1 suspended wall sconces: Hudson Valley Lighting
The hardware was a splurge. “We didn’t want the hardware to take over the green cabinets, we wanted it to complement them,” Catlin says. The elegant glass-and-brass hardware is a beautiful finishing touch.
Cabinet hardware: Sietto
Cabinet hardware: Sietto
A new pocket door conceals the existing separate water closet. The pocket door has opaque glass that shares light between the spaces. (The door is shown closed in the second photo in this story.)
It’s always good to have a designer on board when elements of a design need to be value engineered. Catlin totaled up the cost of the water jet-cut circular floor tile her clients originally chose and found it was a budget-buster at $20,000. So she found an alternative that was much less costly. “I knew we still needed a pattern on the floor,” she says. This picket tile is porcelain, stone and glass mosaic in white with a tawny zig-zag pattern through it.
Tile: Intrigue Picket Fawn, Emser Tile
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It’s always good to have a designer on board when elements of a design need to be value engineered. Catlin totaled up the cost of the water jet-cut circular floor tile her clients originally chose and found it was a budget-buster at $20,000. So she found an alternative that was much less costly. “I knew we still needed a pattern on the floor,” she says. This picket tile is porcelain, stone and glass mosaic in white with a tawny zig-zag pattern through it.
Tile: Intrigue Picket Fawn, Emser Tile
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Instead, the designer brought in the black through the clear glass shower enclosure’s framing and matte black shower fixtures.
The shower surround is composed of 4-by-12-inch polished porcelain tiles in gray and white that Catlin had installed vertically.
Shower fixtures: Jason Wu for Brizo
Shop modern matte black shower heads
Shower fixtures: Jason Wu for Brizo
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The hexagonal marble tiles on the shower floor pick up on the taupe-and-white hues in the chevron tile. The hammered metal table that serves the bathtub accentuates the warm hues in the floor tile. Catlin wrapped the shower bench and curb in the same marble-like quartz she used on the countertops.
After: This floor plan shows how the freestanding tub fits into the new plan. Another detail worth noting is the shower bench on the left.
“Collaborating with a client like this was a great experience. She had the vision and I brought all the details in,” Catlin says. “We were able to expand upon each other’s ideas as we went along, which made the design better.”
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“Collaborating with a client like this was a great experience. She had the vision and I brought all the details in,” Catlin says. “We were able to expand upon each other’s ideas as we went along, which made the design better.”
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple with two young children
Location: Encinitas, California
Size: 108 square feet (10 square meters); 12 feet by 9 feet
Designer: Bonnie Bagley Catlin
of Signature Designs Kitchen & Bath
Contractor: Remcon Design Build
Before: The standard look of this bathroom was not going to cut it for these homeowners. “They had worked with a designer on their Salt Lake City home, so they were used to the process,” Catlin says. “She had a clear vision for what she wanted — something bold and more interesting than the usual.”
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