Project Spotlight: A Fresh Take on Living

Sometimes remodeling is a puzzle of swapping spaces and moving one thing to make another thing fit- it is the challenge and the science of making rooms work.

In a home where just 3 years ago we redesigned the first floor by moving; the dining to the kitchen, the kitchen to the family room, and the family room to the dining room it was time to move upstairs and swap the master bedroom’s bath and closet. This modern family has a playful sensibility and are not afraid to buck trends, turning their circa 2005 Wellesley home into the perfect blend of modern and traditional.

Home Stats: A developer had infilled the lot with a plan that was based on checking all the basic boxes (bedrooms-check, bathrooms, check). Unfortunately, floor plans can sometimes leave challenges for the new owners like, “why is there only one way to lay-out the room?” The Owners knew that buying developer’s choices could be overcome with remodeling when they were ready and would allow them to update to their taste, and now the new lay-out also matches their lifestyle.

The Project

The Clients’ List:  Look at the entire space to find a way for everything to fit “better”. Some sort of built-in that would take advantage of the sloped ceiling lines near the front window. Update the master bath with more carefully selected fixtures and finishes.

The Challenges & Approach: The layout of the existing bedroom included two doors on a wall ideally suited to move the bed, and between the doors left just enough room for the bed without the nightstands. Redesigning the bath and closet would allow the bed to move onto the desired wall which was a priority, but so was making room the entire suite feel more finished.

The Solution:  One entry to bath and closet eliminated one door and allowed a complete re-design. The bath feels less like a chore of getting ready and more like an escape to a chic boutique hotel through a mix of elements in materials, finishes and paint colors.

Design Decisions

Paint: The bold choice to not go the white on white route that we see trending in many bathrooms today was made when the client didn’t want to the shiplap to read cottage, but instead more contemporary and painted it Cheating Heart from Benjamin Moore- a moody gray that has an earthy tone to it. Tones of gray continued into the master bedroom with a subtle gray color, Calm, also from Benjamin Moore.

Hardware/Fixtures: Instead of everything being part of the same collection, the home owner opted to blend sturdy and clean hardware from different makers in both matte black and polished nickel. The mirrors had rounded edges softening some of the straighter lines in the bath and creating more interest.

Tile: The showstopper in this space is the floor tile. The tiles have immediate impact with the unique look of cement tile influenced from the streets of Spain, but made residential ready in porcelain.