We were recently approached to build a contemporary master bathroom for a client who works in the hotel/resort industry. At first sight, our client's existing bathroom was spacious . . and let's just say it was of a specific era. More on that later.
Anyhow, we were excited about the possibilities, and we knew right away that no ordinary master bathroom was going to cut it. One priority was a large bath tub which we positioned under the expansive windows.
Hello, lovely. I often say I don't have time to take a bath. I would make an exception for this tub.
Along with the windows, the skylight was one rare feature we preserved when we demolished this bathroom. We are major fans of natural light in our projects, and we added recessed lighting for low light conditions.
We widened the standard-width entry for visual effect. Our primary goal was to create the tranquil space our client wanted and simultaneously fit the lean design of the mid-century modern home. This picture was taken from the bedroom entrance during the early evening.
The early afternoon light pours in, and comparing this with the preceding picture underscores how much natural light changes the character of the room in the same day.
A view of the floating vanity opposite the shower, unadorned by hardware and matched to the spare simplicity of the bathroom.
The spacious new shower measures 6' x 4' with a bench, and it features modern hardware with a linear drain.
You might be wondering what this bathroom looked like before the renovation. It was a well-preserved specimen from approximately 1978-1982. This era of bathrooms was truly unfortunate. Don't say we didn't warn you.
The client found the original marketing material that came with the tub. This is just your average picture of two couples hanging out in the whirlpool tub, enjoying some food and drinks on a floating cutting board. I hear the Bee Gees crooning "How Deep is Your Love" when I see this picture. That pretty much explains everything.
We can't get enough of the period-specific marketing materials. Brass poles for disco night. Or maybe those posts are holding up the ceiling. Does the model look relaxed or afraid for her life in this picture? Is this tub in a green house? We have so many questions.
Ahh, there it is. The largest indoor tub we've ever removed. This is the very same tub from the brochure, mounted on a 10' long platform deck. Don't pay attention to the icky shag carpet on the floor of the bathroom. If you have carpet in your master bathroom, you can contact us for fast-track counseling. No judgement at all. It happens to the best of us. We'll work through it, together.
Another view of the maroon whirlpool tub. Unicorn beer floaters speak to the client's sense of humor about this situation. The previous homeowners had installed a separate 75 gallon water heater solely for the purpose of filling this koi pond. Our client's dog, Nelly, looks on curiously at these reminders of human folly.
The vanity. At night, the bathroom was dimly lit, and it was easy to think that you were deep inside the fruit with James and the Giant Peach. All of the proportions in this bathroom were wrong. Quite wrong.
More peach goodness right here, along with different kinds of flooring (but no carpet?!), the small shower, and the mauve toilet.
Check out the full wall of smoky mirrored glass for ambience. Farewell, carpet and tub. We had to use a reciprocal saw to take you out in pieces. We'll always have these pictures and the marketing brochure for memories.
In addition to the abundant natural light, the other advantage was the spacious footprint that allowed us to create the master bathroom our client wanted. This bathroom is one of our top examples of the "less is more" philosophy in bathroom design. We found the results very satisfying: an oasis our client can enjoy every day.
