Dream Bathroom
This Downingtown, PA home exemplifies beautiful design, with one initial challenge: the entryway from the garage. The 6’ x 7’6” room housed three doors, a cramped laundry area, and makeshift storage for coats and shoes. That's a lot to ask of such a small space, but is typical of homes in this area.
Before the homeowners moved into their new house, we refinished the wood floors throughout the first floor and painted a few areas. Once they settled in and completed other updates—including a new stair runner, family room rug, furniture, and lighting—we tackled the entry space problem.
The solution involved relocating the laundry area to the primary bedroom’s spacious sitting area. To do this, we pushed a low wall back by 16 inches and installed bifold doors for easy access and a seamless look. The area has a large walk-in closet, but the clients wanted an additional closet for the husband. What was his closet in the bedroom became an extra closet for linen storage. We created the new space out of an unfinished area by moving the bathroom wall and front wall over a couple of feet. For a more dramatic touch, we positioned the bathroom entry at an angle, adding visual interest.
In the bathroom redesign, the clients initially envisioned a "shower room" with a soaking tub inside the shower enclosure. However, space constraints and installation challenges—specifically ensuring a water-tight seal between the plumbing and tile—made that option unfeasible. Instead, we positioned the tub at an angle in the center of the room, which not only enhanced the design but allowed us to create a much larger shower. Splitting the vanities gave each person their own area, with additional storage integrated via a tall cabinet beside her vanity and another cabinet above the commode.
The shower area now features a striking accent wall with a framed geometric tile pattern in marble. We echoed this design in the niche, backing it with the same decorative tile. There are medicine cabinets at both vanities, while her vanity features two additional matching mirrors with sconces mounted directly onto them, doubling the lighting effect. The hardware selection references the crystal elements in the sconces and complements the gold plumbing fixtures. A natural window shade adds texture and provides top-down/bottom-up functionality for flexible privacy and light control.
The countertops are made of honed natural stone, creating a subtle contrast with the darker vanities, which are finished with a mocha glaze over a toffee stain. The lighting design ensures complete control with dimmable LED lighting and sconces on separate switches, ideal for task lighting and ambiance.
Luxurious touches, including a heated floor, towel warmer, and a shaving ledge in the shower, complete the transformation—turning this bathroom into a visually stunning and highly functional retreat.
The new mudroom area is yet to be designed. The homeowners are considering installing a dog bath, which we’ll incorporate into the design along with coat and shoe storage and dog paraphernalia.
