ELEMENTS OF A HOTEL WORTHY BATHROOM
Small bathrooms do not need to sacrifice form or function. Meticulous space planning and understanding needs, produces swoon-worthy end results. Well then, how do you get there?
WHERE TO START :
Once we have been signed on to a project the Motif Homes Method is underway - we document the space, understand what is and is not working for the client, and have the client pin inspiration photos + fill out our new client questionnaire. In our Sunset Hills primary bathroom renovation our client needed a primary bedroom and ensuite out of an under utilized space. In the bathroom the client list included privacy, plenty of countertop space, a vanity with storage options, an area to store towels and toiletries, and in the shower a toiletry niche, shaving niche, rain head, towel bar, and lots of “glam.” The glam ended up everywhere - tile, wallpaper, fixtures, and vanity - and we love it!
LET THE MAGIC BEGIN :
We reworked the space on a 2D level, maximizing all of the square footage available. (To better understand the importance of 2D drawings and 3D renderings during the design process, read more here). The current laundry room was in the closet of the soon-to-be primary bedroom so the washer/dryer needed to be moved. We closed an entrance to the bathroom from the hallway and moved the access to inside the bedroom. The new ensuite access went through the old washer/dryer closet space. While the home was built in 1945, we did not add to the exterior of the home. Instead, we used the space given and moved the necessary bathroom pieces around. We love to space plan and we were able to really flex those design muscles here.
Side note : In case you were wondering where the washer/dryer and closet went, we relocated both to an unused bedroom next to the new primary bedroom. Access was easy from the hallway for the laundry room and from inside the new primary bedroom creating a walk-in closet. Both spaces became significantly larger. Win-Win!
EXECUTING THE DETAILS :
Onsite meetings and check-ins with the contractor was imperative during the execution of the design plan. It wasn’t until the new opening into the bathroom was created that we discovered how the plumbing and HVAC lines were running. There was enough room for an open-shelving storage for towels and toiletries. Also, to conserve space, we reduced the use of swinging doors in the openings and went with custom sliding doors. One for the bathroom and one for the walk-in closet. The end result was worth all of the room shuffling, debris, dry-wall dust, and noise because the clients now have a private space to retreat that was customized specifically for them.