The bathroom is where most people begin and end their days. So it’s only natural that a busy professional in an affluent Seattle suburb decided to invest in creating a spa-like oasis in her 400-sq.-ft. master bath. Chermak Construction Inc., Edmonds, Wash., made the client’s vision come to fruition. Unique material and color selection throughout the space helps create the fusion of contemporary, traditional and rustic features to match the wooded setting where the house sits.
Organic material
One of the focal points of the bathroom is the fireplace, which is clad in hammered copper and is glass on three sides for optimal viewing, and the vent pipe, which was crafted by a local tradesman. The copper selection plays into the rustic theme, alongside other organic-looking materials such as the cedar ceiling and craftsman-leaded glass in the windows. The fireplace is topped with a Café Imperial marble that complements the granite vanity countertops.
Chermak Construction had never installed a fireplace in a bathroom before, which presented some technical challenges for installing the mechanical and venting elements. In fact, the project scope became so extensive, due in part to the fireplace, Chermak Construction had to replace the entire plumbing and electrical systems. Per the client’s request, the fireplace is visible from any angle in the bathroom and also can be seen from the master bedroom through custom-crafted double doors opening into the bathroom.
Granite is a dominant material in the bathroom, chosen for its quartz, purple and gold veining. A purple claw foot tub rests atop a Giallo Rio granite platform, banded at the floor by 1- by-1 mosaic glass tile. Overhead granite presented installation challenges because of the weight. When the granite slabs were installed, it necessitated five men to lift the slabs up the stairs; pre-sized brace and supports held the panels in place.
Near the tub platform is a large walnut-stained vanity with contemporary slab door frons and shaker drawers. Above that is an uplift medicine cabinet and hand-blown artisan pendant lighting. Lacy-looking leaded glass on the back shower wall creates a juxtaposition with the weighty granite walls and ceiling.
A bit of magic
The client firmly believed every home remodel should include what she referred to as a magical element. For her, it was a loft-like area used as a meditative retreat. She dubbed it the “magic room.”
No longer just an imaginary place, the magic room is a space for resting, reading or gazing outside at the wooded settings. The walls and ceiling are clad in cedar planking, which helps create the sense of envelopment with the outdoors the client sought. A drawer tucked within the top step keeps reading and writing material tucked away. Reading lights are oil-rubbed bronze. Windows, including a large picture window, bathe the space in natural light and the crystal-laden leaded glass piece adds a unique aesthetic element.
A floor-to-ceiling wardrobe accommodates clothes, shoes and accessories. An oversized built-in dresser, topped with the same Café Imperial marble as the fireplace, integrates and streamlines that space without the need for extra furniture. For seldom-used items at the top of the wardrobe, Chermak Construction installed a library ladder and railing system for easy access.
Flooring consists of 18 by 18 porcelain tile set on diagonal with a 6 by 12 border; the 3-in. border is accent is done with three rows of 1 by 2 glass and stone mosaic. Hydronic heating flooring is installed throughout. The medicine chest is heated to prevent it from steaming up and it also has a finger-touch lift on a cable system for easy opening and closing.