LL Bathroom - Part 2: Dancing on the Ceiling
Written by Jaqui Lividini
Now that we had the framework of the bathroom finalized it was time to select the materials. I had originally selected a beautiful creamy colored Ann Sachs square tile — I had used it in my Connecticut master bath and loved it. Unfortunately, it was not a win in this space. The tile color was too similar to the floor tile and provided no contrast in the bathroom. It was completely counter intuitive to me that a monotone color palate would not work in such a small space.
LESSON #1 — Put samples of all of your materials together in the actual space before making your final decision. Even the most seasoned professional needs to experience color and pattern in the natural light of the space.
Charles Riley, my designer, and I immediately pivoted to a bright white simple subway tile (also Ann Sachs), while not as interesting a tile as the cream-colored square, it provided the right amount of contrast for this intimate space. The next decision was how much to tile. Traditionally bathrooms are tiled to counter height with the shower going to about 3/4. That was never a look that appealed to me - it felt dated, mid-century but not in a good way. Sooooooooo, we tiled the walls right up to the ceiling, we liked it so much that we kept on going — much to my contractor’s dismay.
LESSON #2 — Do not go with convention. It’s the unorthodox idea that makes the space.
Tiling the ceiling, while not a traditional choice, was the best one for this bathroom. We were able to keep the eye moving upward and beyond. The shine of the tile gave the illusion of a never-ending ceiling, almost like a mirror — but subtler. That one small decision completely changes the feel of the bathroom.
The next BIG decision(s) — medicine cabinet or not, which went in tandem with the vanity or pedestal sink decision. If I choose a large built in mirror over a pedestal sink — that would give the bathroom the most spacious feel, maximizing the negative space. However, practicality does have to weigh-in from time to time.
LESSON #3 — Form does not always trump function.
Even though this is a “guest” bathroom, storage is a fact of life and a necessity, so I had to choose my poison. Either a medicine cabinet over the sink accompanied by a beautiful vintage pedestal sink — or a built-in tile framed huge mirror over a vanity with storage drawers — up until this point in my career as a mad renovator I have never compromised on either.
LESSON #4 — There is a first time for everything.
The size of this bathroom did not afford me the luxury of being clever with the space. The stacked washer and dryer were the most important feature and in order to fit that in I had to make a compromise on this point. I ultimately choose the vanity option. I adore the huge built in mirror and felt that would be the focal point of the bathroom. It too brings light and interest into the room — especially with the vintage feeling light fixture I landed upon (which was the absolute most difficult item to find for this bathroom). The vanity has two functioning drawers, just enough to hold must have bathroom items — especially when you don’t want to trek upstairs for a new bottle of shampoo or a bar of soap. The antique mirrored drawers complete the old world look of the space, while keeping the glamorous shiny vibe of the lower level.
Next stop MY CLOSET — the most personal space in my apartment.
