A small space that’s BIG on style!  My client’s son was off to college, so she wanted the upstairs hall bath renovated into a comfortable guest’s bath, still usable for her eldest son when he was home.  The other spaces in the home have a casual, cool, contemporary vibe and we wanted this bathroom to reflect that feeling.

She specifically requested a lighted mirror for a touch of glam.  Then, we both fell in love with the teak inspired textural tile in an interesting rhomboid shape.   The bath design evolved from there.  To keep costs reasonable, we chose a marble look porcelain for the floors and walls.  Matte for the floors for safety and polished for the walls for shine.

Arctic white quartz played prominently in the design in a thick mitered countertop on the custom vanity.  We also used quartz for baseboards, shower curb, and to line the niche on all four sides.

A custom flat front, faux-floating vanity (there’s a hidden support pedestal underneath) with long drawers and brass finger pull hardware added to the contemporary feel of the space.  And one of my favorite features is the wall cabinet over the commode.  By stealing a little unused attic space, we were able to recess the cabinet a full 14” into the wall.  Plenty of room for full folded towels without anyone hitting their head!  Both the vanity and wall cabinet were custom stained to coordinate with the tile.  We chose to mix matte black and brass fixtures for contrast and interest.

Another star of the space is the very popular heated towel rack.   It’s a practical luxury in such a small space as it allows damp towels to heat dry when there’s limited towel hanging space.

The lighting was upgraded as well, with an additional can light added over the sink along with the stunning pendant and of course the lighted mirror.  At the homeowners request we also added lights inside the shower niche and that may well be everyone’s favorite feature of this handsome bath.  After seeing the niche lights the college boy told his buddies they had to come see his “CEO’s Bathroom.”  Of course the name stuck!

Photography: Susan Lynch

My clients faced a challenge. They had moved from a large family home with ample sized children’s rooms to a patio home with amazing views. The new home was designed smarter in many ways, but the kids’ rooms were small. It was a challenge for them to have friends over to hang out and spend the night. So many homes in the DFW area have large media rooms that largely go unused, but not this one! The smaller secondary bedrooms happily forced the family to frequently use their media room. To maximize the sleepover and movie watching potential, we designed custom bunk beds for the back wall opposite the large projection screen. The area accommodated 3 twin size mattresses. The fourth spot was turned into a gamer’s cave (another bed can be added later if desired.) Each bunkie space has its own sconce light and there are electric outlets in each, so guests can plug in their phones. The client was looking for a “Colorado Cool” vibe. A clean, contemporary look. So we custom designed shiplap patterns and painted them in a dark green gray. Juxtaposing the direction of the shiplap felt modern and kept the space from feeling too “farmhouse” and the rich green gray added a touch of sophistication. The standard drywall columns were replaced with custom designed shiplap patterns and new sleek sconces. The furnishings were kept clean and functional with touches of spice tones for fun and warmth. The sectional houses a double sofa bed for additional guests.

The snack center just outside the media room got an update as well. Out went the old upper cabinets in favor of rustic floating shelves. More shiplap behind the shelves and in the tray ceiling of the game room echoed the elements in the media room beyond. A fresh color for the lowers added a touch of fun.

The family loves their new Bunkie Media Room and it’s in constant use! The homeowner is so happy to be actively using every room in her home. She even looks forward to a day, long down the road, when grandchildren will giggle in the bunkies!

Photography: Susan Lynch