Period: Early 1900’s

Building: Federal style

Site: Urban condo in Brookline

Project: Bathrooms renovation design (master bath and guest bath/kids’ bath)

Green Design features: LED & CFL lighting, ventfan timer, enamel on cast iron tub, recycled glass tile, ultra-low-flow Showerhead with H2Okinetic™ Technology, WaterSense toilet, low-VOC paint, formaldehyde-free insulation, interior wall & ceiling insulation; made in the USA lighting, washstand, and sustainable wood cabinetry; underfloor heating & programmable thermostat.

Color palette: Bathroom one - rich deep blues, bright white, grey, chrome; Bathroom two - rich browns, sand, linen/antique white, burgundy/red, brushed bronze

Materials palette: White painted maple, cherry wood, enamel on cast iron and acrylic tubs, glass tile, tumbled marble, honed silver travertine, polished marble, soapstone, onyx

Client: A busy career couple with two preschool children

This family wanted a truly unique, personalized space, which also reflected his Indian heritage, while fitting into the architecture of their home and presenting no barriers to possible future resale. Without spending an exorbitant sum, they set a budget that allowed for some luxurious, special materials and features: truly setting their two bathrooms apart from the run-of-the-mill spaces so common today.

We worked to maximize their efficiency and feeling of openness while staying within the limited footprints of the tight urban space and one window per room. For the ‘guest bath’ which also functions as a children’s bath, we created a wonderful warm, welcoming space: proving you don’t have to dumb down in order to meet kids’ needs. The master bath is a bright, open space to start the day while luxuriating in unusual rich blues (including changeable-by-future-owners elements such as paint and decorative objects on a more neutral background of primarily white and grey).

Both rooms treat the sink area as a featured work of art. In the guest bath we used an unusual red onyx counter with the striking Kohler brushed bronze jewel-like faucet and a petite perfect circle sink. In the master bath, a painted porcelain sink from Kohler Artist Editions is based on Moroccan patterns, a wall hung faucet reminds one of an outdoor pump, and a custom artisanal washstand in stainless steel with beautiful iceflower soapstone top and handy storage shelf completes the outdoor pump & basin reference.