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Break on through from Bathroom Trends volume 2110
For many attuned to the benefits of healthy living, a bathroom that opens out to the natural world is an essential ingredient for a relaxing and restorative space.
Surrounded by wild flowers and distant vineyards, this bathroom holds pole position in this renovated farmhouse. Orientated south, the all-day sun floods the interior with natural light.
Architects Mary Dooley and Richard Osborn took their cue from the rural setting, creating what Dooley describes as a modern farmhouse aesthetic.
"The idea was to extract the practical sensibilities of the farmhouse such as the simple forms and construction techniques. I was always asking the question, ‘what would the farmer do?'" she says.
The most prominent example of this is the ceiling's skipped cedar sheathing. It is reminiscent of an old barn, where a thrifty farmer would have historically used a bare minimum of costly timber.
This intersection between function and aesthetics also applies to the tall cedar cabinets. In addition to providing storage, they act as partitions screening the shower and toilet from view.
"Wherever possible, I like things to have double or triple functions. The cabinets not only have practical applications, they introduce another sculptural element into the design," says Dooley.
Atop each partition there is space for homeowners Ray and Dorothy Manzarek to display pieces of art, while the white walls provide a neutral background for charcoal drawings by artist Hans Burckhart. These works are part of a collection of Bauhaus and Russian Constructivist art.
In recognition of the Manzareks' interest in art movements that explore the use of machine-age materials, all the fixtures are chrome. This provides a visual contrast to the mainly natural material palette, which includes a limestone floor and shower enclosure.
While chrome denotes function, the color blue signifies the sky, and is painted on every window frame throughout the room.
A large window above the bathtub opens onto a rural outlook. The window's aesthetic importance is emphasized by its position in the center of the room's axial composition.
The master bathroom is supported by two blue steel columns. Beneath the bathroom is a shaded outdoor living area adjacent to the kitchen.
A white tub provides a visual foil to the vibrant rural landscape framed by blue steel. Throughout the house, blue is used for all openings – internal and external.
In contrast to the predominantly natural material palette, fixtures such as this bathroom faucet are made from chrome. Its sleek metallic appeal is a nod to the owners' interest in constructivism.
1 bathtub, 2 and 3 vanities, 4 cedar cabinets, 5 toilet, 6 shower enclosure.
Plain mirrors and vanities with exposed chrome pipes are designed to keep the design simple and uncluttered.
Among the art pieces in the bathroom is a carved Polynesian fertility symbol from New Guinea.
Credit List
Architects
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Mary Dooley, AIA, MAD Architecture (Petuluma, CA)
Richard Osborn, AIA, Osborn Design Group(Santa Rosa, CA)
Builder
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Randy Marsey, Marsey Bros Corporation
Bath
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Happy D bathtub, Duravit Hoesch
Cabinetry
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Designed by Mary Dooley, custom made by Limpics Custom Woodwork
Countertops
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Beaumaniere limestone from Satler Natural Marble
Photography by Tim Maloney
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