Glowing appreciation

This bathroom forms part of a comprehensive apartment remodel. The master bath continues design leitmotifs found in the rest of the project, but also has an intriguing ambiance all of its own.

When designer Joe Fenoglio first set eyes on the high-rise apartment it was still sporting its original late sixties decor master bathroom included. As with the rest of the unit, the designer started afresh in this space.

"Inspecting the floor plan of the bathroom, you would not see a huge departure from the original," says Fenoglio. "I reconfigured the shower stall and moved the position of the toilet slightly to free up wall space but the real change is in the master bath's ceiling design and the material treatments of the ceiling, walls and floor."

Fenoglio had made a feature of soffit ceilings in other areas of the apartment, manipulating existing ceiling levels or building fresh formwork to achieve this. The master bathroom has been given a similar overhead presence, with ceiling levels stepping up over the shower and toilet area.

"This ceiling treatment is accentuated by the extensive use of tilework in the space," he says.

"Mosaic tiles run across three walls, the floor, the shower stall and the part of the ceiling soffit that runs over the shower. Painstakingly grouted with heavy-duty epoxy, the tiles make a perfect defense against steam and moisture in the space."

In terms of aesthetics, the tiny mosaic tiles also play a standout role. Two predominant tones are used brown on the floor and shower stall interior, and a mixture of red and brown mosaics on the shower stall exterior and on the walls.

"Floor tiles hug the perimeters of most rooms in the apartment, with inset carpet taking center stage. Here, the glass mosaic floor runs from the master bathroom through into the master bedroom where it abuts the inset carpet," says Fenoglio. "Bubinga, an African hardwood, is widely used throughout the apartment, and a custom storage unit and shelving in the bathroom are made from the same polished wood."

The individualistic, reflective nature of the bathroom is partly due to the extensive use of glass mosaics, but backlit mirrors and an internally lit, molded resin vanity also play their part.

"When the concealed vanity lights are turned on, the washstand emanates a soft glow," he says. "Similarly, when the mirror backlighting is turned on, the demure, halo-like frosted glass motifs in the mirrors take on a whole different appearance."

The double vanity has minimalist faucets set out to the side at both ends. These tilt forward to start water flowing. The sink is as arresting as its resin surround, with an undulating stainless steel interior that looks like a wave frozen in time.

"Several harmonizing elements draw the bathroom together," says Fenoglio. "One linking feature is the mosaic tiles, picking up the red of the Bubinga hardwood and the red paint featured on one wall and in places on the soffit. Another material connector is stainless steel seen on the sink, the faucet hardware, the toilet and even the custom-made shelving supports."

Story by: Charles Moxham