Softly, softly

It's a frequent conundrum how do you cater to a modern lifestyle without compromising the architectural history of an older home?

Interior designer Mark Williams was faced with this challenge when he was commissioned to design a new master bathroom for the owner of an historic house built in 1915.

"The original bathroom had been updated some time in the 1960s or '70s, and was rather dreary, and in a state of disrepair," Williams says. "The owner wanted a modern sensibility, but the design needed to respect the era of the house. At the same time, we didn't want the bathroom to look like a time capsule."

William's solution centered on an open vanity unit featuring a hardwearing Montclair Danby marble top with curved ends.

"This is a very small bathroom, but the open design helps to make the narrow space seem wider. And the curved ends provide a more elegant look the vanity is no longer pushed right up against the tub.

"We worked with a palette of soft gray; a color taken from the marble. The wall treatment reinforces the color scheme two mirrored medicine cabinets framed with polished stainless steel sit on a wall that also features polished stainless steel. It provides a much softer look than a mirrored wall there is a subtle transition between the quality of the reflections off the mirrored cabinets and the polished steel."

Mirrored doors are also a feature of a tall hutch to the left of the vanity, but here the mirrors have been antiqued to complement the traditional character of the bathroom. Small hexagonal Carrara marble mosaics on the floor reinforce the sense of tradition.

To further soften the overall look, Williams introduced light gray drapes to screen the shower over the tub, and also to provide privacy for the toilet area. This is tucked around a corner, in space gained from an adjoining room.

Story by: Trendsideas