Traditional bathroom suite, three rooms, marble surfaces, mosaic accents

Together with stone surfaces and high-end fittings, one of the greatest luxuries to bestow on a bathroom is an abundance of natural light. And there are many ways to achieve this, from clever room layouts to knocking through walls.

Architect Scott Javore completely reshaped this master suite as part of a comprehensive remodel of a 1930s home. The bathroom had been reworked in the 60s and Javore created a run of light-filled bathing spaces from that somewhat dark and cluttered design.

"Two awkward rooms had resulted from the earlier makeover, with a similar footprint to the new volumes but a different configuration. There was a closet and vanity area and separate toilet, sink and shower. We stripped these areas right back and gained space for the new design by introducing his-and-hers dressing rooms at the opposite end of the bedroom," says Javore.

Now, when viewed from the entrance, there is a series of three new bathing spaces a bathing room followed by a vanity-and-dressing table zone, culminating in a separate volume for the toilet and shower. A large window in this final space allows light to flood back through the passage to the bedroom.

"We gained even more natural light and another leafy outlook by unblocking an old bricked-up window in the wall next to the tub.

"The shape of the restored window frame is picked up in the soft arch over the tub, which helps give the area a sense of height. The arch is repeated in two mosaic-lined wall niches at either end of the alcove," says Javore.

In keeping with the traditional style of the home, the architect chose a classic polished Carrara marble with a gray veining for the tub surround, all countertops and the shower stall. The same stone features in large-format floor tiles, the diagonal layout creating another old-world accent. Overlay style cabinet doors and the drawers on the vanity, dressing table and storage cupboard are also appropriate to the aesthetic as are the ornate mirror frames and wall sconces.

The shower stall at the end of the space also has a soft arch, tying the bathroom and this zone together. Another bricked-up window in this area remains blocked to ensure privacy. The architect added a panel of marble tiles set on the diagonal over the old brickwork. This contrasts with the straight-set tilework that lines most of the stall. The panel is framed in small mosaics, forming a link with the interiors of the wall niches in the tub alcove.

"While most of these rooms are open to each other, the shower and toilet area does have a door, with a full-length mirror. When this door is closed, the leafy outlook is transformed into a reflection of the passageway that runs through the spaces," says Javore.

Story by: Charles Moxham