Tranquil waters

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Natural materials and juxtaposed shapes and textures give these rooms a sense of calm

Through the use of natural materials and balanced bathroom, bathroom cabinet, cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, cuisine classique, floor, flooring, home, interior design, kitchen, room, sink, tile, gray, brown — Through the use of natural materials and balanced textures and colours, designer Burns Century has created this bathroom to relay an atmosphere of serenity.

Asian influences can be seen in the use bathroom, floor, flooring, home, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, tile, wall, window, gray

Small travertine tiles on the front of the bathroom, bathtub, floor, flooring, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, tile, wall, brown, gray

The master bathroom is accesible through the bedroom. bed, bed frame, bed sheet, bedroom, ceiling, floor, furniture, home, interior design, property, real estate, room, suite, textile, wall, brown, gray

The flooring in this powder room is made architecture, bathroom, home, interior design, room, wall, brown

1 Toilets. 2 Bathtub. 3 Shower stall. 4 angle, area, design, diagram, drawing, floor plan, line, product design, white

1 Toilets. 2 Bathtub. 3 Shower stall. 4 area, design, diagram, font, line, pattern, product, product design, text, white

In some cultures, cleansing your body is considered a ritual. Creating a room that echoes this feeling of ceremony requires a balance of natural materials, colors, shapes and textures.

The owners of this home requested that their new bathroom and powder room reflect a celebration of nature, as well as a sense of tranquility. As frequent travellers, they often collect river rocks and pebbles from the various places they visit. Designer Burns Century says this prompted her to use natural rock and Asian-inspired materials to create the desired atmosphere.

"Split granite boulders make up the sink basins, and river rocks are embedded in the travertine wall tiles in the shower, producing a shimmering effect when water travels over them," she says.

Balance is created through the composition of opposites. Small mosaic tiles on the front of the bath are juxtaposed against large tiles on the walls. The roughness of the boulder basins is offset by the smooth, modern form of the faucets.

Glass blocks make up a dividing wall between the shower and bath. Century says when a candle is lit beside the tub, the refraction of the light through the glass blocks is reminiscent of water.

Materials are abstract and express symbolic meaning.

"The silk pendant light shades hang like clouds. They are light and move easily with the breeze," says Century.

A hint of an Asian influence is offered through the bamboo shower rail and vaulted ceiling, which also works to warm the space. A hand-hewn Asian antique-replica vanity adds to this sense.

In the powder room, river rocks are embedded in the flooring, and glass mosaic tiles are repeated in the mirror surround and back wall. A hand-carved vanity shelf, mirror and bronze basin are wall-mounted, giving the room more space.

"The client's immediate reaction on entering the finished rooms was that she could breathe' the colors. When I'm looking at a space, I want to enhance the quality of a client's outlook," says Century.