Best Bathroom Renovation
Interior designer Lauren Levant turned a dated master bathroom into a sleek sanctuary.
photos by dave bryce photography
To transform a dated bathroom in her client’s Sewickley home into a sleek sanctuary with improved functionality, Lauren Levant looked upward for inspiration.
Soaring 20-foot-high cathedral ceilings were the basis for her design choices, which earned the project the designation of this year’s Best Bathroom Renovation.
The former bathroom was about 15 years old — and it showed. It lacked adequate storage, a Jacuzzi tub platform took up too much space, and all of the design elements terminated at conventional height, cutting off the room by creating odd triangular angles with the ceiling. Nothing was cohesive.
To improve both the function and the aesthetics, Levant worked with D’Augostine Construction to reconfigure the floorplan and put as much emphasis as possible on vertical elements.
Levant employed an open-shower concept and wrapped the same tile used on the floor up the back of the shower wall to give unification to an otherwise choppy space. The tile also extends to the peak of the ceiling.
“You don’t need tile that high — water will never get up there — but it causes the eye to move upward,” Levant says.
The corner Jacuzzi tub — a common client demand of 15 years ago whose popularity has since faded — was swapped in favor of a luxurious freestanding tub, which also saved square footage. Levant says it was important to not overuse every inch, as the client enjoys having enough space for her dog to stretch out nearby on the floor.
Because the client also had storage concerns, Levant introduced several creative solutions that don’t detract from the sophisticated setting. The simple design of the floating vanities maximized utility and created an ideal balance for the more sculptural sinks.
The vanity mirror is set flush into the textured glass tile backsplash wall. Uplift medicine cabinets by Robern open by gliding upward rather than out.
The neutral palette simultaneously soothes and makes the space feel more spacious. Walnut vanities play against the crisp white of the sinks and tub, and black glass countertops introduce a touch of drama. The soft greys of the tile and walls create a clean canvas that allows the other elements to pop.
Pendant lights by Bocci are the perfect statement pieces to round out the look.
Levant says her client loves how the rich and dramatic elements elevate the design.
“She loves the open ceiling and the contemporary, striking aesthetic,” she says.
VENDORS
Location: Sewickley
Contractor: D’Augostine Construction
Cabinetry: Crystal Cabinet Works
Medicine Cabinets: Robern
Tile: Porcelanosa
Pedestal Sinks: Fresca
Plumbing Fixtures: Kohler
Pendant Lighting: Bocci
Hardware: Top Knobs
Shower Enclosure, Mirrors, Grey Tempered Vanity Tops: Rex Glass & Mirror
