In a 2000 built luxury townhouse in north Richland, this bath was spacious, but was appointed with standard builder-grade features. The vanity was really too small for double sinks and the sinks were too close to the walls. With the toilet compartment and shower walls, the space felt much smaller than it really was. The tile floors were cold and the style and colors felt blaze'.
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The Goal:
The owners had not used the tub and really just wanted a nice spacious shower that was very safe to enter, stand, and maneuver in, regardless of their mobility, as they aged-in-place. They felt the enclosed toilet compartment would be an impediment as their mobility changed and especially in the event they ever needed help. A larger vanity, with more counter space and more storage along with nicer features, style, and color pizazz were also on their list.
Before After
The Design:
It made sense to leave the vanity in the original location and expand it. We rotated the toilet and removed the compartment walls to create a semi-private toilet space big enough for walker and wheelchair access, should the need arise. The tub and shower space was to become a large shower space with a gently-sloping, single-plane floor, with a trench drain at the end. The single-plane shower floor would accommodate a walker, wheelchair, or shower chair without traditional drain valleys to compromise stability. The large wall of glass would visually expand the entire space, but needed some serious support. Being a townhouse, there were no outside walls available for windows, so a 10" Solatube was planned to bring in much-needed natural light. Textured laminate doors create a low-maintenance, warm, contemporary vibe for the vanity area.
After:
Features include: A heated, porcelain tile floor, a large, single-plane shower space, rain head, adjustable hand shower, dual shower niches, trench drain, dedicated towel storage in the drying area, improved vanity storage, more counterspace, adult-height, quartz countertops, suspended quartz benches, grab bars, and a solatube to bring in sun light. The powder-coated steel posts supporting the glass are securely anchored in the attic and floor joist structures. Although the room size did not change, the perception of size and the utilization of the space changed dramatically. The large-format porcelain tile on the shower walls has a subtle, metallic shimmer in the the Van-Gogh-like brush-stroke glaze, while the marble-look porcelain tile floors adds a classic elegance to the space. The multi-tone blue glass tile accent literally lit-up our client when we proposed it. This is a great example of a very stylish, highly personalized, accessible bath.