A View to Romance

When it came to renovating this expansive bath, Designer Trish Bonney took her cues from the clients’ request for fun and romance. They wanted a spa-like atmosphere as well as to take advantage of the spectacular views from the home’s location perched on a mountainside overlooking Littleton. Improved functionality was another big part of Bonney’s approach, managing multiple elements of the previously dated space, including a platform tub, vanities located on opposite sides of the room, and access to the couple’s closet. She updated finishes in the shower and water closet and gutted the rest of the space.

The final design includes side-by-side vanities, increased storage, and a freestanding tub that is big enough for two surrounded by a TV and fireplace.

She says the clients were drawn to a transitional style that blended contemporary and traditional details. To that end, she chose Shaker cabinets for their clean lines and sleek quartz countertops from HanStone. To complement these, the fixtures have traditional curves but with a modern matte black finish. Natural slate wall tiles from Decorative Materials draw the eye to the ceiling and match the shower interior. One cool vintage detail requested by the homeowner was a metal, wall-mounted Boraxo soap dispenser, which Bonney found at an antique shop.

The new tub also features old-school curviness with a nod to industrial design. The room’s ceiling height allowed for a dramatic overhead lamp (“You see chandeliers above tubs all over magazines and online,” Bonney says, “but more times than not, they are actually not to code.”) in a gunmetal finish with two tiers of dancing glass tubes and romantic Edison bulbs. Windowpane doors with frosted glass close off the closets (both water and clothes) and cast a diffuse glow when backlit to add ambiance to a nighttime soak.

The space also pays homage to the natural world outside the windows with a natural pebble tile under the tub surrounded by a wood-look tile, both from Decorative Materials. The neutral tones throughout are complemented by PPG paint in a jade-like aqua-green called Juniper Berry. “It plays well with all of the forestry outdoors and has a little brighter tone to act as a lovely frame to the large picture window,” says Bonney. “We firmly believe in designing for our clients’ desires; we just push the limits with colors, textures, and patterns.”