Although the new ensuite is definitely larger than the original washroom, it’s still fairly compact. It has just the right amount of space for one person — which is perfect because this is really my washroom, (my hubby has his own bedroom with ensuite on the second floor).
I actually adore how cosy this washroom feels and the soft light that filters in through the window. It somehow reminds me staying on the top floors of the small Parisian hotels on the left bank — very romantic.
The streamlined bathtub is by Victoria & Albert. I chose it because it retains heat superbly and because of its super clean lines make the most of a tight space.
Photographer Anthea Baxter took the dreamy and thematically apropos photo of the monkeys grooming in Udaipur, India. I spotted it at one of her shows, fell in love with it and had to have it.
We opted for a single sink in a long vanity with a Calacatta Nuovo Caesarstone counter. This is my fave C.Stone surface because the veining is so realistic and not too busy. It’s been amazing with handling all of my lotions and potions.
The marble floor tile is called Rombus from Mettro Source and each tile has a grooved surface that’s wonderful to walk on. We paired it with a hand made glossy white ceramic subway tile, running full height up the walls, and used the same pale grey grout for both; always a wise choice for a high use area like a bathroom. I experimented with a contrasting grey painted trim on the window in here as well.
My favourite thing in the room is the smallest: the matte gold sliver pulls from Upper Canada Hardware on the flat front drawers, for just a bit of sparkle. And since I often mix my metals, I opted for chrome faucets to keep things fresh.
BEFORE
The existing washroom was beyond tiny and only had a set of bi-fold doors. Have I mentioned how much I dislike bi-folds? They are just so cumbersome and don’t really provide privacy. Plus it was located directly at the top of the stairs. Talk about lack of privacy. But… I will say that I was secretly drawn to the watery green tiles in here.
The thing I struggled with the most in this room was the lighting. I desperately wanted to install an articulated style of wall sconce on each side of the mirror but every one I liked took up too much space. The room would have been overwhelmed by sconces. So I turned my attention to globe style sconces, which cast a glowing light, probably the best choice for a washroom. My top five picks are below.
Dot Wall light by Lambert et FilsThe gold backdrop on the Lambert et Fils Dot Wall light was a bit too bright to work with the matte gold pulls on our vanity and my antique mirror. The golds we’re almost too close but just off enough not to work together.
IC Cw1 Sconce by Herman MillerLove the gold ‘L’ shaped structure on these Herman Miller sconces and I use them in my client projects a lot but they seemed to take up too much visual space in my washroom.
Hoist light by Rich Brillant and WillingThis steel and frosted glass light designed by Rich Brillant and Willing was my second choice. The mat finish and the simple lines were a draw and Sarah Richardson’s brother is one of the designers.
Trapeze Sconce by AppratusI am crazy about the brass bowl design of these spun metal wall sconces from Apparatus but I already had a few of them in other areas of the house. Plus they are an investment. I had to rein it in a bit!
glass sconce by Bocci
glass sconces en masse by BocciIt was the Bocci glass balls that won me over. They were exactly the right scale and introduced some sparkle. The watery effect of the bubbled glass felt right in a washroom. I also like that they’re designed by a Canadian – always feels good to support a home grown designer.