Date:  August 30, 2024  |   Story: Virginia Brown  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Angela Alexander  |  

Restructure Design brings warm, modern updates to a Hot Springs Village master bath

When Charlotte and Matt Brown moved to Hot Springs Village from Shreveport, Louisiana, they found a charming Craftsman-style home they loved. But with few updates since it was built two decades ago, the house was in need of a renovation.

Enter Alissa Hastings, with local firm Restructure Design. After an initial remodeling phase–updating the kitchen and refinishing hardwood floors–it was time to overhaul the master bath.

“The biggest hurdle was finding a spatial layout that worked,” Alissa says. The original space, which was divided by a wall in the middle, presented challenges. “It was like a his-and-hers bathroom, and the only way to cross from his room to her room was through the shower,” she says.

They tore down the wall, freeing up about 225 square feet in all, and got to work placing the largest elements: the shower and tub. “We wanted to open it up, but not make it feel like we were also trying to pack too many things into the room.” They pushed the tub and shower spaces together in a tiered design, with a pony wall between, to draw the eye up.

At the top of Charlotte’s wish list was a fireplace near the tub, which presented another challenge. “Every time we laid it out, it just didn’t fit,” Alissa says. “We landed on the version that we have, and everybody loved it.” The realistic flame blows heat and is powered by remote control. “It’s my hideaway, my secret oasis,” says Charlotte, who recently retired from a demanding career as a pediatrician. “I take my book in there and fall asleep. It has taught me how to relax.”

Opposite the tub, the Browns chose Wynnbrooke wood-grain cabinetry. “Given the dark charcoal floor, we opted for a floating vanity to help lighten it up,” Alissa says. The plumbing fixtures offer an additional soft curve, as do the rounded edges of the mirrors. “We wanted to make sure we softened where we could, given the boxiness of the shower, tub, and fireplace area,” the designer says.

For the walls, they chose Sherwin-Williams “Agreeable Gray,” which has undertones that make it feel cozy. “It’s almost like camouflage,” Alissa says. “It can pull some beige tones, it can pull some gray tones, but it really works well with the gray and brown elements that we have in this space.”

Vanity Flair
Alissa recommended quartz for countertops, noting that it is both durable and low-maintenance, and sconces rather than a down light. “They have really tall ceilings, so we didn’t want to cut off the height by just popping a light fixture over the mirrors,” she adds.

Alissa created a separate vanity where Charlotte can sit to apply makeup. “We wanted it to be dramatic, with full cabinets that went to the ceiling for maximum storage. We even added a pullout ironing board to the linen cabinet.”

Design Resources
Bath design Alex Oates, Restructure Design Contractor Jacob Hastings, Restructure Design Interior design Alissa Hastings, Restructure Design Cabinetry, fixtures, hardware, lighting, mirrors, and window coverings Restructure Design Countertops Countertop World Fireplace Ouachita Hearth & Patio Paint Sherwin-Williams Painting Chad’s Painting Tile Knight Tile