Date:  October 1, 2024  |   Story: Kathryn O’Shea-Evans  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Angela Alexander  |  

When the worst happened, these homeowners took the opportunity to design a dream bath

They say necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, it was the motivation behind a primary bath renovation. After learning the underground sewer line to their 2001 house had not been properly connected in 15 years, Robin and Mike Rogers embarked on a full makeover to fix the problem.

While the initial discovery was “hysterical and terrible,” as Robin says, it also inspired her to indulge in the renovation of her Pinterest dreams, with design assistance from Leslie Tetrev of Kitchen & Bath Ideas. Beforehand, the space was lackluster. “It was very mid- to late-nineties-inspired, with a huge corner tub with jets, the world’s tiniest little fiberglass modular shower, a single sink, and a huge section in the middle that was wide open for no apparent reason,” Robin says. Adorning the windows? “The most intense drapery you’ve ever seen in a bathroom!” she adds.

In the revamp, the couple’s main goals were to capture a British country cottage charm and use every inch effectively. For the color palette, Robin combined both warm and cool hues. “Sometimes I get into bathrooms, and I feel like it’s all white, and it’s just so icy and cold looking,” she says. To this point, Robin chose a warm, beige-like hue for the walls and cabinetry and paired it with platinum, leathered quartzite counters. “I hate seeing things on bathroom counters,” she adds. “We put electrical outlets inside the medicine cabinets to hide a lot of that day-to-day clutter like lotions and toothpaste, as well as outlets to charge toothbrushes and razors.” Robin also had a custom-built, silicone-lined storage drawer made to tuck away her hair dryer and styling tools.

But one of their smartest design choices is completely invisible: Robin made sure that all the plumbing and pipes in the new bathroom would be reachable at all times. “Between the shelves, there’s a little pop-out panel where we can get to all of the piping in the shower area without ever having to drill through anything,” she says. The same approach was taken with the tub, giving them peace of mind to fully enjoy the new space.

Clean Living
“I wanted a transom window on the shower because I once went to a hotel in New York that had the most beautiful brass shower door with one. I have obsessed about it for 25 years,” Robin says.

The walls are painted “Old White” by Farrow & Ball.

“I didn’t want anything to be super matchy-matchy in the bathroom because I feel like that’s what makes it feel collected and intentional.”
—Robin Rogers, homeowner

Bathing Beauty
The brass-and-porcelain, telephone-style bath faucet was inspired by their home’s overall English cottage aesthetic. Robin notes the stylized fixture creates “a bit of a moment” in the
utilitarian space.

Style Underfoot
Gray tumbled marble tiles have a worn effect that add to the cottage-y feel, which is amplified in their Old World basket-weave pattern application.

Mix Master
Wood paneling was added to the walls. “It sounds insane, but if we put wood paneling on the ceilings of porches and sides of houses, and it can survive exterior humidity like that, it can survive a bathroom!” Robin says.

Let There be Light
The muse for the sconces was clear: 1930s and 1940s makeup vanities. “I wanted it to feel like a bathroom, obviously, but I wanted it to be warm and inviting at the same time,” Robin says.

Design Resources
Bath design Leslie Tetrev, Kitchen & Bath Ideas Contractor Mansfield Construction Countertops Pacific Shore Stones Cabinetry, fixtures, flooring, and tile Kitchen & Bath Ideas Glass Staley Glass