Date: August 14, 2013 | Story: Tiffany Burgess Adams | Styling: Mandy Keener |
A Little Rock bath receives a refreshing update in a calming, monochromatic palette
After nearly a decade in one place, many homeowners begin to feel the itch to renovate. For one West Little Rock couple, the only question was where to start. Having enjoyed their home for nine years, they were looking to get their feet wet with a smaller project that would still have a big impact on their daily life and the master bath looked like just the place to begin. Lucky for them, the space had good bones and “didn’t need a full redesign,” says Bill Wrape of Distinctive Kitchens and Baths. “It just needed to be updated,” he adds. To give the space a signature style reflective of the homeowners and their tastes, Wrape turned to Meridith Hamilton of MLH Designs. Together the pair blended practical with pretty for a traditional-style bath sure to stand the test of time.
First things first, to solve for more practical applications Hamilton and Wrape installed upper cabinets to add storage, something that topped the homeowners’ wish list. Electrical outlets were cleverly placed behind the cabinetry doors to make charging toothbrushes or even a smart phone possible without sacrificing counter space. To bring a polished aesthetic to the room, mirrored fronts were added to the upper cabinet doors. The mirrors also reflect light into the space, which was another thing the homeowners wanted to gain in the renovation. On the masculine side of the vanity wall, sconces provide additional task lighting. Hamilton chose a large framed mirror for his side, while a more feminine silhouette works perfectly for makeup application on her side of the space.
“The homeowners have very traditional taste,” says Hamilton “and they wanted the room to feel refreshing, simple and clean—but also up-to-date.” With these thoughts in mind, Hamilton selected a creamy monochromatic palette for the walls, cabinetry and tub surround. One of the bath’s largest decorative focal points was actually born as a solution to a problem the homeowners faced. “They loved having the hardwood flooring in the bath, but did not want to step out of the shower onto that surface and preferred not to have a bathmat,” relates Hamilton. Rather than creating one small area of tile for shower exits, Hamilton incorporated the material into the bath’s overall design. “I wanted to tie the shower—and particularly this tile—into the rest of the bath, so I made it a large surround for the flooring area and even took it up the central shower wall,” she says.
The tile’s natural, dark hues stand in contrast to the monochromatic tones throughout the rest of the bath, making the shower wall, which faces the bath’s entry, a design focal point. “In the future, we may add a console table or piece of art there to change up the look,” says Hamilton of the area’s numerous design possibilities. “I love the way this came together, because it really adds flair and takes the design to the next level,” says Hamilton.
Design Resources
Bath designer/contractor Bill Wrape, Distinctive Kitchens and Baths, Little Rock, (501) 666-7756, kitchensofarkansas.com
Interior design Meridith Hamilton, MLH Designs, Little Rock, (501) 766-0594, mlh-designs.com
Bathtub, cabinetry, countertops, fixtures—lighting and plumbing, hardware and tile Distinctive Kitchens and Baths, Little Rock, (501) 666-7756, kitchensofarkansas.com
Fresh floral Tipton Hurst, Conway, (501) 329-3861, Little Rock, (501) 666-3333, North Little Rock, (501) 753-0709, tiptonhurst.com
Paint Benjamin Moore, locations statewide, benjaminmoore.com
