Date:  August 28, 2012  |   Story: Rosemary Hallmark  |   Styling: Mandy Keener  |   Producer: Nancy Nolan  |  

Nellie and Bill Mosley have come a long way from the red tile and jungle print wallpaper that once adorned the master bath in their North Little Rock home. “The bathroom was dated,” Nellie says. “The tropical wallpaper had monkeys peeking through jungle leaves. When I put it up, I thought it was fun, but then I never changed it.” As the Mosleys began to renovate their home room by room, having a finished master bath became increasingly important to Nellie. “I needed a sanctuary where I could get in my tub and be home free.”

The couple turned to Leslie Tetrev with Inside Effects to give them the spa-like retreat they envisioned. “I told her what I was looking for and gave her some pictures of bathrooms I liked. We didn’t have a disagreement about anything. It was as though she could read my mind,” Nellie says. “As a designer for my bathroom, she was right on point.”

“The space really had good bones and a great layout,” Tetrev says. “They wanted something different with lots of storage, and after talking with Nellie about which materials we would use, we settled on a clean-lined look with a modern feel.” 

At the bathroom’s entrance, floor-to-ceiling custom cabinetry and a small vanity area fill a nook behind the door, while the larger vanity area stretches the length of the room. “Storage was a major concern for the Mosleys, so we designed as much as we could with the space we had,” Tetrev says. Both vanities are topped with Caesarstone Mocha countertops and custom-framed mirrors. Touches of glass mosaic tile shimmer in the tub and vanity backsplashes and also carry over into the shower floor. Low maintenance porcelain tile was used on the floor and shower walls. 

His-and-hers walk-in closets flank the bathtub, which received a complete overhaul with custom cabinetry on the front and plantation shutters on the windows for added privacy.

In addition to a deep tub, Nellie’s wish list for the new bathroom included statement overhead lighting. She and Tetrev settled on a modern fixture with a round drum shade, which has become a favorite feature of the room for Nellie. “My favorite thing is lying in the tub and looking up at my lamp,” she says. “I can crawl in that tub and sit forever.” Over the tub, framed photographs of water drops add a perfect finishing touch.

Design Resources

Design consultant Leslie Tetrev, Inside Effects, Little Rock, (866) 629-4789, inside-effects.com

Contractor Inside Effects, Little Rock, (866) 629-4789, inside-effects.com

Art La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, Little Rock, (501) 224-4624, la-z-boy.com

Lighting TEC Electric, Jonesboro, (870) 932-7252; North Little Rock, (501) 758-5483, tecelectric.com

Mirror frames BA Framer, Little Rock, (501) 661-0687

Paint Sherwin-Williams, locations statewide, sherwin-williams.com