Mark Luscombe-White/ Interior Archive
Think outside the bathroom. Give this utility space a defiantly un-bathroom look by using ornate rugs and upholstered furniture. Living room chairs, dressers, a painted vanity and bedroom lighting add to the dressing-room feeling.Display heirlooms. Adorn walls with collectibles, personal mementoes and tchotchkes. Storage: Urns, busts and vases all make great places to organizeand display jewellery and fresh-cut flowers.Embrace vintage hues. Paint pieces in matte heritage tones to create an eclectic English country-house feel. Add to the historical look by framing unusual objects in deep shadow boxes to make interesting art pieces that tell a story.Colour fix: Paint, Cumulus cloud, Martha Stewart Living.
Mark Luscombe-White/ Interior ArchiveInvest in real stone. Easily transform a plain vanity by topping it with white Carrara marble. An undermounted sink and an ogee edge (with a double-bevelled profile) on the marble will add a real sense of panache.Mix light shades and pale details. Choose white tones for an airy, feminine look. Polished-nickel-finish fixtures add shine and punctuate the tone-on-tone palette. A frosted-glass shower enclosure brings a touch of aqua.Frame the mirror. Use a mirrored triptych to break up a large expanse of wall. An oversized millwork frame around the composition adds sophistication, and bevelled edges echo the vanity detailing. Storage: Conceal recessed shelvesbehind mirrored panels.Colour fix: Paint, Mascarpone, Benjamin Moore.
MasterfileGo dark. Get the look of an architecturally grand room by choosing an intense tone for everything from walls to trim to doors. Painting a large mirror and the tub’s exterior gives an average bathroom a deep, spacious feeling.Choose dramatic pieces. Nothing says luxury like an oversized mirror. Placed above a free-standing tub, it’s also a great way to double the light in the room and visually extend the space. Get the lighting right. Warm light is key. Wall-mounted fixtures or a chandelier hung either above the bathtub or in the middle of the room (make sure you have the ceiling height!) can add a touch of sparkle and glamour.Colour fix: Wall paint, Silver hill, Behr.
Nicolas Tosi/ Interior ArchiveTransform castaway pieces. Turn a salvaged dresser into a vanity — it’s a cinch with a trough or bowl sink, both of which are designed to sit on a surface. Storage: Shelves and drawers can stay functional for everyday use.Reuse old wood. Play up the modern-farmhouse look with an old sawn beam attached behind the vanity, and change your plumbing to wall-mounted faucets.Worn-wood floors add to the warmth of the room.Focus on earthy textures. A frameless mirror and subtle wall sconces let the beauty of the wood tones come through. Keep accessories natural: Think loofahs, sea sponges and woven-sea-grass storage boxes and laundry hampersto go with the white walls and rough-hewn textures.Colour fix: Paint, Village of Yorkville, Para Paints.
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