The perfect bath is a restorative retreat with a touch of glamour…here are four that pull out all the stops.
Lush Life
This spacious, sophisticated sanctuary in the guest suite of a Biltmore Park home would delight even the worldliest jet-setter. “The inspiration for this bath was the elegance and luxury of a world-class hotel,” explains architect Amy Conner-Murphy of ACM Design, who worked in cooperation with designers Molly Silverstein of Interiors by Steven G. and Harriet Weisz of H. Weisz Interiors.
Possessing all the amenities and appointments to indulge the weary traveler, the space is opulent without being ostentatious, allowing the quality of the materials and the fine craftsmanship to speak for themselves. The walls are clad in serene Amalfi silk by Phillip Jeffries, accented by walnut trim and louvered doors by Mesa Woodworking, creating a spa-like environment in which to soak in the abundant center tub.
Miter-edged slabs of warm, honey onyx on the tub surround, shower trim and vanity tops impart a welcoming glow. In the glass-encased shower, the same honey onyx has been chiseled into narrow split-face slats and stacked for a textured mosaic effect that contrasts beautifully with the Crema Marfil marble shower seat and flooring. In the main area, 30-by-30-inch Crema Marfil marble tiles are accented by a 3-by-3-inch honey onyx mosaic.
Contrasting with the abundance of smooth stone, the walnut vanities have been given a natural, matte finish and inset with rattan panels, adding a rustic, organic appeal to the sleek styling of the cabinetry. With their cut-crystal levers, the ultra-luxe THG Paris sink fixtures assert an art deco influence that is echoed in the sculptural Murano glass Metropolitan scones by Minka-Lavery that flank the mirror and low-slung, tufted vanity chairs.
Every element is designed to pamper the guest and delight the senses. With accommodations like this, why would anyone ever want to leave?
Architect: ACM Design Architecture and Interiors
Designers: Interiors by Steven G.; H. Weisz Interiors
Cabinetry: MikeDesign
Countertops: Stone Connection Granite Interiors
Tile: Tile Specialties
Fixtures/Hardware: Bella Hardware & Bath
Doors/Shutters: Mesa Woodworking
Sense and Sensibility
A serene sanctuary for m’lady, this Biltmore Forest bath invokes the demure aesthetic of a bygone era and imbues it with a fresh, modern air that is anything but dowdy. Ashley Smith of Benson & Babb Interiors artfully blends elements that have a hint of Jane Austen and adds in a dash of Hollywood glamour.
The soft blue hue of the walls — Benjamin Moore’s “Jamestown Blue” — creates a Wedgwood effect when paired with the white trim and rich Carrara marble tile, set in a subway style on the wainscoting. Smith has used this Italian marble throughout the bath in varying sizes and patterns to create texture and inset tiny squares of onyx between the floor tiles in a classic style that is prevalent in the stately older homes in the area.
This cool backdrop is punctuated by the richness of woods that have been given a custom stain — an amalgam of walnut, gunstock and a whisper of ebony — created by Smith for the project. Tucked into the corner, a petite Victorian marble-top table echoes the vanity area, which boasts a slab of “Alabama Gold” marble from Viktor’s Granite & Marble. “It has the richness of the Carrara marble, with a slight shimmer of gold,” Smith explains.
The sensuous curves of the slipper tub from Ferguson’s — adorned with silver claw feet and gleaming vintage style fixtures — are referenced in an ornate, handcrafted “Jester” chair from Council Furniture of Denton, NC, upholstered in an elegant striped silk.
No Benson & Babb bath would be complete without some sparkle, and Smith deftly arranges multiple reflective surfaces to move light around the space. The crowning glory is a Minka “mini-chandelier,” with complementing Minka sconces flanking a Venetian glass mirror. Beside the bath, a contemporary mirrored table by Zucker and, for a luxe touch, a faux fur pelt rug by Loloi.
Designer: Benson & Babb Interiors
Countertops: Viktor’s Granite and Marble
Fixtures/Hardware: Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
Loving What Is
When moving into a period house there’s often an impulse to update — an imperative to put one’s individual mark on the home. Some homeowners choose to take things down to the studs and start from scratch. That’s all well and good, but giving a long look at what’s already there can lead to some very creative and exciting design solutions that preserve the integrity of the space.
The virtues of this bath in a circa 1930 home were immediately apparent to designer Linda Constable of Ambiance Interiors. “There were so many wonderful architectural elements, like the pocket doors in the arched doorways and the classic hexagonal tiles,” she says. “I loved the pedestal sink and the medicine cabinet. I would probably have selected those same elements if they hadn’t already been there”.
Constable chose to retain those nostalgic features — and celebrate them. Proving that a grand gesture can enliven a small space, she swathed the walls of the bath — and the bedroom beyond — with a splendid white and cranberry toile, “Bird and Thistle,” a documentary fabric and wallpaper from Brunschwig & Fils. The pattern, originally intended for a bedspread, is from a 1785 English copperplate. “The detail of the engraving is exquisite,” notes Constable.
Artfully integrated with the existing elements, the sinuous undulations of the curved branches echo the shape of the existing sconces and play beautifully off the geometric floor tile. “The scale of the pattern doesn’t overwhelm the space — it emboldens it,” Constable points out, “It’s a heritage design, but it feels very fresh and modern. It’s really kind of magical.”
Designer: Ambiance Interiors
Center Stage
A long, languorous soak in the tub is one of the simple pleasures that can help us escape from a hectic world. But this fantasy bath, designed by Platt Architecture for a home in Cashiers, takes it to the next level. Instead of isolating the bather, Platt has provided a bank of windows that give the sense of being enveloped by the landscape.
So as not to distract one from the vista, the interior space has been established in a neutral palette. The Kohler “Vintage” soaking tub is an off-white “biscuit” shade, accented with polished nickel “IV Georges” vintage style fixtures. The traditional cabinets are swathed in rich cream, topped with a chocolate glaze.
The “Terre Verte” porcelain tile, set in a “hopscotch” pattern, mimics quarried stone and enhances the sense of being on an outdoor patio. The illusion is continued in the deep brown toile wallpaper, which offers exquisite detail at close range, but invokes the pattern of tree branches when viewed as a whole.
A faux bois chandelier and sconces complete the picture, awaiting a naiad to enter this enchanted setting.
Architect: Platt Architecture, P.A.