Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2017 - 57

"The vanity in the bathroom is changing,"said
the designer."No longer does one want to use as
much space as one can."
Drysdale discovered the Villeroy & Boch mirror
during KBIS a few years back and was impressed
with its surrounding frame that lights up and its
sleek,streamlined appearance.She says mirrors incorporating specialty lighting is a huge innovation
and is in tune with where the industry is headed.
An enclosed make-up area with tubular light
fixtures and a magnifying mirror was another addition to the space, but the client - with an out of
sight,out of mind perspective - wanted the mirror
and other items to be hidden when not in use. So
as not to lose space in that area, Drysdale took on
the challenge of finding the smallest sink possible.
"Flat-framing the wall and fitting around
the sink, I worked carefully to craft zero loss of
usable space," she said.
Respecting Privacy. According to Drysdale, transparency was something she and her client discussed throughout the project.
The designer felt that all glass would be too much in the master bath, but in
the end they found that privacy and transparency can co-exist.
"Because the bathroom is open back and front, I was concerned about
privacy at night - when the lights might be on - and when it would be
dark outside," she explained. "Thus, both the shower and the WC have a
partial wall clad in stone that is balanced with starlight glass. Zoning like
this preserves the heat and defines the spaces."
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
TOP LEFT Compact, tubular
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aging eyesight.

SOURCES
DESIGNER: Mary
Drysdale, Drysdale Inc.;
PHOTOGRAPHER:

At the onset of the project, Drysdale had a difficult
time convincing her client that the adjacent terrace
would be a wonderful addition to her master bath.
"When the hallway was added, I knew there
would be a projecting roof visible from the bathroom, and I couldn't imagine loving the view of
asphalt tiling,"she said."I have worked with these
clients a number of times, and most times they
make decisions easily, so this was a challenge."
The designer showed her client drawings with

and without the patio, and when they got to the decision-making point, she
agreed on the addition, which she now loves to sit on and take in the outdoors.
The homeowner is very much a luxurious bath person and did not want to
include a shower at first, but Drysdale held fast to her belief that adding one
was a good design value. The beautiful shower space balances out the water
closet with an equal footprint across the walkway.
LESSONS LEARNED

"In times past, the bathroom was given a non-prime real estate location, and
today the total amount of square footage, specific location and amount of
investment made in it have dramatically shifted in terms of perceived importance," said Drysdale. "Today's bathroom is the 'it' room of our time because
we are redefining and rebranding it.This room is not strictly utilitarian like it
once was but is perhaps the core of one's personal life at home."
She also explained that it didn't occur to the homeowners at first what a big
step up this renovation of the decades-old bathroom would be.
"Never forget to raise your clients' expectations, and do what you need to
do to explore the unusual and provide sense of luxury," said the designer. "It
doesn't matter what age you are - a luxurious bathroom casts the individual
in the beauty of its shadow."
z

John Cole
FAUCETS: DXV;
HARDWARE: Union

Hardware;
LIGHTING: Waterworks;
MIRRORS: Villeroy & Boch;
PLANTS: New Growth

Design;
REFRIGERATOR: U-Line;
SHOWER FIXTURES,
TOILET & TUB: DXV;
SINKS: DXV & Duravit;
TILE: Caesarstone &

Thassos Marble;
TOWEL BARS: Waterworks;
VANITY: Robern;
WINDOWS: Jeld-Wen

57
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