Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2018 - 51

LEFT The large, freestanding

tub in the master bath features
a ledge in the window behind it
to which the designers added
stone. Natural light coming
through the window contrasts
the darker elements like the
matte-black tub filler and
black-and-white marble floor.

ABOVE The double vanity with
gold accents was inspired by
a piece the designers discovered during their research on
French chateau design. The
candlestick sconces round out
the look on either side of the
custom mirror.

CALIFORNIA COUPLE HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED a French chateau-style
home and wanted to update the bathrooms but still keep them in tune with
the home's overall architecture and charm.They had worked with Hollywood,
Calif.-based Studio.Life.Style on previous projects and called on them again
so they could create authentic designs for the master, guest and kids' baths,
as well as the powder room.
"The clients brought some inspiration to the table for us to work with and
were involved in the selection of a custom vanity and wallpaper," said Shannon Wollack, the firm's founder and partner. "They also brought in some
of their own resources/items to use, which helped create the feeling that
everything had a story behind it."

DISCOVERING A NEW STYLE

A challenge from the onset was that the designers were not as familiar with
French chateau design as they needed to be for a project of this caliber. They
pored through Elle Décor and Veranda, since those publications are well versed
in this style, and Wollack said Pinterest always takes the cake for their design
inspiration sourcing.
The team found that one-of-a-kind items are what makes this design style
stand out, such as the custom vanity in the master and the antique mirror in
the powder room. Those decorative details - as well as geometric floor tiles
and gold hardware and fixtures - emit the French vibe, while black-andwhite tones add a modern touch to the bathrooms.
"It was a different aesthetic to what we typically do, but we took a step into
that world and tested it out,"said Brittany Zwickl,partner and principal designer
at Studio.Life.Style. "Finding the right balance between charming and contemporary took some time, but we feel the outcome fits the home really well."

MASTER BATH MAGIC

The designers were tasked with giving each
bathroom its own personality; the clients
didn't want them all to look the same. In the
master, the team eliminated a huge, built-in
tub and replaced it with a super-sized, freestanding soaker.The all-marble shower, complete with dual showerheads and a rainhead,
is surrounded by a beautiful glass enclosure.
The vanity, inspired by a piece the designers found during their research, features gold
details, matte-black faucets and a large antique
mirror above it. French doors lead out to an
outdoor deck, where the clients can enjoy a
cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
"We loved the playful juxtaposition of
the modern elements like the shower mixed
with the very French and traditional aspects
of the mirror, vanity and lighting," said
Zwickl, although Wollack explained that
this was not something they all decided on
from the beginning.
"They wanted the home to feel fresh, and
to us that meant not only bright and fun but
also some updated and modern elements like
the steel shower doors," she added. "Once we
showed them the concept, they were on board."

Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2018

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