Project Bright and Breezy: Palmetto Bay Primary Bathroom Before And After

One of our very first projects after our launch was designing living and dining spaces for a lovely family in Palmetto Bay. The aesthetic we went for in those spaces matched the kind, easygoing personalities of our clients and so the project name #projectbrightandbreezy was born. When they reached out to us to ask if we could help re-design their Primary and Guest bathrooms, the answer was OF COURSE, and we jumped right in.

Our brief for the Primary Bathroom was to create a relaxing, spa-like vibe without moving any major plumbing lines or drains too far from their existing locations. With this in mind, we conceptualized a fresh-yet-classic space - simplifying and streamlining all of the angles and jogs that came along with the early 00's architecture, and adopting a bright, airy color palette.

The tub/shower wall is the first thing you see upon entry, but the original design looked both closed off and cluttered, with stairs, low walls, varying ceiling heights (and shapes!) and chunky columns all vying for attention. We opened up the tub area by removing the low walls from either side, and eliminated the step into the tub in favor of a slightly lower version.

For a cleaner look, we filled in the large alcoves between columns surrounding the tub. Between the tub and shower, this meant sacrificing a glass partition in favor of a solid wall - a change that was well worth it, as the arched ceiling above now feels like an intentional design feature, and the change in ceiling height between tub and shower has all but disappeared. The small shelving nook to the right of the tub echoes the shape of the arch, and provides a place to stash bath essentials and display some beautiful greenery.

New marble flooring and crisp white walls helped give this space the fresh, spa-like vibe we were after. To keep this large space (the bathroom is around 270 square feet in total, includng a small toilet room) from feeling too flat, we brought in a bit of texture and pattern with a mosaic tile inlay in the center of the room.

Soft gray ceramic tile in the shower complements the veining in the marble flooring. We selected a hand crafted tile with a glossy finish for a more characterful look that still bounces light and brightens beautifully.

We opted for a mix of light gray and washed white oak for the cabinetry in this space. We love the way the gray ties in with the marble flooring, while the oak brings in some lovely warmth. Inset details and clean polished nickel knobs lend a classic look.

The longest wall in the space originally housed a single sink vanity and makeup vanity combo that featured several different depths and heights, creating a dis-jointed appearance. To help this space feel it's best and brightest, we designed a custom vanity to fill the length of this wall. We opted to keep the height and depth consistent along its entire length, balancing a single sink and storage on the left side, with a makeup area on the right. A custom vanity stool to suit the slightly taller height, upholstered an indoor/outdoor fabric, tucks neatly below the countertop.

Our favorite feature on this wall is the tall towel cabinet on the far left side of the vanity. We designed this piece with glass doors, enabling us to bring in some softness by displaying fluffy towels and storage baskets. While this section is attached to the vanity itself, we designed it in a slimmer depth (so as not to obscure the view of the tub) and a contrasting wood finish, and added a furniture-style base in lieu of a toe-kick to give it a distinct feel. We love that the contrast brings dimension to this long wall in a considered, intentional way.

We added wall sconces on either side of each vanity, bringing in an extra layer of functional lighting at face level (plus, how could we miss a chance to use these brass and alabaster beauties!?)

Where our clients were previously stashing laundry in freestanding clothes bins, we designed a tall cabinet with pull-out laundry bins on the bottom and plenty of shelf storage above. By building out the drywall and recessing the cabinet, we streamlined the look, preventing this large piece from feeling imposing.