Kim Mitchell of KAM Design uses expert knowledge of form and function to transform a cramped space into a luxurious master bath in Larchmont.
Classic architectural details that lend charm to a 100-year-old house can be a mixed blessing. “The beauty of Tudors is that there are lots of rooflines coming together,” says Kim Mitchell of KAM Design, in Larchmont. “But when you get to the interior, there’s a challenge with headroom and how the space functions.” For a master bath in this 1920s Larchmont home, Mitchell, Hanley Group Inc., and Dimovski Architecture worked all the angles to meet the homeowners’ wish list, turning a cramped closet into a chic shower stall and devising solutions to maximize space.
“Function comes first in design,” says Mitchell. “You can always make things pretty, but you need a layout that makes sense for how you live.” The clients’ priorities included a large shower stall, a double vanity, linen storage, and a tub. From a style standpoint, they wanted something modern and distinctive. Mitchell had worked with the clients on previous projects, so she already had a keen sense of their tastes.
Building this new master bath, with an adjacent walk-in closet, called for creative repurposing of rooms: They combined the space of their old closet with their daughters’ old bathroom to create the couple’s new bath and closet, then added a new bath and closet for the girls. One side of the sizeable shower is nestled into a sloped nook, an ideal spot for a built-in bench (less headroom needed) and niches to store shampoo and other products. Frosted glass between the shower stall and toilet lets in light from the window while offering privacy. On the shower floor, there’s an infinity drain that enabled a seamless install of dark, brick tiles: a modern touch that’s a nod to hotel bathrooms.
A Kohler soaking tub fits perfectly opposite the vanity, thanks in part to its top-mounted fixture (there were no inches to spare for floor-mounted hardware). “They wanted a large luxurious shower and a tub, and it was my job to make it work,” says Mitchell. Pocket doors leading to the bedroom and closet are also major space savers. While the vanity with linen tower looks custom, it’s actually two pieces from Bertch Cabinetry in a cobalt blue.
The homeowners love the color, and Mitchell considers it timeless. “When I do a color quiz with clients, blue tops the list about 85 percent of the time,” she says. The subway tiles have a subtle blue glaze at the edges. And the blue hue is picked up in the trim on the Roman linen window treatments, a fabric from Samuel & Sons. White walls and ceiling and the quieter white subway tiles offset the strong visual interest of the vanity and the boldly patterned floor tile that anchors
the room.
Mirrored medicine cabinets, trimmed in black steel, reflect the windows, making the room look bigger and more light-filled. Mixed hardware tones of brass and black really tie the room together: The drawer pulls and light fixtures add brass accents, while the tub and sink hardware and shower stall have a black metal finish. “I love doing an eclectic look versus chrome, chrome, chrome,” says Mitchell. “It makes the room feel more relaxed and handpicked, not like a showroom, more like a living space.”
– Get The Look –
White-Linen Roman Shade Trim
Samuel & Sons
Black-Framed Mirrored Medicine Cabinets
Robern
Bronze Cabinet and Drawer Pulls
Restoration Hardware, Atelier Collection
Subway Tile With Blue Ombre Edge
Marble America
Freestanding Tub
Kohler
Vanity and Linen Tower
Bertch Cabinetry
