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7. Marble and porcelain power Designer: Michelle Graham Location: Ottawa, Canada Size: About 4.8 square metres; 3.3 x 1.4 metres Homeowners’ request: This space was created when an oversize bedroom was partitioned to create two bedrooms with a new ensuite bathroom between them. The homeowner wanted a larger shower, sufficient storage and a clean, classic and elegant look. Space saver: A wall-hung toilet. “It was the only way to ensure comfortable knee space, given there was a chase in front of the toilet, which provided only 1.2 metres of depth for the toilet,” says designer Michelle Graham. Special features: Thassos and Carrara-marble floor tiles in a square-and-dot pattern. Calacatta Statuario-look porcelain wall tiles. Large mirror with a built-in medicine cabinet and attached sconces. “Keeping the materials simple and continuous adds to the feeling of space,” says Graham. Designer tip: “Having the toilet and vanity floating above the floor makes the space look bigger and shows off the gorgeous floor,” says Graham. ‘Uh-oh’ moment: “We purchased a stock vanity and had it sprayed,” says Graham. “Unfortunately, the hole for the faucet was placed too close to the back of the...
6. Invest in luxury In a small space, it’s more likely you’ll be able to splash out on luxury materials, as you’ll need a much smaller quantity than for a larger room. It can sometimes have a bigger impact than the same material in a larger space, too. In a bathroom or kitchen, this could mean treating yourself to marble tiles, as shown here. Elsewhere, you could invest in a small piece of beautiful fabric to dress a petite window, or a richly detailed rug for a small living room.
2. Go with the flow In an awkwardly shaped small bathroom, it’s best to embrace the layout rather than fight against it. A sloped ceiling, for instance, could make you wonder where to position all the elements. However, rather than feeling limited by the layout, look at it as a positive feature that helps you to make up your mind. In this bathroom, the only place the shower could have been located is beneath the highest point of the ceiling at the back of the room. Everything else then works around it.
I love the black-framed glass shower wall, the white/gray marble subway tile on the walls, the white/gray marble hexagonal penny tiles on the floor, the cast concrete sink and black enclosure/vanity — basically, the whole Parisian subway warm industrial vibe. The only thing I hate is the gold tone of the faucet fixture.
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