Room of the Day: A Moroccan, Traditional and Industrial Mix
In Illinois, a 52-square-foot hall bathroom gets a lovely transitional look
Transitional is a word we throw around a lot, but it’s hard to define. Somewhere between traditional and contemporary, it can incorporate a lot of different design styles. The key is in the balance. “I like to use a unique mix of different styles, as long as it makes sense for the house and for my clients,” interior designer Susan Klimala says. In the case of this bathroom, she pulled together Moroccan, traditional and industrial elements in a way that’s grounded in tradition yet also updated.
“After” photos by Mike Kaskel
Black, white and gray provided the base for the room, with chrome and oak accents added. The wall color is gray with a blue undertone, which makes the space calming and keeps things light and bright.
Wall paint: Solitude, Benjamin Moore
Black, white and gray provided the base for the room, with chrome and oak accents added. The wall color is gray with a blue undertone, which makes the space calming and keeps things light and bright.
Wall paint: Solitude, Benjamin Moore
Klimala’s clients, who were on a fairly tight budget, were interested in the look of encaustic cement tiles but found this much less expensive ceramic version at Home Depot. “Ceramic is also easier to install and clean,” Klimala says. The lively black-and-white pattern set the tone for the room.
Also worth noting in this photo are the feet on the vanity. “You can really get a lot of bang for your buck with a ready-made vanity,” the designer says. “My clients wanted a lot of storage for when their girls are home.”
Tile: Twenties Classic, Merola Tile, Home Depot; Damask vanity with rollout shelves and internal outlets: Kohler
Also worth noting in this photo are the feet on the vanity. “You can really get a lot of bang for your buck with a ready-made vanity,” the designer says. “My clients wanted a lot of storage for when their girls are home.”
Tile: Twenties Classic, Merola Tile, Home Depot; Damask vanity with rollout shelves and internal outlets: Kohler
The existing window needed replacing, so Klimala suggested glass block for privacy in the shower. “The glass block has an industrial look, so we played off that in some of the details,” she says. Those include the sliding clear glass door and its chrome barn door track, the darker grout around the subway tiles and the sconces.
She also included a handheld shower head. “It makes cleaning so much easier,” she says.
She also included a handheld shower head. “It makes cleaning so much easier,” she says.
Mirrors carry the Moroccan style up the wall. The sconces have glass shades and bring in a vintage industrial look.
The clients are big fans of Corian and wanted to use it in here. “I found a color that resembles concrete so that it would play off the other industrial elements,” Klimala says. The shape of the faucets, the accessories such as the towel bars and the profile of the vanity are the more traditional elements in the mix. But the chrome finishes lend an updated look.
Mirrors: Levico, Restoration Hardware; sconces: Cafe Series, Gatco; faucets: Kelston, Kohler
The clients are big fans of Corian and wanted to use it in here. “I found a color that resembles concrete so that it would play off the other industrial elements,” Klimala says. The shape of the faucets, the accessories such as the towel bars and the profile of the vanity are the more traditional elements in the mix. But the chrome finishes lend an updated look.
Mirrors: Levico, Restoration Hardware; sconces: Cafe Series, Gatco; faucets: Kelston, Kohler
The bathtub is acrylic, chosen for its nice curved shadow line along the bottom.
Bathtub: Bancroft, Kohler
Bathtub: Bancroft, Kohler
The recipe of Moroccan, traditional and industrial elements all came together to create a fresh transitional look, ready to welcome guests.
More: So Your Style Is … Transitional
See more bathroom makeovers
More: So Your Style Is … Transitional
See more bathroom makeovers
Who uses it: Adult daughters home for a visit, other overnight guests
Location: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Size: 52 square feet (just under 5 square meters)
Designer: Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn
BEFORE: The 1970s fixtures and finishes were way past their prime. “My clients’ daughters had used it as teenagers, and it had sustained a lot of wear and tear,” Klimala says. “And there was nothing comfortable about the toilet or bathtub.”