When NKBA member Meredith Weiss, president of Commack, NY-based Merri Interiors assessed the once-renovated primary bath suite in the 1930 home, she recognized that while functional, the existing layout left much to be desired. To access the primary bathroom, the homeowners had to walk through a poorly planned closet that lacked both storage capacity and flow. The bathroom itself, which shared a wall with the closet, featured a massive shower and a bidet – neither of which aligned with her clients’ preferences. The fixtures were awkwardly placed, the water features made little sense functionally and the entire space felt visually dated and uninspiring.
“One of our main goals was to create a more functional and personalized shower experience by redesigning the plumbing layout and introducing a variety of purposeful water features,” Weiss said. “Additionally, my clients wanted more vanity storage and better lighting, especially around the sinks, which were previously undersized and poorly lit – making makeup application a daily frustration.”
Fortunately, the homeowners were very open to creative suggestions, which allowed Weiss to take a more daring and holistic approach to the redesign. When the she proposed moving the shared wall between the closet and the bathroom to expand the closet space, her idea was immediately embraced. This change, however, resulted in a longer entry corridor into the bathroom.
To keep the area from feeling narrow or closed-in, Weiss suggested incorporating glass panels into the shower wall to open up sight lines and allow natural light to flow through. “This not only brightened the space but also gave it a more modern, architectural feel – a quality the clients loved,” said the designer. Making sure the tile around the room ended at the right location for where the glass was going to begin off the floor while also making sure the plumbing layout on that wet wall was key to function.
Overall, this project was a thoughtful transformation of a dated and inefficient space into one that feels fresh, functional and tailored to the client’s lifestyle.
Sources
Design: Meredith Weiss, NKBA, Merri Interiors; Photography: Nicole Larson Photography; Cabinets: Brighton Cabinetry; Cabinet Hardware: Top Knobs; Countertops: LG Viatera; Faucets & Shower Fittings: Kohler; Lighting: Visual Comfort (sconces); Medicine Cabinet: Sofia; Sink: Nameeks; Tile: Long Island Tile; Wallpaper: York
