As part of the scope of a whole-house redo of a 1980 residence set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, award-winning designer and NKBA member Juliana Ewer of J Squared Home Designs sought to create an atmosphere that would reflect the antiques and lodge look of the new interior. Color would play a prominent role in that plan.
For this bathroom, Ewer took her cues from a couple of vintage wallpaper panels that had a chinoiserie theme. In particular, the peacock blue in the panels meshed well with the décor of the ensuite bedroom. (The swatches of wallpaper that inspired the palette are now framed and prominently displayed in the bath.)
Supply Chain Blues
Originally, the Ambella Home vanities were to be delivered in a custom shade of blue, but the wait for them to be painted by the manufacturer was far longer than what the designer had allotted in the schedule. To keep the project on track, Ewer worked with the vendor to have a raw pair of the chests shipped to the house, and then had the construction team paint them on-site in Caribbean Blue Water by Benjamin Moore.
Apropos of a lodge, it was a rack of shed deer antlers that influenced the color selection of some tile in the shower and the wood-look flooring. The gray/sand hue highlights the texture of both surfaces.
When it came to picking the finishes for the plumbing and lighting fixtures in the bath, the designer opted for metallic accents that evoked the passage of time. “Using brass brought an antique feel to the room and the gold was warm and vintage-y – these were more suitable to the space than silver or black, which have a cool, modern connotation.”
A Quilt Quality
Ewer used three different wallpapers on the four walls of the bath to achieve a quilt-like effect that emphasizes both color and pattern. The grass cloth from Schumacher is Shantung Silhouette in sisal, the back wall is covered in the Cairo pattern by Anna French and the wall behind the commode and near the shower is a simple Thibaut textured vinyl product. Each has a bountiful range of blues, from pastels to saturated tones.
Design From a Distance
As J Squared Home Designs is based in the Houston area, Ewer had a long-distance commute to visit the job in rural North Carolina. “So many things are challenging on out-of-town projects,” she said. “I did stay on site as much as possible, and thank goodness for that, as I was able to prevent misunderstandings before they were implemented.”
One incident she was spared: a bear broke into the garage, where construction materials were stored. Fortunately, no damage was reported.
Sources
Design: Juliana Ewer, J Squared Home Designs; Photography: Erin Adams; Cabinets, Cabinet Hardware, Countertops, Sinks: Ambella Home; Faucets: Parlos Home; Lighting, Mirrors: Chesea House; Paint: Benjamin Moore; Shower Fittings: GhomeG; Tile: Floor & Décor; Toilet: Swiss Madison; Tub: Clark; Tub Filler: Designer Collection; Wallpapers: Schumacher, Anna French, Thibaut; Window Coverings: Kravat
