Custom Cabinets Are Key to This Bath
This article was originally published on September 18, 2023; it was updated on September 27, 2023.
“The homeowners’ wish list was huge, but their space wasn’t.” That’s how designer Tanna Edler, of Yakima, Wash.-based Tanna By Design assessed the conditions she faced when taking on the redesign of this primary bath. Measuring 13 feet wide and 32 feet long, the room posed a spatial challenge that the designer addressed by creating custom cabinets that maximized storage and circulation.
Edler had already done considerable work on this home, redoing the kitchen and pantry, dining room and living room, among other spaces. She had established a color palette of warm neutrals with brass accents for the residence, and it made sense to continue this scheme in the primary bath. Not only did it dovetail with the existing design, it was an ideal ambiance for the “spa-like vibe” the clients desired.
Making Spatial Magic
The clients’ primary request – to keep the existing floor plan but add more space – initially elicited a double-take reaction from the Tanna By Design team. “It sounds like a trick, right?” said Edler. But the designer and her colleagues pulled it off. By incorporating the small area that used to be a hallway between the bathroom and the closet, they were able to gain enough space to enlarge the bathroom and at the same time, change the entry to the closet and steal about five feet from the oversized bedroom, area which was absorbed into the walk-in closet.
When sourcing surfaces for the bathroom, the designer was drawn to large format tile for the floors and shower walls for several reasons. Light-colored porcelain slabs not only set a soothing tone, but they added to the illusion of a bigger space. Also, as they need fewer grout lines than smaller tiles, maintenance is easier. Edler emphasizes that installing the large-format tile takes time and recommends working with skilled tile masters in order to minimize breakage.
Finishing Touch: Custom Cabinets
Edler replaced the worn-out vanity with a custom design of her own – a first for her – that complemented the modern style of the home. Constructed of white oak, the honey-toned cabinetry features custom pulls that are finished to match the faucets and fittings in the room.
—By Leslie Clagett, KBB managing editor
