Residential architecture in the 1990s had some quirks. Kerrin Muller, lead designer at Fredricksburg, Va.-based Muller Design encountered some of these oddities when remodeling the primary bathroom of her clients’ summer home. The room had an asymmetrical peaked ceiling that soared to a height of 18 feet, dwarfing the door and the dated bathroom fixtures. It also made lighting the bath problematic. As well, the room had several walls that partitioned the interior, making it feel dark and closed-in.
In the course of the tear-out, it was discovered those walls were not load-bearing. The Muller design team capitalized on this by opening up the plan and making the tub, shower and toilet easier to access. They also increased the size of the vanity and shower, and swapped out the old decked-in tub for a graceful freestanding model.
With regard to the ceiling, Muller said, “It presented unusual challenges. If we tried to light the bathroom in a standard way, using canister lights, they would shine into peoples’ eyes. We ended up committing to a ‘no can’ concept, and then the lighting plan evolved in a great way.
“Each area is lit by long linear LED pendants that line up across the room; two are over the tub and another two are above the shower/toilet. We added more suspended linears to light the sink area, and added some elongated sconces around the mirrors. Finally, we hung a giant spherical fixture in the center of the room.”
