Bathroom of the Week: A Study in Elegant Contrasts
An interior designer creates a well-balanced mix of black and white in a sophisticated primary bath
This Chapel Hill, North Carolina, couple had lived in several homes they had remodeled over the years. But when they reached the point of creating their forever home, they decided to start fresh with a new build. “This was their opportunity to start from scratch,” says their interior designer, Daniel Sawyer. In their primary bathroom, Sawyer struck an elegant balance of black and white, along with mixed metal finishes.
To create the strong contrast, Sawyer thought carefully about the amount of black he’d add, as well as the finishes. “The vanities are a silky black. The countertops are a black quartz with a matte finish,” he says. The quartz countertops and backsplash also have very subtle marble-like veining. He chose the material because he knew it wouldn’t compete with the glossy tiles on the floor and walls.
After striking the right balance between black and white, Sawyer added the metallic finishes. The hardware and plumbing fixtures are antique brass and the sconces are champagne.
Functionality was important to these clients. So was maintaining a clutter-free space. Sawyer installed drawers outfitted for hair and shaving appliances, with outlets hidden inside. He also installed a pullout shelf underneath each sink for easy access to items in the back of the cabinets.
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After striking the right balance between black and white, Sawyer added the metallic finishes. The hardware and plumbing fixtures are antique brass and the sconces are champagne.
Functionality was important to these clients. So was maintaining a clutter-free space. Sawyer installed drawers outfitted for hair and shaving appliances, with outlets hidden inside. He also installed a pullout shelf underneath each sink for easy access to items in the back of the cabinets.
Browse vanities in the Houzz Shop
This photo shows the windows with black muntins and framing used throughout the house. They play beautifully off the black vanities.
“I created custom mirrors as wide as the vanities,” Sawyer says. “And I wanted them to be very high to reflect lots of light, making the room feel light.” He designed mirrors with a half-inch bevel in between the mirrors and their mirror glass frames.
The glass fabricator cut the holes in the mirror for the sconces, and the electrician placed the wiring behind where the holes were designated. “Mounting sconces on top of a mirror means having a great contractor that is very precise,” Sawyer says. The designer also placed the sconces in a spot that made sense in relation to the faucets and the edges of the mirror.
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“I created custom mirrors as wide as the vanities,” Sawyer says. “And I wanted them to be very high to reflect lots of light, making the room feel light.” He designed mirrors with a half-inch bevel in between the mirrors and their mirror glass frames.
The glass fabricator cut the holes in the mirror for the sconces, and the electrician placed the wiring behind where the holes were designated. “Mounting sconces on top of a mirror means having a great contractor that is very precise,” Sawyer says. The designer also placed the sconces in a spot that made sense in relation to the faucets and the edges of the mirror.
Find the right vanity lighting for your bathroom
Whereas the floor tiles are 24 inches square, Sawyer laid them out in their full 24-by-48-inch size on the walls inside and outside the shower. “I switched up the tile sizes and patterns to give the room some variation,” he says. For the shower floor, he had the tiles cut and laid in a herringbone pattern.
On the homeowners’ must-have list were two rain shower heads and three handheld wands. The lower one in the right corner can be used for rinsing off feet, shaving legs, washing dogs and cleaning the shower. The bench is in the same black quartz as the vanity countertops. The shower floor slopes toward a minimalist infinity shower drain, trimmed in matching floor tile.
Knowing his clients’ preference for a clutter-free look, Sawyer put the shower niches in the knee walls so plastic bottles and other supplies are hidden from view.
The door to the left of the shower is a linen closet.
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On the homeowners’ must-have list were two rain shower heads and three handheld wands. The lower one in the right corner can be used for rinsing off feet, shaving legs, washing dogs and cleaning the shower. The bench is in the same black quartz as the vanity countertops. The shower floor slopes toward a minimalist infinity shower drain, trimmed in matching floor tile.
Knowing his clients’ preference for a clutter-free look, Sawyer put the shower niches in the knee walls so plastic bottles and other supplies are hidden from view.
The door to the left of the shower is a linen closet.
Find a local tile professional
Sawyer found a black-and-white botanical lithograph for the room. “I wanted to add softness with a floral but keep the duochromatic palette,” he says.
To the left of the artwork is the toilet room, which contains a surprise: a wallpaper in a lively pattern of gold, silver and champagne tones. “I love to mix metals and colors,” Sawyer says. “For so long everyone was so big on only using one.”
Wall color: First Star, Sherwin-Williams
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To the left of the artwork is the toilet room, which contains a surprise: a wallpaper in a lively pattern of gold, silver and champagne tones. “I love to mix metals and colors,” Sawyer says. “For so long everyone was so big on only using one.”
Wall color: First Star, Sherwin-Williams
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a bathroom designer
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Size: 204 square feet (19 square meters)
Designer: Daniel Sawyer Interior Design
Having worked with these clients before, Sawyer had a good grasp of their style. “I would describe it as functional, clean, with a touch of eclectic modern,” he says. “The inspiration photos they shared had a lot of black and white with gold accents.”
Sawyer advises starting off with something you love. For these homeowners, it was a beautiful porcelain tile with a Carrara marble look. The designer used it on the floor and the shower surround. He had the large-format (24-by-48-inch) tiles cut into 24-inch squares for the main bathroom floor, laying them diagonally to create a diamond pattern. The floor tiles have a nonslip finish.
Every detail mattered in this room. For example, Sawyer didn’t want a utilitarian vent to be an eyesore. So he had a special vent made with laser-cut tile to match the rest of the floor.
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