Light and Warm Design Creates a Luxurious Bath Oasis

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a luxurious and warm bathroom design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Crimson Park Design.

An 80’s-era ensuite bathroom in Bellevue, WA, USA is opened up to solve outdated design and inefficient geometry. Featured are custom Sinker Cypress vanity, linen cabinet, and a 48” wide barn-style door with header and column, also of Sinker Cypress. A white ofuro-style tub, backed by new floor-to-ceiling glazing, sits in a stream of black polished river stones extending along the East wall under the vanity. Full slab, sumi-e-esque quartz lines the shower. Large field, textured Italian porcelain tile runs, offset, from West to East and up the wall behind the vanity. “When I walk into my bathroom I feel like a queen.” – Client, M. Chandler.

What was the client’s brief? 

• Update bathroom design and create a spa feel
• Clean and bright without being sterile
• Plan for future aging-in-place
• The bathroom has to be warm. Always.
• Sufficient storage – (items to be stored were inventoried to assure sufficient storage)
• Plenty of outlets at vanity
• No handles or hardware to bump into, or catch on clothing
• A bench large enough to sit on and to hold clothes

What inspired the design of the project?

I wanted to create a space that would allow my client to feel that her bathroom is a place of refuge; a place where she can begin and end her day at an arm’s length from the stress of life; a place to feel refreshed. I was fortunate enough to be given the creative freedom to incorporate some of my artistic sensibility into the design. After having As-Builts created, I began to sketch conceptual shapes in plan view, with the goal of keeping the main plumbing sites relatively intact. I like to work with organic shapes, and Mary gave me a bit of a free hand in coming up with design elements. In my art I tend to use circles, spirals, and other curving lines. I let instinct guide my pencil to create lines that would soften the space and hard angles that draw the eye around the room. I, then, scaled the concept back to reality and budget, keeping one curving line for the black river rock stream. The tile was cut to my hand drawn line that had been translated to a template by the CAD tech.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The most challenging part of the project was tackling the angle of the bedroom-to-bath transition hallway relative to the opening of the bathroom, in order to enclose the space, reducing the draft. I designed the Sinker Cypress header and column to properly catch the bespoke sliding door. It took a couple of iterations but I’m pleased with the result, which is a monolithic, yet in-scale, practical and user-friendly design element, warming the space both literally and aesthetically.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlights of any project for me are the joy of problem solving and collaboration with the client, craftsmen, and contractors through the design and build process; seeing all of the components come together as I envisioned; and delighting my client. A happy client is the best reward.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

When the Chandler Bath Oasis was complete, I felt that something special had been created. I wanted to put it out into the world to gauge the response. I aimed high when entering the SBID Awards; it is clear that the SBID recognizes design excellence. I appreciate the thoughtfulness I sense from the organization, and the sense of community that the SBID works to create. Crimson Park Design is incredibly honoured to be recognized as a finalist by the SBID, validating my instinct about the strength of my design, and the work of my partners.

Questions answered by Shelli Park, Principal, Crimson Park Design.