Kitchen & Bath Design News

MAR 2013

Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.

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Project Case Study { Spotlight on creative, problem-solving kitchens and baths } By Kim Berndtson Blank Canvas Becomes Designer Liz Murray turns a former guest bedroom into a master bath that accommodates her clients' desire for an urban chic space. Portland, OR ��� When Liz Murray���s clients first approached her about remodeling their late 1930s/early 1940s dwelling, they were looking for a classic, traditional style to go with the time period of their home. But after they remodeled a second residence in Brazil that featured open rooms and clean lines, they asked Murray to rethink the direction of their Portland project. ���They found they liked the openness,��� says the owner of Liz Murray Interior Space Planning and Design, in nearby Lake Oswego. ���But they wanted to maintain some of the classic features of the home ��� such as the windows, hardwood floors, fireplace and stairwell. They wanted to keep the original elements of the architecture intact, but give the space a more airy feel���more urban chic.��� The entire project included three levels, which features a theater, bar, bathroom and full-size laundry on the lower level; the kitchen, foyer and powder, dining and living rooms on the main level; and bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper level. When it came to remodeling the master suite, Murray reworked a portion of the upstairs, renovating a guest bedroom into the new master bath, and turning the existing master bath into a walk-in closet. That gave the designer a blank canvas to create a space that more than doubled in size to just over 180 square feet. FOCAL POINTS Murray initially opened up the space by vaulting the ceiling to 10 feet. ���The roof line and the architecture are intact, but it provides more head space and clean lines,��� says the designer. The open, airy feeling is maintained with back-to-back qoating vanities and a large shower with partial glass enclosure. Murray identipes both as focal points for the room. The streamlined cabinetry ��� rift white oak with flat-faced doors that were custom designed by Murray and crafted by Elite Woodworks, Inc. ��� features pnger pulls instead of traditional hardware to preserve a qush look. The same cabinetry is used throughout the home to provide a continuous, uncomplicated look. Its back-to-back design in the master bath o���ers a unique twist on the clients��� desire for individual his/her sink areas. ���My clients wanted separate spaces, separate counters,��� she says. ���But they didn���t necessarily have to be next to each other. I o���ered several designs and we kept coming back to this one.��� The vanities are topped with Mocha Cream limestone. The same material ��� in honed, large-format tiles ��� sheaths the qoor and shower. Radiant qoor heat keeps the space warm and dry. Duravit Caro white sinks are highlighted with wall-mounted Axor Cittiero faucets in a polished chrome pnish. The backsplash is created with Ann Sacks iridescent white and glass mosaics in a custom Breeze blend. Stacked horizontally, they provide a balanced design to those stacked vertically in the shower. ���Classic design typically incorporates mosaics,��� she says. ���Stacking them vertically is sort of a bridge between the old and new.��� Their iridescence also creates interest, Murray notes. ���Light plays beauti- fully on them,��� she explains. ���The band in the shower was designed to simulate water. When you step one way or the other, light plays on it and it ���dances���.��� His/her medicine cabinets are recessed into the wall, while back-to-back mirrors are accented with side and pendant lights. Benches match the vanities and provide functional storage as well as a place to sit. The large, walk-in shower includes several customized features, such as a toiletry niche and anti-fog shaving mirror, tailored specipcally to match the height of Murray���s client. Hansgrohe showerheads ��� including stationary, handheld and rainhead/ceiling mount models ��� feature thermostatic valves to maintain temperature. A bench, with a qoating design, hovers over a trough drain to maintain clean lines. SAVING SPACE ��� To the left of the shower, Murray incorporated a water closet with a Geberit concealed tank and carrier system that let the designer hide the toilet tank inside the wall, in a model that allows installation between 2"x4" studs. The wall-hung Duravit Caro toilet maintains the wall-mount theme created with the vanities, fau- Liz Murray used a Geberit concealed tank and carrier system that let her hide the toilet tank inside the wall (above). The same system was utilized in the urinal (facing page). ��� The walk-in shower o���ers the homeowners several customized features (right). 24 | Kitchen & Bath Design News March 2013

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