A Dream His and Hers Primary Bathroom Adorned with Calacatta Marble and Crystal Accents

Transitional Contemporary Primary Bathroom Design Process Details.

Interview Questions Answered by Principal Designer Rina Capodieci-Quinn.

What was the goal? 

The clients were looking for a comfortable size primary bathroom that felt spacious & had all the fundamental elements a luxury primary bathroom requires. 

What was the scope?  

This space was part of a new construction project meaning there were no pre-existing space restrictions. A custom primary bathroom layout was drawn out and specifically designed to fit the elements expressed by the homeowners. 

What was the sought-after interior design aesthetic? 

A space that was elegant, but also inviting and carried an essence of cheerfulness. Natural light was a must. 

What were the phases of design? 

1. Talk with the Client

2. Develop a Floor Plan  

3. Floor Plan Approval

Can you explain each phase of design more in depth? For example: 

• Talking with the Client —

  • The client was interviewed and asked to provide in detail what they wanted in the primary bathroom along with any notion of colors or materials they were considering. Questions included:

    • Are his & her bathroom vanities or a double vanity preferred?  

    • Is a water closet a necesity?

    • Is a soaking tub or jets preferred?   

• Develop a Floor Plan —

  • All the information gathered from the initial meeting helped to imagine a personalized floor plan from scratch. When working on this floor plan, it was important to not only consider the space planning, but also to think about the elevations and the ceiling. The client’s needs & wants were constantly referred to throughout to see if their aesthetic design desires could be also be accented through building details in the millwork and ceiling. 

• Floor Plan Approval & Design Details —

  • Once a plan was approved, designing the custom elements of the bathroom began. A very important aspect of this bathroom was the bathroom vanities and picking the right hardware and plumbing fixtures that would accent the beauty of the calacatta gold marble being used. The calacatta marble slabs were cherry picked by the design team in the stone yards to find the exact pieces that would shine in this space. While picking the marble, the lighting fixtures were also chosen and perfect window treatments were custom designed. 

What was your favorite part of the job? 

Creating the floor plan was the best part of designing this space because there was so much room for imagination and creativity.  In this primary bathroom, millwork and the groin ceiling were essential aspects. The design of the millwork helped to keep the bathroom streamlined and clean. We were also able to insert full size mirrors and custom hand painted canvases within the millwork. The added vaulted groin ceiling gave the bathroom a sense of grandness without adding any wasted square footage.   

What was your least favorite part of the job? 

NONE!

What made this job unique then other jobs you’ve done? 

The intricate tile designs and lay-outs made this job unique.  Working with the tile installer was awesome.  Secret....Rina specified a dark charcoal grout for the mosaic water jet marble area rug, but was adamant that the main floor tile be grouted in a white. This contrast made the all-natural stone area rug really “pop.” 

Photography Credit: Peter Rymwid