A 1980s Bathroom Gets a Stylish, Storage-Savvy Refresh
Rao Design Studio and Tokerud + Co Interior Design transform a 1980s bathroom into a modern, functional space built for two
When designing any space, function is of paramount importance to Matthew Rao of RAO Design Studio: The finished product must work flawlessly for the clients who will live in it day-to-day. That mandate was top of mind as he, along with Lindsay Robinson and Courtney Blair of Houston, Texas-based Tokerud + Co Interior Design, set about reconfiguring a 1980s home in Decatur that had never been updated before. Its warren of small, chopped up spaces was exactly the opposite of the seamless, functional environs the team envisioned. “The goal was to remake the primary bath-bedroom suite, including the relocation of laundry, and to make it bright, open, suitable for two people, and connected to both the wardrobes and the bedroom,” explains Rao.
The first step—and part of a much larger project—was to give the primary bedroom and bathroom vaulted ceilings and to have the bath space moved to the front of the house to capitalize on natural light through full-length windows. “The windows that were part of the former closet on the front of the house became a source of light for the brightened and relocated bath,” says Rao.
Next, Rao examined the circulation and flow of the room and decided to create a vanity island—something seen often in kitchens but less so in bathrooms—to anchor the space. “It became apparent that a conventional layout against the wall with the vanity would not work and that the vanity island with [a custom] two-sided free-floating mirror was the solution,” he says. “It’s unconventional but frees the walls and puts a couple facing each other and both facing views—not just the wall—when they are using the room. It also doubled the storage we could create.”
Airy, sculptural pendants add an artful touch, and the adjacent walk-in shower with lookouts on both corners offers both connection and privacy. Rao is proud of what his team accomplished, saying that it exemplifies “a sense of balance and comfort with convenience.”
Resources BATHROOM DESIGNER AND ARCHITECT RAO Design Studio INTERIOR DESIGNERS Tokerud + Co Interior Design CONTRACTOR Penn Carpentry CABINETRY SieMatic COUNTERTOP Cambria SINKS Duravit FAUCETRY AND SHOWER FIXTURES Keuco WALLCOVERINGS Knoll WINDOW TREATMENTS Conrad LAUNDRY DOORS Sans Soucie CEILING PAINT Sherwin-Williams Drift of Mist PENDANT LIGHTING Bocci WINDOWS Kolbe Windows & Doors FLOOR TILE Bera & Beren SHOWER BODY TILE Ann Sacks SHOWER MOSAIC TILE Estrella Glass Mosaic Tile