Bathing Beauties
The winners of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Bath of the Year contest offer a glimpse into 2014’s hottest design trends. Smart innovations, calming color palettes and an effortless mix of modern and classic flourishes effortlessly converge to impart personality.
The winners of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Bath of the Year contest offer a glimpse into 2014
Contest winner, Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, Matthew Quinn, Principal
Contest winner, Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, Matthew Quinn, Principal
Contest winner, Rabaut Design Associates,Jo Rabaut, ASID, IIDA and Georgia Rappole, Associate IIDA
Contest winner, Rabaut Design Associates,Jo Rabaut, ASID, IIDA and Georgia Rappole, Associate IIDA
Contest winner, Rabaut Design Associates,Jo Rabaut, ASID, IIDA and Georgia Rappole, Associate IIDA
Contest winner, Beth Kooby Design, Beth Kooby
Contest winner, Beth Kooby Design, Beth Kooby
Simply Grand
A luxurious, hotel-inspired bath is packed with ingenuity and visual panache.
Drawing from their vast travel experiences, homeowners Aaron Wilson and Tommy Chapman described all their favorite details from luxury hotel baths when they approached Matthew Quinn of Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio to design their dream space. “They like classic with a modern twist,” says Quinn. “They also wanted a place for everything. And because they do travel so much, having neat and tight little compartments gives them peace of mind and helps make packing and unpacking more efficient.”
Quinn and his team designed clever inserts for hair dryers and individual compartments for grooming items, giving the pair storage without typical medicine cabinets. The vanities and linen cabinet were designed as furniture pieces, but expertly organized inside, says Quinn. “The marble and large detailed moldings give the space its classicism, while the plumbing fixtures and lighting add a more contemporary edge. Shapes and silhouettes are repeated throughout the space, which really helps pull it all together,” he explains.
The soaking tub was designed by Quinn for MTI Baths. “I loved that they picked the tub first and then asked me to design the entire space around that,” the designer recalls. “I was fortunate that they also liked my signature lines of molding and legs for Art for Everyday and my signature plumbing collection for Rubinet Faucet Company. They actually have more Matthew Quinn Collection product in their bathroom than I have in my own.”
Minimalist Chic
This stylish master bath renovation features smart solutions and a restrained color palette.
Although this bath’s smart, single owner wanted a space to accommodate his personal needs, he didn’t want to sacrifice resale value, so he needed a bath that would work for two. Also top of mind: Clutter—or, rather, the elimination of it. “Our client directed us to create an open and luxurious hotel-room feel,” explains Jo Rabaut, principal of Rabaut Design Associates.
To meet these goals, the Rabaut team removed bulky louvered doors, unnecessary walls and spec cabinetry, and then added a new pocket door for a seamless transition to the bedroom. The zero-entry shower better integrates it into the space, a key component of the sought-after open feel. Storage is plentiful but well disguised. Case in point: Recessed Robern medicine cabinets provide hidden storage along the vanity wall, providing easy access to necessities, while a pair of built-in wall niches offer a second layer of storage. Complementary, the efficiently designed closet system “takes the effort out of everyday organization,” explains Rabaut.
Tying the space together is a masterful layering of sleek and textural materials in combination with a rich coffee-colored palette, giving the impression of contemporary opulence. Now, says Rabaut, the bathroom is “the client’s favorite room in the house.”
Light & Bright
An awkward and outdated bath is reimagined with modern charm
“Renovation always includes a healthy dose of flexibility,” says designer Beth Kooby in reference to the transformation of an uninspired bath into a serene retreat for a married couple expecting twins—who shared approximately the same due date as the new space.
“They kept asking me if we were crazy to be doing this project with the twins on the way—and it did get a bit hectic toward the end—but they were thrilled with the final result,” explains Kooby.
What was previously a cramped and messy room that included a front-and-center toilet as its most prominent feature plus a pedestal sink and no storage was given a full-gut renovation to better accommodate the busy couple’s lifestyle. “They wanted a modern feel to fit with the contemporary style of their home, but it had to be warm, inviting and soothing.” The plumbing was rearranged to create a shower built for two, which includes an eye-catching tree trunk stool. The custom vanity features drawers and smart compartments to store frequently used items. The vanity’s concrete countertop with flecks of glass adds a dash of sexy to the adults-only space, while the wood adds warmth and balance.
Kooby is especially fond of the glass handles she found for the vanity. “The handles are something a little different that didn’t break the bank, and they play off the glass wall tile and the glass in the concrete vanity top.”
About the Judges
Michel Smith Boyd’s life-altering trip to New York’s D&D building encouraged him to enroll at The Art Institute of Atlanta. It was here, while studying interior design, that he began to cultivate a distinct style and point of view. Noted as one of the nation’s top 20 African American designers by pinkegshell.com, Boyd also has multiple nominations for ADAC’s Southeast Designer of the Year. In 2013, he was honored as one of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles top 10 tastemakers under 40.
Burns Century, ASID, CKD, designs custom bathrooms and kitchens by blending functionality, aesthetics and meaning for residential and hospitality spaces. She is a professional NKBA member as well as a Licensed Georgia Residential Contractor. Her work has been published in numerous local and national publications such as Trends, Kitchen & Bath Business, Woman’s Day and NARI Remodeler’s Journal. In 2013, her interiors were featured in the Modern Atlanta Home Tour, and most recently, she was featured in HGTV’s House Crashers. In addition to design, her original mixed-media fine art is found in many of her clients’ interiors.
Steven Gamper has been active in the kitchen-and-bath industry for the past 30 years. With a degree in industrial design and post graduate work in architecture and mechanical engineering, Gamper has the unique ability to bring all aspects of his client’s project to fruition. For the past seven years, he has been a partner at CSI Kitchen & Bath Studio, a full-service design and remodeling company that offers all services in-house.
Edwin Rhinehart, AIA, is a registered architect with over 25 years of experience in the design of residential and commercial projects. He has worked with well-known, award-winning commercial architecture firms, and has served as the lead architectural designer for two of the largest homebuilders in the Southeast. In 2012, he and Robert Pulliam founded Rhinehart Pulliam & Company, LLC as a multi-disciplinary design firm practicing in the fields of architecture, town planning and graphic communications, with a special emphasis on residential design and planning.