Bathroom of the Week: Eclectic Modern Style for a Texas Bungalow
A designer uses deep blue tile, brass finishes and quirky touches to suit her clients’ personal style
Designer Lauren Jerden didn’t have to make this Austin, Texas, couple complete any design homework to understand their style. “It was pretty clear walking through their bungalow that they had modern eclectic taste and that they loved color,” she says. In addition, their use of blue in other rooms sparked the color palette for this bathroom renovation. Sumptuous blue tile, a wall-mounted concrete sink, a playful floor tile and brass accents fit right in at the happy home.
The biggest infusion of color comes in through the shower surround. It’s composed of handmade ceramic 2-by-8-inch elongated subway tiles in a stacked layout. This gridded composition lends a modern look. The shower enclosure is a simple glass panel, which preserves the view of the tile.
The plumbing fixtures, light fixture and hardware in the room are all aged brass. “With the dark blue tiles, opting for brass was an easy choice,” Jerden says. The shower includes a handheld wand and a niche. She used the same blue subway tiles in the niche and around the window for a continuous look. The shower floor tiles are white penny rounds.
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The plumbing fixtures, light fixture and hardware in the room are all aged brass. “With the dark blue tiles, opting for brass was an easy choice,” Jerden says. The shower includes a handheld wand and a niche. She used the same blue subway tiles in the niche and around the window for a continuous look. The shower floor tiles are white penny rounds.
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“One challenge was that we only had about 18 inches for the sink,” Jerden says. This wall-mounted version saved space in the relatively compact bathroom. It’s made of blue-colored concrete. It’s a small element that adds a lot of character to the room.
The small mirror works well with the scale of the sink. Its irregular edge adds an eclectic touch, something the homeowners appreciate. And the wood frame brings in a warm, organic element.
Sink: Concretti Designs
Browse wall-mounted sinks
The small mirror works well with the scale of the sink. Its irregular edge adds an eclectic touch, something the homeowners appreciate. And the wood frame brings in a warm, organic element.
Sink: Concretti Designs
Browse wall-mounted sinks
Because of the lack of space on the wall above the sink, Jerden went with a pendant light rather than sconces. The shape of the pendant adds a vintage touch, while the brass adds warmth near the ceiling.
Finally, the homeowners’ own artwork was a perfect fit for the room. “This room is truly a continuation of the existing style they had in their home,” Jerden says.
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Finally, the homeowners’ own artwork was a perfect fit for the room. “This room is truly a continuation of the existing style they had in their home,” Jerden says.
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Find a local bathroom remodeler
Shop for your bathroom
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 50 square feet (4.7 square meters)
Designer: Lauren Jerden of Lauren Allyn Interiors
The bathroom is off the living room and close to a room that currently serves as an office. The homeowners hope to start a family soon, so the way they use these rooms could change soon — the office may become a nursery or guest bedroom. Thus, having the flexibility of a full bathroom nearby is convenient. But for their current purposes, the homeowners and the designer treated this as a powder room that happens to have a shower stall.
Jerden could see from the rest of the bungalow that her clients liked eclectic modern style and that they had a lighthearted attitude toward design. So she started with a playful blue-and-white hexagonal tile floor. The mix of blue and white on the tiles varies — some are solid, some are half and half, others are about two-thirds of one color, one-third of the other. “The tile company has different options for how to lay this out, and we went for the ‘random’ option,” the designer says.
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