These elegant enhancements make basic bathrooms gleam
To live up to its name, the master bathroom deserves great attention and careful planning. Local designer Sarah Cooper of Cabell Cooper Design maintains that master bathrooms serve as a safe haven to retreat to at the end of a busy day, so they should be at the top of the list when it comes to design priorities in a house. We spoke to Cooper to discover how she designs a show-stopping master bathroom, from tubs and showers to vanity hardware.
“Design trends are ever present in this space,” says Cooper. “A popular bathroom design layout that I am utilizing now is one where the tub and shower are separate and therefore become two different design zones.”
For bath lovers, this layout allows for an unbeatable bubble bath experience. “I like to flank the tub with shelving or a decorative backdrop—either an antique mirror or a window. And to spotlight the zone, I introduce a chandelier,” says Cooper.
With equal care, Cooper has crafted a design for the shower space that appears both tall and spacious.
“In the shower, I prefer to elongate the overall height by placing tile all the way up to the crown molding, and utilizing a taller shower glass,” says Cooper. “Placing tiles closely together also gives the illusion that the walls are solid and not individually segmented. I typically incorporate the vanity countertops into the shower opening, and I always use a different, more intricate tile for the shower floor and niches.”
For a cohesive look, detail elements domninate. Cooper establishes fluidity and harmony by carrying out the small details throughout the bathroom.
“For vanities, I almost always use quartzite countertops, which is a natural and durable countertop material that looks elegant and sharp. I am also really into using beveled-edge mirrors, since they are classic and sleek, and I prefer to mount my lighting sconces into the vanity mirrors. I typically paint the vanities a bolder color that not only helps anchor the space but also promotes a pop of visual interest.”
Find out more about Cooper’s work on her website. And follow @inRegister on Instagram for more design inspiration.
