The European Bath

I'm not exactly sure why this bathroom is a European bath. A subcontractor referred to it as such, and we laughed and went with it. Because it's on the main floor of the home, I wanted this bath to be a little less traditional and have some personality. This room is so difficult to photograph that the professional photographer didn't provide any photos. Rather than stress about getting perfect pics, I used my iPhone to snap a few quick shots.

This bath has a few unique features. First, we selected a quartz countertop and rectangular bowl sink, while the other baths feature granite countertops and traditional, round sinks. The shower has a glass wall and subway tile that matches the kitchen backsplash, and the floor is a unique, linear tile (Daltile Fabrique in Blanc Linen). The cabinetry matches the master bath and kitchen cabinetry.

Floor tile

Neat Feature: Door Frame Light Switch

One of the inexpensive touches that adds a more custom feel to our kitchen is a simple door frame light switch for our pantry. We simply open the door, and the light turns on. It's a small touch, but it's nice for a dark, interior closet. The light switch is completely hidden when the door is closed.

His and Hers Vanity

When asked about our wishes for our master bath vanity height, I inquired if it would be possible to do two different heights. Jeff always appreciates a higher vanity, and, of course, I need everything to be standard or low. So, we decided to make minor changes to the cabinet set-up on each side and vary the heights. It was very simple, and we really do appreciate this small touch.
Our general contractor kept the tops of the mirrors and the light fixtures at the same height on the walls, and I think it works very well.

The frames around the mirrors are just trim pieces applied to sheet mirrors. I had elected to go buy framed mirrors for each bath, however, there came a point in the renovation when I was completely overwhelmed with selections and decided to go the easy and inexpensive route. Because our trim is a custom paint match to our cabinetry, it all seems to blend well. Maybe we'll switch the mirrors later. Maybe not.

Pocket Doors

As we received the architect's first pass at our second story, I realized that he likes pocket doors. And, now that we're living in the house, I'm glad he does. I did a little reading online and learned that many builders and architects feel that these are an underused space-saver.
Our old house was new construction and had a nice layout for the upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms. The renovated house is a perfect rectangle upstairs and forced us to be a little more creative in the space planning. We only had so much space to use, and we needed to have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a large laundry room upstairs. (The other two bedrooms and bathrooms are on the lower levels.) The home previously had four large bedrooms upstairs, however, the bathrooms and closets were very tiny. So, in adding some larger bathrooms and walk-in closets, we lost some space. The two pocket doors really helped to allow normal traffic flow in smaller spaces. One was placed in master bath entrance, and one was placed in our son's bathroom entrance. The photos below show that it's possible to place both a vanity and tub just inside the bathroom doorway without either being blocked. The only downside to the pocket door is that the walls that encase the door may not be used to hang artwork or towel bars, as a nail or screw will interfere with the movement of the door inside the wall.