Before remodeling the two bathrooms in our South Alder project I decided to create looks that where the same yet different. One of the ways we accomplished this was by using the same style of light fixture. In the master bath, as seen here, we installed a 3 globe version with clear glass while in the hall bath we installed a 2 globe version with smoky glass.

The master bath was long and narrow and did not function well for the homeowners. There was not enough room for two people in the narrow walkway and the shower dripped water all over the floor. There was also not much storage.

We kept the pre-existing shower stall but replaced the fibreglass surround with long, narrow striated tiles to give the impression of width to the space. We also installed a glass shelf for bottles, a rain showerhead for luxury, a bi-fold glass door to contain the water drips without encroaching on the floor and a heated towel rack just outside the door for dry, cozy and warm towels.

Our customers had/have this extraordinary bath rug made from salmon gill nets. It was purchased in 2014 in Sointula (while on a CR Museum trip) during a show called “Threads Through Time, A Coastal Textile History” and was made with old, used salmon gill netting from the Tallheo Net Loft near Bella Coola by a Sointula artist. I suggested we hang a photo of the net loft in the bathroom to showcase the story of the bath mat (which we did). It’s such a cool piece!

Aside from installing a space saving bi-fold shower door, we also saved floor space by designing and building a custom vanity, narrower than standard. The narrower vanity cannot accommodate a standard drop in sink but an above counter vessel sink with a 20” diameter sits on it no problem, especially since the faucet is mounted at the 10 o’clock position. With the vessel sink sitting 6” high and the faucet even higher, the tile backsplash was installed 12” high.

We also designed and built a fir, flat panel custom medicine cabinet (complete with mirror in the centre door) and a deeper, taller wall cabinet above the toilet. The wall colour was carefully chosen to work with all the new tones, including those in the new flooring.

While we designed, and installed new cabinetry in the S. Alder project master bath, we kept the existing shaker panel oak vanity that the hall bath previously had. We changed the counter top, backsplash and flooring as per what we used in the master bath and the new light is the same style but the master bath features a 3-clear globe version while the hall bath has a 2-smoky globe version. The sink, faucet, custom mirror and shower curtain are new and completely different then that in the master bath.

We suggested hanging a tiny art piece above the toilet in the hall bath to give a more expansive look to the small space and we installed the hand towel rack above the vanity higher than normal to allow for the placement of items below it on the small countertop.

The hall bath has the exact same turquoise accent colour showcased in its shower curtain that the master bath has in its unique salmon gill net bath mat.

Above the hall bath vanity is a custom made Barris mirror created in our shop using cherry, walnut and maple wood. We used the pre-existing frameless mirror and simply cut it to size to fit the new wood frame.

The Barris mirror frame was created by first cutting wood strips to the approximate dimension and then planning them to the exact size. Once this was done the wood was glue laminated together with the help of bar clamps.

The four Barris mirror sides where mitred and biscuit jointed together

The Barris mirror keeps the wall interesting without adding any other décor to the space between the backsplash and the light fixture.

Even though we kept the same vanity that pre-existed in the hall bath, the finished look is completely different and totally updated.

We also kept the pre-existing cabinets in the S. Alder kitchen. We simply took the cabinets and dishwasher from the peninsula and swung them around to continue the length of cabinets on the sink wall. We then added a new island made from black stained fir. We also added a new upper cabinet for books in a similar stain to the pre-existing cabinetry on the window wall, a new smoky blue glass backsplash installed in a subway pattern, new countertops, sink, faucet, microwave/stove hood, electric switches and ceiling light.

Before the kitchen felt small and removed from the attached family room, the new floor plan connects the two spaces while at the same time making it feel much larger.

Because we where introducing a new wood within the island we chose to feature it by staining the fir black. We also continued the same new flooring in the bathrooms, down the hall, left into the foyer and right to and through the kitchen and family room.

The new flooring was chosen to work with the honey oak, black stained fir and purple wall colour that is in the kitchen and down one side of the hall leading to the foyer. The smoky blue glass tiles where chosen because they also complimented the purple shade on the walls.

Since the flooring also continues down a second stretch of hallway leading to and through the bathrooms, the material choices in the bathrooms where also chosen to work with the new flooring in a co-ordinated colour and material scheme.

The co-ordinated colour and material choices that travel through the kitchen, family room, hallways and two bathrooms creates a sense of unity. Each space is the same and yet different.