DESIGN

reimagined RETREATS

This month we’re touring a trio of newly renovated primary bathrooms. Three designers, three styles. All transformed from dated to divine.

TEXT BY TERRI GLAZER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SÉLAVIE PHOTOGRAPHY classic elegance

DESIGNED BY SELENA MCADAMS OF SPRUCE ARCHITECTURE BY JEFF EDWARDS OF CARLTON EDWARDS BUILT BY RKA CONSTRUCTION

"Classic. I think everything about it is classic."

Selena McAdams’s description of this renovated primary bathroom is as refined as the space itself.

Mcdams took on the project, part of a wholehouse remodel in East Memphis, with architect Jeff Edwards of Carlton Edwards, in 2017. The owners wanted a downstairs bedroom/closet/ bathroom suite, so Edwards reconfigured a rarely used formal living room, a hall bath and a small guest room to create a comfortable retreat for the couple. RKA Construction saw the effort through from concept to completion.

before

Light-filled and

elegant, the bathroom’s white walls and trim provide a clean and traditional backdrop. White marble floor tiles, laid in an intricate pattern of large and small squares on the diagonal, welcome the couple into the room. An elegantly lined double vanity of washed white oak lines the right-hand wall. McAdams chose dramatic black Nero Marquina marble for the countertop, accented with graceful wall fittings in unlacquered brass. The curve of the faucets inspired her lighting choices: a pair of simple shaded sconces that flank the mirror and a single fluted ceiling pendant, all sourced from Spruce, McAdams’s Memphis design, accessories and gift shop.

Only a custom mirror would do justice above the statement-piece vanity, so the designer called on Chris Garner from Garner Framing Co. to build just the right one. He came through with a perfectly proportioned piece bordered in tasteful black and gold.

Across from the vanity, the clients requested linen storage. McAdams says that while a standard closet and door might have sufficed, she envisioned “something with a little more effect to it.” Tall and stately, the custom cabinet is partially recessed with a slight bump out to create the appearance of a built-in armoire. The trim style matches that of the vanity, but the piece is painted a subtle soft gray, allowing the vanity to become the sole focal point in the area.

The generously sized wet room would rival any high-end spa. Nestled behind a frameless glass door, the shower area and soaking tub are encased in marble from floor to ceiling. Multiple spray heads repeat the gold tones from the vanity fixtures, as do the shower and tub fittings.

Stunning on its own, the bathroom is made even more luminous by its setting adjacent to the homeowners’ closet, which is bathed head to toe in dark graphite with blue undertones. The entrance to the closet is situated at the end of a long corridor with the primary bedroom on one side and bath on the other. Says McAdams, “We chose a rich tone for the entire closet: cabinetry, ceiling and walls. The clothing pops and everything looks as crisp as a freshly ironed white oxford shirt. And then the deep, moody hue of the closet gives way to the openness of the bedroom and bathroom, creating an ‘aha’ moment through the use of contrasting paint.”

Heightening the dramatic effect is the closet door, a full-length antiqued mirror framed in metal. The element does double duty, creating both a focal point and a feeling of openness.

DESIGNED BY MAGGIE CLARKE INTERIORS TEXT BY TERRI GLAZER PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEFANIE RAWLINSON

Ready to refresh their primary bath, a Lakeland couple recently called on Maggie Clarke, owner of Maggie Clarke Interiors. The designer’s creation blends bold with refined, classic with transitional, to produce a space that will stand the test of time.

Although the project entailed taking the room down to the studs—

says Clarke— she was able to work within the original architectural footprint to bring it up to the moment.

Soaring ceilings give the bath huge expanses of wallspace, a feature Clarke decided from the start had to be played up. “I knew that I wanted to do something super fun on that wall because it’s such a focal point. We thought about a lot of options and ended up going with a large-scale porcelain ceramic tile with a marble look.”

The floors in the shower and tub areas are a nod to classic bathroom design, with a twist: small Carrara marble hex tiles, each surrounded by a deeper gray marble outline. Subdued rectangular tiles in deep gray provide contrast to the light and movement on the walls and a touch of transitional flavor.

"It was a fun blank canvas,"

before

"with all the cool tones in the room, we wanted to bring in warmth with birch wood cabinetry with only a clear coat finish. The wood is so beautiful,” says Clarke. Light gray granite countertops in a quiet pattern play well with unlacquered brass fittings and light sconces, but the stars of the show are the mirrors, an often overlooked bathroom design feature. “I wanted to have something cool and there was so much space, so we did floorlength mirrors on the walls over the three vanities. It really makes for a wow effect when you walk in.”

Clarke incorporated another unexpected feature in the form of a lush green velvet chair. “We teetered back and forth about using a standard vanity stool, but I was browsing online when I found this Four Hands chair and I felt like it fit perfectly. I love the olive velvet against all the hard tile and wood, so why not put an armchair in the bathroom? The homeowner sits there to do her hair and makeup, so I wanted something comfortable.”

Overhead, a black metal chandelier brings a dramatic element. Says the designer, “It’s a great focal point and it also adds a circular shape. I like to mix shapes. There are a lot of square corners in that bathroom with the tile and the slab door fronts on the cabinetry. So any chance I got to add circular shapes created a good juxtaposition.”

Another of Clarke’s favorite tricks of the design trade is to include a triedand-true element; in this case, a vintage Oushak rug sourced from Etsy. “I don’t really consider a project finished until something old is in it. It gives it a little bit of soul,” she explains.

DESIGNED BY HYDE DESIGN & RENOVATION TEXT BY TERRI GLAZER PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEENAN GREER OF PICTHISHOUSE

When her clients wanted to remodel the small, 90s-era primary bath in their Hein Park home, designer Catherine Hyde knew it would be no small task. The finished product, though, is a laidback yet extravagant oasis with features galore.

Situated in the lower portion of the splitlevel structure, the 2021 project expanded the bathroom’s footprint into two small downstairs bedrooms. “We had to remove soffits and relocate ductwork, cut concrete, they had to upgrade their electrical system, and I had to be really mindful of supporting all the structure and everything that was above and to the side of it, with a split level, to make all that work,” says Hyde, owner of Hyde Design and Renovation.

"We spent close to a month getting the space ready."

Once all the essentials were in place, Hyde set about creating a bath that would fit the clients’ contemporary, world-view style while incorporating luxurious features. The homeowners rarely wear shoes indoors, so they installed carpet in the bathroom as part of the initial renovation. After 30 years, they realized a different flooring would be more practical in the bathroom. Hyde chose a large-scale ceramic tile that mimics slate. In the interest of keeping her clients’ feet warm, she added heating under the new floor.

Warm wood tones that echo the hardwoods in the adjacent primary bedroom come in the custom floating vanity, a structural ceiling beam, doors and a tubside stool. The designer topped the vanity with a simple white countertop and vessel sink.

before

hanging above, a large frameless mirror continues the clean-lined look, but it’s far from basic. “It’s backlit and it has all sorts of settings to choose from,” she says. The mirror, can lights and a window provide all the room’s light—a design choice that Hyde rarely makes. “When I design bathrooms I often put a fixture, a chandelier or an elegant piece over the tub. For this bath, these clients specifically were looking for something that was simple and beautiful that felt clean and comforting, but wasn’t about large pieces or mass-produced items.”

That understated feel continues in the oval soaking tub situated across from the vanity. Its unadorned shape and ample size create a zen-like aura. Just behind the tub, the zero-entry shower is roomy and light-filled. White ceramic picket tiles provide a well-balanced design aspect, according to Hyde. “The shape and pattern are subtle, but get more interesting the closer you get to them. This tile just spoke to me and I thought it really represented them. It’s clean and simple but still has that little flair.”

Hyde and her husband Ian, the firm’s construction specialist, equipped the steam shower with multiple heads and niches as well as a thoughtful feature they try to include in every bathroom design. She explains, “When you open the door to the shower, the mixing valve is just to the right, so you can stay out of that cold spray.”

The old bathroom had a sauna, but its location cramped into a corner made it difficult to access. After Hyde’s renovation magic, the sauna has new life as a builtin amenity with ease of entry. A custom ladder holds towels at the ready just outside the door.

“HERE IN NATCHEZ, STROLLING DOWN MAIN STREET OR ACROSS THE NATCHEZ BLUFFS CAN FEEL AS THOUGH EVERY SOUTHERN ROMANCE NOVEL WAS IMAGINED BY THIS VERY SPOT,” SAYS DEVIN HEATH, DIRECTOR OF VISIT NATCHEZ. “WE WELCOME TRAVELERS TO COME FALL IN LOVE WITH THE ROMANCE OF OUR CITY.”