BOCA RATON, FL — When a retired couple from New York decided to renovate their vacation home in Delray Beach, FL, they wanted it to have a luxurious, modern and art-inspired aesthetic. As Deborah Gregg worked to make that happen throughout the living spaces, powder room and guest bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, she complemented that vibe with bold artwork and accessories.
“We included some very strong design features that others may shy away from,” says the principal designer who co-founded Deborah Gregg Interiors in Boca Raton with her husband, Michael, who serves as president of the company. “They wanted a home that was very different from their neighbors.”
As she continued through to the primary bedroom and bathroom, that same philosophy applied. For example, Brizo Litze plumbing fixtures are modern, yet anything but minimal. Their Brilliance Luxe Gold finish offers a cool, champagne hue that isn’t too brassy, she notes. Jewel-esque Hubbardton Forge Link clear glass mini pendants emulate an adornment hanging from a chain, and backlit Elegant Lighting Helios mirrors provide a rectangular frame of dimmable LED illumination that matches their shape. A custom wall frame brims with faux greenery to add a touch of no-maintenance biophilia.
FOCAL-POINT TILE
Gently pulls attention with texture and dimension
DOUBLE VANITIES
Provide homeowners with custom his/hers storage
GOLD-TONE PLUMBING FIXTURES
Offer a cool, champagne hue that isn’t too brassy
RECESSED NICHE BEHIND FREESTANDING TUB
Offers a place to set candles and other spa-related products that set the mood for a relaxing soak
These bolder choices are set against a backdrop of classic ‘investment pieces,’ i.e., more permanent design elements like the custom double vanities and tile selections that provide a quiet foundation within a newly reconfigured space.
“The biggest challenge was this bathroom’s footprint, which had a lot of angles and broken- up space,” she recalls.
The homeowners wanted their new space to include a wet room for more open and spacious showering and bathing.
“Previously, their shower was really small, with three solid walls and a glass door,” she says. “It was very dark, so they wanted something much lighter and brighter.”
As well, they wanted double vanities, including a separate makeup station where her client could comfortably sit to fully enjoy her beauty routine. To achieve those wishes, Gregg, who collaborated with Grand Plan Building Co., reallocated unused space created by the inefficient angles and grabbed a few feet from a guest closet behind the bathroom.
Since the wet room is the first thing her clients see upon entering the room, the designer showcased one of its walls as a focal point by cladding it in Island Stone’s Crescent V dimensional tile in a honed finish and Sandstone Mint colorway.
“We focused not on color, but rather texture and dimension to gently pull attention,” she explains. “The tile also accentuates the bathroom’s tall ceilings. At 12′ tall, it is an expansive wall, but that makes it even more unexpected when you enter. It is very imposing, but in a good way.
An oversized window, with frosted glass for privacy, allows an abundance of natural light to flow into the space.
A monochromatic color palette with a variety of tile in a shared colorway gives the wet room a luxurious feel. Two niches included on the shower side of the wet room keep toiletries close at hand.
“The color is soft, too, so it isn’t overwhelming,” Gregg continues. “She wasn’t comfortable with a lot of color, so we kept the palette monochromatic. But to keep it from being flat and uninteresting, we added texture and dimension with understated, honed and textured surfaces, such as the tile.”
The designer complemented the focal-point tile with Kronos’ Nativa ceramic tile on the remaining wet room walls. Its Aurum colorway and matte finish give it a travertine look, which complements the Artistic Tile Bianco Dolomiti vein-cut honed marble floor tiles.
“The dimensional tile is the main actor and the star of the show, but we wanted to have a supporting cast made up of other tiles in the same colorway to give it a luxurious feel,” she explains.
The wet room also includes a Signature Hardware freestanding tub. A long, recessed niche located in the wall behind the tub, accented with the wall tile, offers a place for her client to set candles and other spa-related comforts that set the mood for a relaxing soak. LED lights on a dimmer switch give her the ability to further create the desired ambiance at the touch of a button.
“Creating a mood was a primary goal for our clients,” Gregg relates.
Two more niches are included on the shower side of the wet room to keep toiletries close at hand. An oversized window, with frosted glass for privacy, allows an abundance of natural light to flow into the space.
Additional light is provided by a transom window above one of the vanities and pendant lights with dimmer switches that float at face level near the mirrors.
“We kept lighting zones separate to give options for day and night when using the bath and vanity areas, the shower and the water closet,” she says. “We also included layers of light, with dimmers, such as high hats and pendants.”
Dedicated Storage
While the wet room takes center stage, Gregg also focused on the vanity and water closet areas to ensure their updated features served her clients’ needs.
In that regard, custom Guararapes laminate vanities from RT22 Creations provide stylish storage via plentiful drawers in his/her vanities positioned on opposite sides of the room.
“We specify drawers whenever possible for their ease of access and function,” Gregg indicates. “We also don’t have basements in Florida, so storage is always a focus. While it may not have been as great of a concern for these clients since this is a second home, we still had the conversation about how to best store the items they need in their bathroom.”
Her vanity includes a separate makeup station where the client can comfortably sit to fully enjoy her beauty routine.
The custom wall frame brims with faux greenery to add a touch of no-maintenance biophilia.
For them, that meant dedicated spaces, such as a custom linen closet inside the water closet, which features an integrated recessed toilet paper holder and tissue dispenser. As well, a shallow, long drawer keeps cosmetics organized in her makeup station, and drawers with outlets give her the ability to store hair appliances plugged in and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
The vanities are topped with Cosentino’s Silestone Ocean Storm quartz. Drawers are left unadorned but kept easily operational thanks to dual-touch push latches.
“In keeping with the ‘quiet’ feel of the room, we chose to make the cabinets with push latches that keep the vanities sleek and simple so the attention can be focused on other areas,” Gregg indicates. “These clients are overjoyed with the outcome of their new space, as are we. It is special to have confident clients with great taste who are willing to take risks and trust the process.”
