Kitchen & Bath
Private Hideaway
A local homeowner needed a place to unwind after a grueling day of work and training; her new Asian-inspired bathroom affords her that luxury.
BY
Brooke Pearl
PHOTOGRAPHY
James Maidhof

 
 

As a marathon runner, triathlon participant and nurse practitioner, Patti Ebelke dreamed of a spa-like haven where she could recoup — mind, body and spirit. And so began the transformation of the cramped (and carpeted) bathroom into an Asian hideaway.

After seeing the mirrored corner tub, pink rosebud wallpaper, Hollywood light fixture and the toilet out in the open, Donna Kirsopp, CKBR and design consultant with Schloegel Design Remodel, drew up plans to revamp the existing space from ‘outdated’ to ‘worldly chic.’

With compliant homeowners, Donna first picked out Cosmo Eclipse glass tile that provides a taupe/silver metallic shine. Vertical detailed inserts of the Venetian blown glass tile create the look of bamboo, while glass light fixtures present a soft blue hue, the essence of a spa-like retreat. “I wanted it to be a tranquil space, and when we started picking out materials, the space began to evolve,” Donna says. The Asian theme was at first a joke, Donna says, but when she picked out the light fixtures that continued to fit that style, Patti and her husband, Dave, a surgeon who also participates in triathlons, went with it. (Dave also has his own bathroom — and there was never any conversation about combining the two.)

Patti had only a bathtub previously, so with the remodel, she wanted to add a shower, which Donna created space for by designing a tub wall concealing a shower at one end and a toilet at the other, each with its own opaque swinging door. The shower is Patti’s favorite part of the bathroom, with a rain shower head, body sprays, hand-held spray, corner seat and high-end recessed lighting for a warm glow. “After running, swimming or biking, I have a hard time getting out of the shower after I get in it,” Patti says. Heated floors and a heated towel rack keep the space warm and toasty for her when she does emerge.

Across the room are two floor-to-ceiling closets, with a column of drawers in the middle, separated by an adjustable flat-screen TV. And, yes, there are stereo speakers around the room. The vanity’s espresso-stained lyptus cabinetry is topped with limestone countertops, more storage space and a bamboo plant. A custom-made ottoman by Madden-McFarland Interiors completes the space, especially when it’s decorated with a serving tray and evening cocktail.

With a brand new bathroom (that’s twice as big as Dave’s), Patti’s found the place to relax and recharge. “It’s my sanctuary, where I go to be by myself,” Patti says. “I’ve put my own personality into it, and this [room] just fits me.” When it’s time for bed, Patti follows the soothing color palette into the master bedroom — the only part Dave gets to retreat in.

Resources:

Builder/Designer: Schloegel Design Remodel
Windows: Kansas City Millwork/Marvin Windows
Sheetrock: Lee Drywall
Trim Work: SDR
Wall Covering: Pam’s Papering
Painter: The Hamlin Co.
Cabinets: Altenhofen Cabinetry
Countertops: Dimensional Stoneworks
Hardware: Locks & Pulls
Tile: ISC Surfaces/The Gallery, RBC Stone and Tile
Tile Contractor: McLoughlin Stone and Tile
Glass & Mirrors: Olathe Glass
Heating & Cooling: CityWide Sheetmetal
Plumbing: Schaedel Plumbing
Plumbing Fixtures: Dorfman Plumbing
Electrician: Tech Electric
Light Fixtures: Wilson Lighting Locks & Fans
Furnishings: Madden-McFarland Interiors