DECORATING BATHROOMS

Michael Holigan: Bathroom's have come a long way since they were called "The Facility". Today, they have a lot of space, luxurious amenities and that savvy bit of style. Decorating the bathroom is an important as any other room in your house.

Suzy Kaye: The decoration of the bathroom follows the decoration of the house. This home is a Spanish Colonial design and the owner's intent was for nothing to look new. We were really trying to create a timeless, non-dated interior as though it has been here for years and you didn't know where it was built, even though we did it recently.

MH: With that idea, designer Suzy Kay used hand-finished materials and objects to create a bathroom with Old World charm.

SK: The tiles that cover the counters are very typical for Mexican influenced Spanish Colonial influenced kind of interior. But ours has some designs painted on them. The tiles came in a solid color and then we had an artist do the design and color that we specified so that they could be a special touch. One of the client's request was that the house not have any shiny metals and that carries right through to the sinks. There's a little fountain made of pottery that the water trickles out and falls into the sink. Then, the handles couldn't be shiny metal either. So we had them done in epoxy finish in an almond color so that every thing is very subdued and neutral in palette. So you're going to see terra-cotta tiles on the floors and if you look closely you'll even see some little footprints from animals when these tiles were drying in the sun. The walls are hand-trowled plaster, has a nice Old World look to it.

MH: Recess niches hold towels and antique treasures from around the world.

SK: Handmade, I think, would be a key element in all of the accessories that were chosen for this bathroom, and there are baskets and little trunks and things that have just been collected to put together to finish this room. They're usable things too. When we needed to put out tissues on the counter, didn't just put out a tissue box or find a cover that was Lucite. We went and found an actual little box that was just the right size. It had been a spice box, came from Thailand or some other part of the world. We didn't put out a typical soap dish. There's no little plastic soap holder. It's a carved piece of stone. So, we've got things that are in the mood of the house, but each one is an interest point.

MH: A rugged iron and wood tool box serve as the masculine container for men's toiletries. And this old money divider from a country store is a great place to toss keys and pocket change. Rustic furnishings add another touch of character to the room.

SK: Then when we started choosing furnishings we looked to old pieces. We have a Mexican chair. We have a foot stool that looks like it came from a Mexican hacienda. The rugs actually came from the Middle East, an Afghani tribal rug.

MH: Pieces trimmed from one of the rugs were used to border a frame in the ladies' dressing area. And the mirror in the man's vanity is framed in weathered wood salvaged from an old barn. Even the doors hand-crafted by an Indian wood carver add to the charm of this master bath suite and help it complement the interior design of the entire house.

SK: Everything has the same feeling that the rest of the house does. Bathroom is a not a stepchild. It's every bit as important as the rest of the design.

Contacts:
Suzy Kay: 214-350-4310

Episode 50 1997 - 98 Season

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