home + design
This master bathroom, in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood, mirrors the color scheme of the rest of the house.
Neutral, With a Twist William Wright
Three bathroom projects for lessons on tweaking a neutral palette written by Melissa Dalton
Madrona: Opposites Attract CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAYS that marriage is compromise. Never might that seem more true than during a home remodel, especially when the homeowners have opposing aesthetic preferences. Such was the case for this new build in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood: the wife grew up in the South and likes traditional details, while the husband is a lover of streamlined Mid-century modern interiors. Hyde Evans Design teamed with Motionspace Architecture + Design to help the couple work out a scheme that didn’t require either side to concede, instead crafting a mix everyone would love. “Our challenge as the designers was to bring their two aesthetics together in a creative but balanced way,” interior designer Benni Adams said. For the master bathroom design, Adams started with the same palette found elsewhere in the house, which ultimately maintains consistency between the different rooms—black, white and walnut. “It was a balance of using [similar] materials 26 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
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throughout but in different applications,” Adams said. To that end, the bathroom’s black hex floor tile and custom walnut vanity echo the black-and-walnut cabinetry in the kitchen without repeating any exact features, and provide warm contrast with white walls. Adams wrapped the shower in elongated subway tile laid in a herringbone pattern, which nods to traditional applications, but feels fresh and contemporary when paired with the flat-front, grain-matched cabinets. Sleek chrome fittings are streamlined silhouettes in a classic metal, and the black Astrid sconce from Schoolhouse Electric mounted on the mirror injects a contemporary note. The end result has pleased the homeowners beyond initial expectations. “They loved the way it managed to create a lived-in feel that traditional homes have while providing this adult, modern design,” Adams said. “They said it was definitely a reflection of them, which was nice to hear because that’s your ultimate goal.”