Bathrooms

2023 Bathroom Design Tip 2: Use One Material Everywhere to Let the Architecture Shine

Negar Reihani of Space Harmony makes a small space special using a pretty penny tile.

By Western Living /
Photos by Janis Nicolay

Despite the major renovation that this Vancouver character home was slated to go through, knocking down the bathroom walls was a structural no-go. So Negar Reihani, founder and principal designer at Space Harmony, instead focused on making the original square footage feel larger. She and her team chose a vintage-vibed penny tile as a nod to the home’s history, and extended the dreamy blue material all the way up to emphasize the bathroom’s sloped ceiling.

“Older homes really provide character that no new house can match,” says designer Negar Reihani. To complement the home’s history, she chose vanity legs with an antique silhouette and a traditional bronze finish. Photo: Janis Nicolay

An all-glass shower and slender pedestal vanities ensure that the view is uninterrupted. “The material lets the eyes roam around and allows the room itself to talk, not the finishes,” says Reihani. But this space still offers plenty of smart storage: recessed medicine cabinets hide behind the vanity mirrors and wall-to-wall cabinets are nestled in the short end of the slope.

Penny tile is most often seen in blacks, whites and browns, but this bathroom looks modern and serene thanks to the light blue hue of the Madrid penny tile from Creekside Tile. “The glaze has a watery effect—it’s a pretty, pretty penny,” says Reihani. Photo: Janis Nicolay

MORE BATHROOM INSPO: 4 More Beautiful Bathroom Design Tips

Western Living

Western Living

The editorial team at Western Living loves nothing more than a perfectly designed space, place or thing: and we’re here to tell you about it. Email us your pitches at [email protected].