Splish Splash
By Roger BrooksWith contribution from Christopher Werner
Water Closet
Ruth and Richard Whiteside faced a dilemma when remodeling the master suite in their West Seattle house. The existing bathroom, stuck between an interior wall and the master closet, was small and dark, and they wanted a room filled with light. Their architect, Ben Trogdon, switched the bathroom and the walk-in closet, which inexplicably featured a south-facing window. The result is a sun-filled room finished in three kinds of stone and natural colors that preserve the aesthetic of their 1958 Albert O. Bumgardner–designed house. Trogdon installed a new clerestory window over the double sink to bring in early-morning light, and he pushed and adjusted the floor plan to maximize every inch of the room. “It was a solution to what we had to work with,” Trogdon says. “We came out with something wonderful for the footprint. The windows create a lantern of light filtering into the bedroom; you’re drawn into the space.”
The Breakdown
Size 71 square feet. Floor Fossil Stone from Pental Granite and Marble. Fixtures Ultra steel finish Glance faucet and shower controls by Jado and Uno showerhead by Hansgrohe from Seattle Interiors. Basin Ladena sink by Kohler. Cabinets Clear vertical-grain Douglas fir with matte wet-sand finish over a semisolid stain by Daly’s Wood Finishing. Countertop Slate Honey Tan Mosaic from Pental Granite and Marble. Tile Slate Honey Tan Mosaic shower floor and ceiling from Pental Granite and Marble; Silvergrey shower walls from American Slate Company. Lighting Highline Krokomobil system by Bruck Lighting Systems from Lighting Supply.
Published: June 2008
