Today is Mood Board Monday over at Pewter + Sage. The challenge this week was to design a room around one of two gorgeous chests from Wisteria. I selected the German Silver Bowfront Chest for its gorgeous hand-applied silver-leaf finish and its charming glass hardware.
I decided to do something a bit different this time by repurposing this chest as a bathroom vanity. I love the look of proper furniture in a bathroom and I thought this chest would perfectly suite a petite city bathroom for a glamorous city gal. It's feminine and shapely, with a graceful presence that would befit a young, single gal in the Big City who is short on space but long on style. As for budget, let's pretend our client has a rather deep pocketbook (after all, it's much more fun to fantasize without too many restrictions, isn't it?).
Despite the strong traditional feeling of the piece, I wanted the setting to still feel modern. Inspired by Jenna Lyons' gorgeous master bathroom (featured last year in domino), I thought I'd capitalize on a major trend in interior design this year and paint the walls a stunning matte black wall. A traditional stand-alone bathtub with a deep charcoal exterior would also enhance the mood.
Canadian House & Home, April 2008
What I love about using black as the dominant color in a bathroom is that it's just so unexpected, though in truth the result can be just as soothing as the ubiquitous all-white bathroom. Since the shape and styling of the chest means that I can't go totally modern, I'd add some very traditional bathroom elements (white subway tile, nickel hardware) to play up the vintage feeling of the chest and to create some tension against the very modern black walls. Something along the lines of this gorgeous vintage-inspired black and white bathroom that was featured last year in Canadian House & Home.
I'd start by painting the walls a true black -- I like Benjamin Moore's Black if you're looking for a black without a hint of green or blue. I'd tile the walls around the bathtub in a classic white subway tile with some narrow black trim. My major splurge on this project would be the gorgeous cast iron free-standing tub from Waterworks in a deep charcoal metallic finish. Yes, it's pricey, but it would make the room.
For the vanity's top, I'd use a small piece of gorgeous Nero Marquina marble. The classic Spanish marble's strong veining of white and silver will help tie in the vanity's silver finish with the classic black and white basketweave floor. I'd keep the sink a simple white porcelain undermount and use classic nickel fixtures. To mix things up, I'd add a mirror and vanity lighting with Chinoiserie influences. To up the glam factor, overhead lighting would come in the form of a petite flushmount seeded glass and silver fixture -- just the kind of piece you'd imagine stumbling on at a Parisian flea market. Next to the tub, I'd keep a small side table for books, towels or bath products that could also do double duty as a stool. The silver leaf finish will speak to the finish on the vanity and help tie the two areas of the bathroom together. Finally, I'd introduce another pattern into the room by covering the window in a classic roman shade made out of this white and silvery gray geometric fabric.
Source list (clockwise, from top left): 1. Hampstead Mirror from Williams-Sonoma Home ($505.75). 2. Double Chinoiserie Bath Light from Circa Lighting ($378). 3. Vintage Widespread Sink Set from Restoration Hardware ($429). 4. Michael S. Smith signature tile from Ann Sacks. 5. Michael S. Smith mosaic basketweave tile from Ann Sacks. 6. Nero Marquina marble from Ann Sacks. 7. Candide Cast Iron Freestanding Oval Bathtub from Waterworks ($9,945). 8. Winsdor Smith Archipelago fabric (in Mist) from Avid Home ($49/yd). 9. Small Paris Flea Market Flush Mount with Seeded Glass Trim from Circa Lighting ($420). 10. Silver Leaf Five Leg Table from Ethan Allen ($359).
Be sure to check out all the other great design ideas for this gorgeous chest HERE.
