When it was finally time to get the master bathroom remodeled, Vikki Stephanson wanted it to look like a hotel.
Classy. Spa-like. Pristine.
Her husband, Ray Stephanson, otherwise known as the Everett mayor, just wanted it to have a shower.
They both recently got their wish and they gamely let us sneak a peek.
The couple lives in a 1908 classic four-square in north Everett. The home retains many of its original features, including wood floors, leaded glass windows, a coffered dining room ceiling and a spacious front parlor. The bathroom off their bedroom, however, was someone else’s attempt at modernization with two doors, flowery wallpaper, and a bathtub so big it could nearly double as lap pool. And it had no shower, a problem for someone with places to go and things to do.
For Vikki Stephanson, the mayor of the house, the top priority was creating a restful, spa-like room.
“I wanted it to be like a hotel,” she said. “I love those bathrooms.”
If their new bathroom is at all hotel-like, then think Four Seasons.
The remodeled bathroom features a custom seamless glass shower stall, chrome fixtures and a bone-white reproduction claw-foot bathtub.
The Stephansons first wanted an antique claw-foot tub, but then opted for the reproduction, which is far lighter and heats quicker than cast iron. The chrome plumbing runs from the floor and is exposed, a look Vikki Stephanson likes.
That flowery wallpaper is gone, replaced by soft beige walls and art.
Travertine tile, heated so bare toes stay warm, covers the floor, and the same tile is used as wainscotting. The old vanity with double sinks stayed. Workers painted it white, and the result is sleek and sophisticated. The vanity was topped with granite and new sconces were added to the mirror, giving the room a soft buttery glow.
That’s perfect for Vikki Stephanson, who now enjoys settling down in a warm, bubble-filled tub with a good book.
The mayor has tried out the tub, too, but she said he found it a bit cramped around the shoulders.
“It just seems real peaceful to me,” she said.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com
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