Yvonne Haines never wanted a bathtub in her master bathroom.
More than 15 years ago, however, when she and her husband, Dave, were designing their house in Marysville, it seemed like the right thing to do.
Brass fixtures, oak cabinets and taupe ceramic tile were also popular at the time, along with bathroom carpeting.
Over the years, as the couple with two young sons grew and changed, they dreamed of a more practical and stylish space.
“Every time I dusted that tub, I thought, ‘I hate this tub,’” Yvonne Haines said. “And carpet in the bathroom? That’s really bad.”
They had tried to update the space with minor changes, but it wasn’t enough.
“I don’t even like taupe,” Haines said. “I think somebody told me to pick that.”
It’s all a distant memory now.
Thanks to a major remodeling project, they’re now luxuriating in the glow of their newly completed dream bathroom.
“Now it’s … ahhh,” Yvonne Haines said, looking from the adjacent bedroom into the new bathroom. “It is gorgeous. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.”
White Calcutta slab marble, streaked with gray and honed to a matte finish, tops the counters.
Cherry cabinets, covered in a honey pecan finish, surround sinks that flank a large vanity.
Polished nickel fixtures and knobs add sparkle to the sinks, shower and cabinet drawers. Accent tiles, decorated with delicate dots, serve as the perfect foil to it all.
Walls covered in a subdued Caribbean blue frame the space.
There is no tub.
Haines’ interior designer, Chandra Sadro of Sadro Design Studio in Everett, designed the bathroom with an extra large, walk-in, doorless shower and used the remaining space to create a sitting area surrounded by storage cubbies and drawers.
Perfectly rolled towels fill the cubbies and add to the cozy atmosphere.
Sadro, who helped the couple with complicated space planning and creative cabinet design, said the project was a true expression of Haines’ vintage and contemporary styles.
“Yvonne has a real knack for color and pattern,” Sadro said. “It was a real partnership.”
Changes to the bathroom weren’t merely aesthetic.
Contractors ripped out large soffits that unnecessarily lowered the ceiling.
That made room for the dramatic, high cabinets and an antique leaded glass window that now draws light from an interior stairwell.
Large flooring tiles are warm underfoot thanks to radiant heating. New light fixtures from Haines’ favorite vintage lighting store — Mary Davis Lighting of La Conner — add a timeless look.
Why didn’t the couple build this kind of bathroom in the first place?
Yvonne Haines, 51, suspects she was, like many people new to home design, afraid to make a mistake.
“Now I just do what I want,” she said. “I think you figure out who you are and what you like.”
Her advice: “Do what you really love. Don’t do what Joe Blow down the street is doing.”
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037, sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Resources
Chandra Sadro, Sadro Design Studio, Everett; www.sadrodesign.com; 425-971-6677.
Bret Berg, Berg Construction Services, Marysville; berg construction@hotmail.com; 425-280-4887.
GraniteWorks, 1508 Third St., Marysville; http://granite worksinc.com; 360-658-4500.
Cibert Construction; 1508 Third St., Marysville; www.cibertconstruction.com; dealer of Canyon Creek cabinets; 360-653-3100.
Mary Davis Lighting, 402 E. Morris St., La Conner; www.marydavislighting.com; 360-466-3495.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
