Yahoo News 6 Steps For Designing A Rustic Bathroom
Industrial chic meets sweet farmhouse design quite often for Kristan Cunningham and Scott Jarrell of Hammer and Spear, a design firm, retail shop and showroom in downtown Los Angeles. The formula is a go-to for the duo, particularly when creating rustic bathrooms that are worn with charm yet primed for livability.
And if their latest project, the home of TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie is any hint, it's a foolproof equation.
Over the course of a year, Cunningham and Jarrell transformed the entrepreneur and philanthropist's Los Angeles abode - where he lives with his conservationist wife, Heather, and infant son, Summit - into a handprint of the couple's personal mission to live with grace and moderation.
The rustic bathrooms are perhaps where this philosophy shines through most - a style that, according to Google searches, has outpaced the more polished, marble aesthetic in popularity, in recent years.
"Rustic design goes back to a wabi-sabi approach, where things or imperfect, and that's a good thing," says Cunningham.
Read on for the six key ways the Hammer and Spear created rustic bathrooms throughout this charming, chic home.
Step 1: Design the room around an unexpected piece
"When it comes to rustic spaces, it's important to stay open to finding a bizarre piece, or something you didn't set out looking for, and then build the room around it," says Cunningham.
In Summit's bathroom, that unique piece was a 19th-century steel tub on casters, which was originally used in a Hershey's chocolate factory to transport liquefied chocolate. "Because the bathtub has wheels, it feels a little more fun and spirited, but still tasteful so that it's not juvenile when guests are using that bathroom," adds Cunningham.
Get The Look: The three-legged stool is from Gibson, the walls are covered in Tabarka tile (Paris Metro 11 in charcoal and Eilat) and the shower enclosure is a custom design by Hammer and Spear.
Step 2: Choose cabinetry that resembles furniture
In a rustic bathroom, the cabinetry should never look like it was chosen from a stock showroom. "Whether we pop a found sink on top of it or do something in concrete, the idea is that the bathroom feels very pieced together yet as though it was conceived on its own - as opposed to one cabinet or mirror style throughout the space," says Cunningham.
Get The Look: In the guest bathroom, the sink sits atop a Global Views three-door chest in dark brushed mango. The vintage Moroccan mirror is from Mosaik and the vintage swivel sconce was sourced at a flea market by Hammer and Spear.
Step 3: Mix industrial colors with richer hues
Because the guest bathroom is on a lower level of the house and services a dark, cozy den, the designers wanted to create a space that was lively yet didn't interrupt the mood of that area of the house.
"The color to me is calming and welcoming, but it has a utilitarian feel to it because you see it in hospitals and old service kitchens," says Cunningham. "Because of that, it's a nice touchstone, but mixing it with the rich red tile creates a global, funky vibe."
Get The Look: The walls and ceiling are painted in a custom "Gallion Green" from Sydney Harbour Paint Company.
Step 4: Keep finishes "live"
In a rustic bathroom, it's important to err away from finishes that look too polished. The bathrooms in Mycoskie's home feature copper, concrete, and blackened steel with a natural finish, but no paint or chrome. "Natural finishes contribute to these spaces feeling like places that you really live in," says Cunningham. "Concrete is one nice way to play with the utilitarian aspect without being too severe."
Get The Look: In the house's powder room, the vintage American pine and zinc dry sink is from Summerhill Antiques. The faucet is Brookhaven in aged brass from Cifial, the antiqued glass and brass faucet backplate was fabricated by PSS Design Cult, and the Garrison round pendant light is from Arteriors.
Step 5: Create moments of pause
Be careful not to go overboard with too many textures, or any one specific material. "Making a space feel rustic doesn't mean everything has to be wood and steel," says Cunningham.." She recommends creating visual resting spots where the eye gets to rest for a second, by incorporating artwork or even a piece like a woven basket.
Get The Look: In the master bathroom, the brass hand sculpture is Kelly Wearstler, the petite arts and crafts chair is from Downtown, and the antique brass hand mirror is from The Mart Collective.
Step 6: Incorporate textiles
In each bathroom, the designers used rugs instead of bath mats. While none of the rooms are designed around textiles, they do create a collected look. "Having rugs on the floor or beautiful drapery is a juxtaposition to the unfinished, paired down raw steel and textiles," says Cunningham. She adds that rustic design should have room to grow over the passage of time as you collect more items to add to the space.
Get The Look: In the master bathroom, the antique Caucasian rug is from Simeona Leona and the curtain fabric is by Elizabeth Eakins. The copper Bateau Grande tub is by The Bath Works and the antique doors were purchased by the owners during their travels to India.
