bathroom sink
bathroom shelving
built-in towel storage
plan before renovation
plan after renovation
A New Bath in Old Town
Imagine living in a one-bedroom townhouse, built-in the 19th century. Naturally, you’d hire an architect to give you more space. Not so these clients — they were satisfied with the quantity of space: just under 1250 square feet. Instead they wanted to change the quality of space. They asked us to insert an unabashedly modern bathroom in the midst of their home, a bathroom that would be sleek and bright, and would contrast with the prevailing colonial aesthetic in Old Town Alexandria.
An ad hoc, 20th century addition housed the existing bathroom, which was actually two rooms, with sink and laundry in one and toilet and tub in the other. We joined these rooms to create an 8’ x 11’ bathroom. The new room houses clothes closets, washer and dryer, a walk-in shower, a sink and a toilet; its surfaces are slate, glass, limestone, mahogany, frosted glass, and stainless steel. Skylights enlarge the space, bathing it with light from above.
A riddle about human nature: Why do people building new homes want them to look old, yet people living in old homes want them to look new?