My client was adamant about the direction for the remodel of her powder room; ” It must look vintage French and I want one of those old fashioned porcelain washstand lav sinks,” The other direction she gave me was….”keep it all white”, a nod to modernism and the essence of a bathroom; serene and clean.
We took our cue from the sumptuous Ann Sacks Calacatta Borghini tiles that she selected. To keep it from looking like a mausoleum, we chose to use a variety of tiling patterns and sizes of the same material to create interest and a sense of warmth. The beauty of the grey and beige veining of the stone also gives additional character and interest to the overall look of the room and keeps it from taking on a clinical white look.
Giving it the vintage French look meant that we needed a washbasin that would evoke a retro sensibility. There are a plethora of these on the market but the one that we chose was from St. Thomas called ‘Nouveau Lav’. We kept the plumbing fittings exposed and like wall jewels to be admired. The toilet too, had to be just right to pull our bathroom style together and Toto’s Promenade complemented the space perfectly with its tall and elegant tank and classic detailed lines. Having a free standing toilet paper dispenser added old world charm.
The vintage style Water Works faucet, ‘Julia’, with the porcelain cross bars are the perfect accessory to the basin with the essential “Chaud” and “Froid” inlaid on each handle.
The piece to resistance was finding the Jonathan Browning Martime sconces with its richly scalloped hand carved texture; they bring a sculptural quality that breathes both antiquity and modernism into the room.
Of course, what would a French powder room be without a truly French looking mirror? We were scouting around in Mecox Gardens and found the perfect one; an elegant Art Nouveau- inspired design; with its attenuated, sensuous shape, it is our first introduction of color which we call ‘Cypress Green’.
We were very restrained when it came to adding accessories, just a few polished nickel pieces on the sink… keeping it simple; allowing the beauty of the stone, the patina of polished nickel, and the elegance of the mirror and sconces to be the stars of this powder room, tres chic and authentically French!
Sheryl Fleischer
Fleischer + Khorrami Interiors
Image source:
Interior photography by Rachel Fleischer
Product shots: image 1 Waterworks, image 2&3 Jonathan Browning
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