Bathroom Redux - updating to a modern bathroom, before and after project

BATHROOM REDUX: FROM DREADFUL TO DIVINE

By Barbara Laken and Annie Alexander

The Problem: How to transform a small vintage bathroom into a sophisticated en-suite spa for guests in need of a bit of serenity and a good shower.

When Linda Trilla DiDonato, a well-known Chicago interior designer and her husband, Peter DiDonato, purchased an elegant but well-worn vintage lakefront apartment in Lincoln Park, they did so knowing there were many rooms that required re-imagining. Of them, a tiny bathroom adjacent to the guest bedroom, offered one of the biggest challenges.

So how did Ms. Di Donato and her design associate Heriberto Ruiz turn a 5×6’ room, not much bigger than a boat’s head, into a welcoming retreat for visiting family and friends? With a lot of ingenuity and an overriding determination to reflect as much of Lincoln Park’s abundant outdoor nature, indoors.

Replacing an old tub and shower curtain with a clear glass shower enclosure was one of many steps Linda and Heriberto undertook to maximize the room’s depth. Their decision to use the horizontal undulating pattern of ocean blue natural travertine, purchased from Melissa Maier at Cutting Edge Flooring Group, enhanced this effect on the floors and walls. Fiji stone pebbles applied to the shower floor, served to amplify the natural spa look Linda was looking for, and added additional dimension to the room. The installation of a compact rectangular sink with custom underhung towel bar and new can lights in the ceiling, transformed what had been a cramped, dark space into an open, inviting room.

Bathroom Redux - Before Photo

BEFORE

Bathroom Redux - After Photo

AFTER

 

Linda DiDonato and her LTD Design Group (708.655.9858) along with general contractor William Wangler, of Wangler and Co. specialize in overcoming the plumbing, electrical and space issues vintage buildings present – and as is clearly evident –  are more than up to the challenge. You can find more pictures of their astonishing interior renovations at ltdinteriordesign.com.

Visit Melissa Maier (847.302.9383) at Cutting Edge Flooring Group, 1623 W. North Shore, Chicago, IL to find the stone and marble used for the DiDonato bathroom renovation, and much more.

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