New York has no shortage of tiny bathrooms. While this one might not be the smallest in Manhattan, it’s certainly a contender, measuring only 8’4′ x 3’9′ at its widest point, with the space narrowing to fewer than 33 inches in the shower. How to increase the size? The walls were gutted to the cinder block and re-clad in subway tiles. Other precious inches were gained by installing a wall-mounted faucet and the tiniest toilet—23 inches—on the market. The medicine cabinet was recessed and the shower fitted with frameless glass doors, transforming a truly unappealing space into a “sincere and charming” jewel box, says judge Thomas O’Brien.
This is a bathroom with a view. Recognizing that the surrounding Scarsdale landscape was worth exploiting, the Saniee team added a large window that allows the bathroom to frame the treetops and the landscape beyond. But the designers also brought nature indoors. Blue-green glass mosaic tiles, for instance, are used in the shower, while earth-colored ones are found at the sink, and a panel embedded with twigs appears on a screen that conceals the water closet. “This is a good, modern interpretation of a country bathroom,” remarks judge Matthew Patrick Smyth, “and I like how it pays attention to the views.”
When designer Mark Stumer first saw this 6,000-square-foot, four-story loft in Tribeca, he called it “a piece of heaven in the Manhattan skyline.” He and his firm custom-designed all the rooms, including this bath, with its smart use of stainless steel, marble, and wood. A cool, neutral palette, Stumer adds, creates “something more hip in an already with-it neighborhood.” One of the hippest details is a sliding frosted glass panel between the tub and the bedroom. Such elements make for an “open, attractive, and appropriate solution for the space,” says judge Matthew Patrick Smyth.
This article appears in the October 2013 issue of NYC&G (New York Cottages & Gardens).