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.
