Bathrooms Under $30,000

Gold Winner: D.S. Ewing Architects, Inc., Pasadena, Calif.
Project location: Pasadena, Calif.
Sq. ft. before: 77
Sq. ft. after: 77
Project cost: $26,540

The homeowners of this Pasadena, Calif., home approached D.S. Ewing Architects, Inc. to design a guest bathroom in a new 3,000-sq.-ft. post and beam house on a slope with veiled views through trees for 70 miles to Mt. San Jacinto. Part of a larger whole house project, this bathroom was intended to create a meditative open space with a window wall and view of Pasadena, but, with no window covering, still have privacy and be able to soak in a Japanese soaking tub.

The homeowners wanted D.S. Ewing Architects, Inc. to create an honest, simple extension of the home’s architecture and give them the sense of being in the trees. To address the homeowners’ wishes, a simple Japanese aesthetic evolved. A Wenge wood counter and stone sink bowl make a rustic but refined statement. The soaking tub with Wenge surround focuses the bath experience on the trees and distant views. Finally, four indirect LED lighting choices allow the homeowners to pick their mood.

This year’s Master Design Awards judges thought the bathroom seemed to match the home nicely and has a great color palette for the objective of creating a serene space.

Specified Products

Bath Cabinets: Custom made of Honduras mahogany
Ceiling Paneling: Banhoff
Flooring Tile/Stone: Walker-Zanger
Hardware: Valli & Valli
Lighting Controls: Lutron
Sink Fixtures: Groehe
Toilet: Toto
Tub/Shower Fixtures: Groehe
Soaking Tub: Zuma
Windows: Metal Window Corporation

Silver Winner:
CG&S Design-Build, Austin, Texas

Bronze Winner:
Modern Yankee Builders, Cumberland, R.I.

Honorable mention:
Fisher Group LLC, Annandale, Va.