During their travels to destinations like Tokyo and Madrid, Jason Zatkoff and Andrew Bianchi marveled at the luxurious hotel bathrooms that far outshone the builder-grade primary bath in their 3,000-square-foot Birmingham home. Finally, they decided to do something about it. Lisa Backus, founder and principal designer at metro Detroit-based Design Bar Detroit, took on the project and created a spa-like retreat in the couple’s home. The redesign, which was focused on fashioning a contemporary design featuring high-quality, unconventional materials, turned into a six-month adventure — but Zatkoff and Bianchi agree it was worth the wait.
“It was a very collaborative project,” Backus says. “They (were) willing to take risks on things, and I love to produce really creative, unique work.” Thanks to the homeowners’ out-of-the-box mindset, selections such as an integrated sink countertop of silver travertine make for an atypical yet stunning choice. “It really adds that extra ‘wow’ factor, rather than seeing a white porcelain sink peeking through,” the designer notes.
Similarly, the application of warm-toned taupe Roman Clay, an eco-friendly plaster finish from Portola Paints, on the walls and ceiling — it’s more commonly found in regions like the East and West coasts — resulted in a cohesive look. “It just kind of adds this different depth and variation to the walls, versus a flat paint,” Backus explains. The clay is scraped on with a trowel, according to Bianchi. “It has a very minimal texture when it’s done, and it’s really pretty,” he says.
The space-saving soaking tub allows for an oversized shower, one of the homeowners’ favorite features, while a gorgeous green marble from CIOT adds drama.
The variety of ambient lighting, including elegant sconces above the vanity and a recessed glowing channel that runs along the room’s perimeter, adds to the tranquil atmosphere. The homeowners enthusiastically tackled the challenging installation of a heavy chandelier composed of smoked black crystal bulbs, which hangs above the Japanese soaking tub. Zatkoff, who jokingly refers to the install as “relationship-ending,” adds: “It’s a miracle we didn’t break the tub, damage the walls, or break the chandelier.”
The space-saving soaking tub allows for an oversized shower, one of Zatkoff’s favorite features. “I think there are five knobs I can turn on that will envelop me with water,” he says. “We have built-in speakers in the ceiling, so (I can) just turn on some music and sit in the shower for 45 minutes.” According to Backus, the fluted glass in the new transom window plays off the fluted detail on the custom walnut floating vanity.
Entitled ,”Nude Man Diving,” this piece on metallic paper by artist Ed Freeman hangs in the water closet.
The shower is surrounded with smoked glass dividers that are similar to the chandelier and a vast expanse of gorgeous green marble from CIOT. Porcelain was originally selected for the shower walls, but an inventory issue serendipitously redirected the team. “Once you see the natural material compared to the man-made material that kind of mimics it, sometimes there’s no going back,” Backus says.
“I couldn’t be happier with the end result,” Zatkoff adds. “It’s just this moody spa retreat. We really, really spent a lot of time on the details.”
More information: designbardetroit.com
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