When Ottawa designer Irene Langlois first saw this master ensuite, it was dark and dated, with an awkward layout, a walled-in shower and a single sink. Homeowners Charles “Chip” Hamann and Alain Doom wanted lots of storage and plenty of light. At eight by 14 feet, the room was generous enough for a new double vanity and open shelves to display towels and toiletries. Irene outfitted the bathroom design with elegant finishes in soothing white and grey tones to maximize the natural light spilling in through the large window.


Natural light
A generously sized window over the bathtub allows lots of natural light into the bathroom and is adorned with classic California shutters over the lower portion for privacy. The tub’s grey-painted skirting mirrors the style of the vanity.
Open shelving
Open shelves at one end of the bathtub take advantage of an otherwise nonfunctional spot and offer storage ideas for bath towels and toiletries right where they’re needed. Dramatically veined Calacatta marble on the tub deck provides a hit of pattern in the serene room.
Mirror
After seeing a feature like this in a hotel – a mirror on a wall enclosing one end of the vanity – homeowners Chip Hamann and Alain Doom asked designer Irene Langlois to recreate it in their newly renovated master ensuite. The light- and space-enhancing detail lends polish to the space.
Shower design
The glassed-in shower makes mornings much brighter than the old walled-in one, as do walls of white bevelled subway tile with an accent of moonstone blue limestone mosaic, which was also used on the shower floor. Clean-lined fixtures continue the linear motif to this side of the room.
Vanity
Bevelled subway tile wainscotting that wraps around the room creates a backsplash above the vanity’s Calacatta marble countertop. The new recessed-panel vanity provides plenty of closed storage solutions and is painted in a soft grey. A recurring square motif on the faucets, vanity hardware and pendant lights (“like little ice cubes,” says Irene) offers a cohesive look.