The mosaic tile in the niches by the tub and in the shower are from Mosaic Tile.
A Maryland couple who’d grown tired of their outmoded 1980s master bathroom turned to designer Diane Taitt for help. The wife, a physician, wanted a serene retreat where she could unwind after long days at work. “She told me, ‘This is the one space in my house that is mine,’” Taitt recalls. “It was going to be her sanctuary.’’ The husband’s only request: that the décor reflect the soothing colors of his native Caribbean island, Anguilla.
Taitt devised a plan that would transform the ’80s throwback into a one-of-a-kind home spa full of custom finishes and features. After the original was completely gutted, Taitt created privacy without walls by enclosing the W.C. and a large shower behind panels of textured glass that leave the space light and airy. The panels are painted in a motif inspired by an ancient Turkish pattern symbolizing creation and infinity. “My clients fell in love with the concept,” she says.
They also love the shimmering surfaces and tiles that evoke the way sunlight dances on tropical seas. A crystal chandelier in the W.C. and silver-thread sconces above the dual vanities further reflect the light. “The room feels alive as you move,” says the designer.
Above the bathtub, porcelain tiles embellished with a subtle palm-frond motif echo the island theme. Against a tone-on-tone palette of soft grays and white, mosaic elements around the vanity mirrors add hints of Caribbean color.
According to Taitt, both homeowners were “ecstatic” with the results. However, the designer says that as far as being the wife’s private sanctuary is concerned, “she can’t get her husband out of the bathroom.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: DIANE S. TAITT, ASID, Associate AIA, De Space Designs, Washington, DC. PHOTOGRAPHY: Maxine Schnitzer.
For two more amazing custom baths, see