A showstopping en suite bathroom forms the centerpiece of a primary bedroom in a more-than-century-old Colonial Revival in Summit. Designer Nicole Forina, of Forina Design in Tinton Falls, wanted to give the clients the luxuries of a contemporary bath without sacrificing the character of the house.
Forina and her team had worked with the previous homeowners, and the new owners loved their work so much that they reached out when they were ready to make their own changes. The bath project was part of a full gut renovation of the second floor, where several smaller rooms were combined and a secondary staircase removed to create a generous primary suite.
It was less about creating something new than about making something new feel as though it had always belonged. In the bathroom, creating that look began with stone. The clients favored full slabs over conventional tile, leading to a search that netted nine slabs of unusually neutral breccia Capraia marble. As well as using the marble on the walls, “we essentially used [it] anywhere we could introduce architectural trim,” says Forina, tying the door casings and baseboards to the home’s historic details. A broken-joint mosaic of polished white marble adds a subtle shimmer above the marble wainscoting. The shower and bathtub are set in the 8-by-10-foot wet room. “For perspective, the typical residential shower is about one-third of that,” the designer explains.
The tub shares the expansive wet room with a two-person shower equipped with two rain heads, two wall-mounted heads and six body sprays. An opulent hammered-copper tub provides the centerpiece.
An extra-long (91.5 inches) custom, white oak vanity adds plenty of storage. Sconces by Visual Comfort flank the medicine cabinets, and underfoot, a vintage rug adds warmth and texture. “The vintage rug is one of my favorite decor details. It adds personality and helps bring the bathroom back to its traditional roots,” says Forina.
The renovation took approximately six months, following a two-month design process. The final result is simultaneously luxurious, highly functional and true to the home’s era.
