“The projects that have the simplest details are oftentimes the most complicated." So says interior designer Cayley Lambur of Electric Bowery. Bathrooms sheathed in tile are a classic example, especially when fully tiled tubs and sinks are part of the literal equation. Mathematics are always relevant in interior design of course, but when designing a bath or washbasin clad entirely in tile, maths take on a new level of importance, lest you wind up with half cut tiles and awkward corners. It’s something the designers of each of these bathrooms kept in mind when “material drenching” these spaces, as the process of cladding multiple surfaces in a single material has come to be known. Turns out the effort is a boon for bathrooms destined for carefree bathing.

For designer Matt McKay, it was the ideal choice for a secondary bathroom in a New York apartment—allowing kids to splash water on every surface without fear, left. “It’s a real study of the material of tile and of what pieces we can use: inside corners, outside corners, double bull nose, single bull nose.  What do we need? What are our conditions? Outside corners in tile can look crappy if you don’t have the coordinating pieces and very few collections actually have all of the pieces,” he says. It’s an important reminder that the intricacies of this kind of project need to be thought out before specifying the tile. McKay sourced Nemo Tile for this project and of course we offer a full range of solid tiles in our Hanley and new Series S Plains collections as well. For dramatic effect, he used large format squares in high contrast green and white on the wall, tub and sink, then grounded the palette with a smaller green mosaic on the floor, inset within a white mosaic border. What you don’t see here, is that McKay contrasted the interior of the white tub and sink with a base of green tile for a playful surprise.

In Minnie Water, Australia, homeowner Courtney Adamo also had family in mind when designing her pared-down primary bathroom, centre. Not only is it laid out in sections for multi-use, its style was also inspired by her family’s midcentury beach house in the American Pacific Northwest. (All of these spaces, in fact, drawn on midcentury influences). “I like the simplicity of sticking with one tile,” she says. “I think it creates continuity, and, while it's a modern bathroom, it feels consistent with design from the midcentury era. I think it also makes the room feel more spacious too.” To achieve the seamless flow, the size of the washbasin, vanity, and shower bench were determined by the size of the tiles (47mm sq porcelain tiles by Vitra), while the mirror above the vanity was mounted flush without a frame, and the drawers were made in blackbutt timber to correspond with the window frame. The overall look of the space channels the relaxed coastal vibe of the sandy beachfront locale. Adamo and her husband Michael have written a book about their family home, which was a new build full of learning curves. It’s due out next year and well worth a read if you’re about to embark on a ground-up project of your own.

Electric Bowery principal designer Cayley Lambur’s bathroom in Big Sur also pairs tiles and timber, in this case mossy green Umi Calm tile with native California Redwood panels, right. It’s an homage to the home’s original architect, Mickey Muennig, whose work was prolific in the area during the midcentury era—most notably for the design of the Post Ranch Inn. “He really leaned into this sort of organic, architectural direction, using a lot of Redwood, and indoor/outdoor. Very California but a little more utilitarian,” she says. Muennig tended to pay most attention to the larger volume spaces, she noted however, so in Lambur's home that meant the kitchen and bathrooms were in need of love.

“It was a gut remodel of the bathroom in a home that was not a gut remodel. So we were really inspired by a lot of what was original to the home,” says Lambur. A key component of that was bringing in the warmth of the Redwood from the rest of the house, whilst keeping the materials and transitions simple. “With it being a renovation, we were dealing with the existing walls, so with all of the math, to make the tile land just so and all the transitions and slopes and angles feel intentional and simple was not simple,” she says. “Working with a great tile layer is very important because nothing is perfectly plumb.” The tile's slim profile (1/2” x 4”) plays off the vertical wood paneling in the rest of the bathroom while its verdant hue draws on the landscape just outside the window. The combination creates a soothing, spa-like atmosphere that looks anything but complicated. “It is truly a very calm space to be in. Sort of like entering a sauna,” she says.

If you fancy your own spa getaway, try checking into the Post Ranch Inn or the new Casa Loma hotel in Laguna Beach, CA. The latter has just reopened following a $15M renovation with interiors by Electric Bowery—including spa-inspired bathrooms. 

Photos:  Joshua McHugh, Courtesy McKay Studio; Caitlin Mills, Courtesy Courtney Adamo; Chris Mottalini, Courtesy Electric Bowery