Better Roof, Better Bath

When this 1925 carriage house was enlarged and reconfigured as a dwelling, the bathroom ended up beneath a clumsy, flat-roofed dormer. The sink and dressing area were in one section, and the shower and toilet were in an adjacent space under a low roof. The homeowners hired architect Lisa Christie to remodel the bathroom, with the goals of bringing in more natural light, adding another sink, upgrading closet space for two people, and creating an attractive area for the toilet and shower. Christie's solution was to improve the roof: She widened the dormer by 4 ft. and added another window, which increased head height and flooded the space with daylight. The layout of the bath didn't change, but now there's room for twin vanities and a wall full of closets; in the other section, a curbless shower shares the space with a wall-mounted toilet (tank access is through a clever hidden panel). With travertine tile on the walls and the radiant floor, and Honduras mahogany for the vanities, medicine cabinets and closet doors, the new bath captures the look and feel of a traditional Craftsman room.