Bath Showcase: Dress Blues and Clean Whites
General contractor John Harding, president of Image Contracting, and his team listened intently to their client’s needs when renovating this ensuite Colonial-style bathroom in Bedford.
Two retired Navy officers who recently moved here from Norfolk, Virginia, wanted to maintain that region’s turn-of-the-century style—a decidedly non-trendy look.
“They said, ‘We didn’t want to look at our bathroom 20 years from now and go, ‘Why did we do that when it was in fashion?’” remembers Harding.
“We do this type of bespoke-type work where the client really is driving the project,” he adds.
But executing this renovation took some doing.
“If you’ve seen the before pictures, it was horrific,” says Harding. The only choice was demolition, which reconfigured the plumbing footprint and provided much needed natural light.
Classic influences are reflected everywhere, from the dark navy blue and mosaic medallion floor tile to the quaint shower niches to the white subway tile. Clean lines connect the cabinetry, walls and shower. Dark niches with marble bottoms mirror the shower threshold, while wall trim features traditional wide-trim wainscoting.
Dark navy blues and whites dominate this bathroom, which contains matching vanities with utilitarian drawers. A tall linen cabinet ensures extra storage. Hooks instead of towel racks provides a casual vintage feel.
Fittingly, the cabinetry and matching vanities are painted in a color called “dress blues.”
Harding appreciated the clients’ “hands-on” approach.
“It’s almost impossible for someone to be more particular and meticulous than I am. They had a very, very specific vision that we were able to execute,” says Harding.
“This was a very challenging project, but we got it done and they’re thrilled. Ultimately (the collaboration) turned out a great product,” he adds.
