Here’s how Guhde Flooring America took on this remodeling bathroom challenge with style and function
By Patricia Nugent
Built in 2004, the en-suite bathroom in this Mentor home was in dire need of a floor-to-ceiling style overhaul. The empty-nester homeowners were tired of the bland colors and outdated Jacuzzi.
Teaming up with kitchen and bath designer Jillian Brickman, at Guhde Flooring America & Design Studio, they created a showstopping bath space worthy of any home décor magazine cover.
“This couple was wonderful to work with,” says Jillian. “During our initial consultation, we took stock of styles they liked to evoke a luxurious spa-like feeling. Then we put things together and started assembling a mood board.”
They pulled out the old white cabinets and black granite counters and replaced them with new Wolf Designer Cabinets in stardust gray and sleek white Envi Quartz Fiora counters. For the floors, builder-grade faux travertine square tiles were replaced with 12-by-24-inch porcelain tile that looks like fine Italian marble, in La Marca Statuario Nuovo.
Fab Focal Points
Functionality was a consideration, too. Since the homeowners would like to stay in this home as long as they can, a zero-entry shower was on the must-have list.
“To me, three things stand out in this design,” she explains. “As soon as you walk into the room, a wall mosaic of icy blue glass tiles in arabesque shapes runs from the counter to the 10-foot ceiling. It’s stunning. And the asymmetrical sculptural soaking tub is its own work of art. Since the couple was going for lighter and brighter, I made the suggestion of getting rid of the blinds in favor of privacy film over the three alcove windows surrounding the tub, which lets all the light in while keeping things private. It makes a nice impact.”
Going Outside the Box
When it comes to design concepts, breadth and depth of experience matters.
Guhde Sales Manager Shawn Rosa explains that even though they’ve been in the design and installation business for a long time, that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy thinking outside the box.
“We like to mix things up, creating a ‘wow’ factor in unexpected ways,” he says. “In an upcoming Mimi magazine story, we’ll feature some amazing photos of a bathroom in a new construction project where we are creating a waterfall effect of undulating pebble tiles within a backdrop of regular tiles.”
Wonder what fresh concept the creative minds at the Design Studio could work with you to bring to life? Stop in to explore the possibilities.
In The Know
Q: What’s the difference between hardwood floors, engineered hardwood floors and LVT (luxury vinyl tile)?
A: Hardwood flooring is made from solid wood, with the most common species being maple, oak and hickory. Engineered hardwood flooring looks identical to regular hardwoods, but is constructed from multiple layers of hardwood. It’s more dimensionally stable than regular hardwood, but a disadvantage is it typically cannot be refinished to extend its lifespan. Available in planks or tiles, LVT is a manmade vinyl product that can mimic the look of hardwood or stone flooring, at a fraction of the cost. It’s the most durable of the three flooring products.
Guhde Flooring America & Design Studio is located at 7200 Center Street, Suite 100, in Mentor. Access to the showroom and parking are in the back of the building. Backed by the buying power of a 500-store nationwide retail flooring group, Guhde Flooring America offers its clients some of the lowest prices and best warranties in the industry. Call 440-639-1990 or visit GuhdeFlooringAmerica.com.