When Kylene Alexander of Design Shop Interiors designed a new bathroom for a four-generation household near Sacramento, California, many different present and future needs had to be taken into account. Here’s how Alexander used thoughtful details and finishes to accommodate those needs and also reflect the client’s traditional taste.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple, the wife’s elderly father, the couple’s daughter and the daughter’s young children
Location: Granite Bay, California
Size: 56 square feet (5.2 square meters)
Designer: Kylene Alexander of Design Shop Interiors
Builder: IC Construction
Stylist: The Shop
The new bathroom is part of a suite that was created by carving up an existing guest area on the first floor of the split-level home. In this photo, you can see the edge of the toilet to the left of the vanity. A shower is on the other side of the toilet.
The most pressing assignment was to make the bathroom accessible for the client’s father, who lived with the family part time and was using a wheelchair while recovering from surgeries.
To personalize the space for the father’s very specific needs, Alexander asked the client to send her the wheelchair’s measurements. Then, she designed and had custom-made a solid wood vanity based on those measurements and the size of the room, leaving enough space for the wheelchair and a caregiver to maneuver.