Karen and Harry Eberle are no strangers to renovation, having moved several times over the years. When they bought their current home in Anderson Township, they saw past the house’s flaws and fell in love instantly. “It just needed some TLC,” Karen explains. After working with Jim Stephens of Van Gogh Capabilities on other renovations, Karen set her sights on revamping the master bath: a 20×17-foot rectangle with lots of space but no personality.
Although the master bath had been recently revamped with new cabinetry and granite countertops, it had numerous problems. “It was a huge bathroom, but just like a shotgun, with an 8-foot-long vanity and mirrors all along the wall,” Karen recalls. “And the last thing I wanted to do was walk into the room and face this huge mirror.”
There were other problems as well. The lighting was bad, it had a bidet with no privacy, and there was a huge window over the bathtub that the neighbors could see into during the winter months. When the Eberles tapped Stephens to tackle the renovation, Karen’s initial request was simple: “I wanted privacy for the potty and a big shower. Those were my goals.” Once she decided on a budget of $80,000, Stephens got to work.
“I did a Taj Mahal bathroom in their last house, and Karen wanted her Taj Mahal bathroom back,” Stephens recalls. But he also says he doesn’t do any design twice, so he listened to Karen’s requests—a fireplace and waterfall, a separate toilet, a big shower, a neutral palette—then he honed in on a design and key elements that fit the bill and the budget.
The first thing he did was convert the front area into a vanity and move the toilet area to the back of the room, next to the shower and behind a waterproof pocket door for privacy. Although Stephens made all the design choices, he ran everything by Karen for approval. For example, when he brought a sample of the walnut-stained maple cabinetry to her, Karen said, “That’s gorgeous!” She also had an idea of using oversized brushed-nickel hardware, but she didn’t know exactly how it would look until Stephens showed her. “When I told Jim ‘larger,’ I had no idea how beautiful they would be,” she says. “I absolutely love the big handles on the vanity.”
To combat the bathroom’s rectangular layout, Stephens added lots of curves and movement to the space, even down to the sinuous handles on the cabinets. The polished and unpolished limestone around the curved bath, in the shower and on the floor also has a burled effect that adds texture. The leaded-glass window above the bath has a blue film to add privacy and wavy panes that add a sense of movement, particularly when the light shines through. And the wall mosaics by the counter and vanity feature curvaceous cutouts that add visual interest to the space.
To combat the bathroom’s rectangular layout, Stephens added lots of curves and movement to the space, even down to the sinuous handles on the cabinets. The polished and unpolished limestone around the curved bath, in the shower and on the floor also has a burled effect that adds texture. The leaded-glass window above the bath has a blue film to add privacy and wavy panes that add a sense of movement, particularly when the light shines through. And the wall mosaics by the counter and vanity feature curvaceous cutouts that add visual interest to the space.
A computerized system allows the Eberles to program the shower sprays—four overhead and four at waist level—so the water will go to the right temperature in a matter of seconds. The sand-colored limestone walls and tiled flooring lend an atmosphere of tranquility that recalls the couple’s Hawaii experience. A self-proclaimed “shower girl,” Karen says the overall effect never fails to evoke wows from visitors.
When it came to designing the vanity and sink areas, Stephens infused traditional elements—his-and-hers vessel sinks and walnut-stained maple cabinetry—with nontraditional touches. For example, Italian limestone corner shelves above the granite counter are topped with broken Mexican mosaic tiles. The toilet paper holder and towel rings are made of stone and brushed nickel, taking cues from the surfaces and hardware used throughout the master bath. And recessed can lighting in the ceiling is set on separate circuits so that each light can be individually turned on or off, creating a dramatic effect.
Although the six-month renovation tested Harry’s nerves, Karen says the bathroom is “everything I had hoped for but more, and I’d probably do it again.” She credits much of the renovation’s success with her trust in Stephens’ abilities, adding, “Jim has a pretty good feel for what I like, and he gets the vision. That’s what’s great about working with him.”
Resources: Designer and contractor: Jim Stephens, Van Gogh Capabilities; Flooring: Italian limestone, McCall’s Carpet; Cabinetry: Sachi Woodworking, Inc.; Countertops: Pesce Marble & Granite; Sinks: Vessel limestone, McCall’s Carpet; Faucets: Kohler, Keidel Supply Co.; Lighting: Mesco