Zen and the Art of Bathroom Design Home design theory has traditionally emphasized public areas such as living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens--often at the expense of private spaces like bathrooms. But as more young professionals join the ranks of homeowners, priorities are changing.
A prominent theory in the Zen philosophy encourages spiritual stillness and the simple, harmonious rituals of everyday life. "What people have to rethink," architect Yoshiko Sato says, "is the role of the bathroom, not as the space to spend the least amount of their everyday lives but as a place to retreat and foster their spirituality."
It was this line of thought that prompted Betsy Pearce and Michael Quinn to rethink the space in their Tribeca loft, dedicating nearly one-third of its 2,200 square feet to their private bathroom and dressing area (figure A). Their architects, Sato and Michael Morris, said a Japanese Zen garden inspired the bathroom they created.
Zen Design Philosophy
One principle of Zen design encourages harmony through visual balance. Sato and Morris achieved this balance by combining opposites in several ways, pairing rough, dark slate floor tiles with light, smooth tiled and painted walls, and placing smooth mirrors and steel surfaces next to rough flooring, countertops and a brick wall (figure B).
Morris and Sato extended this theme of opposites into shape as well as color by furnishing the bathroom with contrasting round and square objects. For instance, they paired a round mirror, stool, sink and shower basin with a variety of squares: square floor and wall tiles, a rectangular vanity, and square windowpanes (figure C). The solid-surface shower basin and sink counter are white with cobalt blue accents (figure D), following a Zen design principle of accenting neutral shades with color.
Filtered light is another aspect of Zen design. The large window that spans one wall in the bathroom is fitted with frosted glass panes, filling the room with a warm, muted wash of light (figure E). This soft light, bouncing off of several large mirrors mounted on the walls, supplies the Zen design element of reflection (figure F).
The spaciousness of this bathroom oasis is enhanced by limited use of accessories, giving the room a clean, sparse look (figure G). A disciplined approach to clutter, the lack of true color, and limited patterns all work together to help this bathroom achieve its Zen status.
Is Zen design right for you?
If you think the Zen philosophy might work well in your living space, consider the rooms of your home that you truly live in and the way you live in them. Do you really need 500 square feet of open bathroom space?
"For a household with lots of people, it doesn't make much sense to have such a large bathroom and dressing area where you wouldn't want people barging in all the time," Pearce admits. Yet as our public lifestyles continue to envelop our private lives, there's something to be said for personal time in quiet spaces.
"Where there are two of us who don't see enough of each other anyway with a busy New York lifestylesPearce says, "it's really nice to have a space that's a continuum between living area and bath that's just a nice place to spend time."
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