Room Service

Five local designers describe the details of their favorite rooms

courtesy The Design Studio/Tim Brown

(page 1 of 5)

Most of us have a favorite room in our home. You know that one special space where we feel cozy and safe. The perfect spot where we can cuddle up in a down quilt and read a good book or magazine, or where the sunlight bathes every corner inspiring us to paint a picture, write a letter or put a puzzle together on a leisurely day. Maybe it’s the kitchen, where comfort food, friends and family linger and memories are made, or the relaxing solitude of the bath that restores and renews our energy at the end of a long day.
So what rooms do interior designers appreciate? We asked five local professionals to show us some favorite rooms they’ve created, to tell us what inspired them and to offer up some tips on how to bring it all together.

JENNIFER HOEY SMITH

Jennifer Hoey Interior Design
www.jenniferhoey.com

The inspiration:

The owners of this new home in Timber Gulch wanted their master bath done in a neutral palette, which in less capable hands could have resulted in a ho-hum space. But, Jennifer Hoey Smith saw it as a perfect opportunity to use a variety of textures throughout the luxurious lavatory to add interest and create “aha” details around every corner.

The ideas:

Clean, uncluttered lines and interesting details are the name of the game in this stunning bathroom. The neutral palette led Smith to find ways to create layers of interesting textures and details. “For example the shower tile is three-dimensional and is ribbed all the way down. I then used a very smooth limestone on the bathroom floor and carried that into the shower. I kept the lines clean by not using a curb to transition between a shower and the bathroom,” she explains.

Smith worked with the builder to design the slightest quarter-inch drop in the floor into the shower to drain away the water, and installed a frameless glass shower enclosure to maintain the seamless feel of the room. Another out-of-the-box idea by Smith was to install a shaving ledge in the shower rather than an entire bench.

The large ceiling-to-floor windows looking out onto private gardens inspired Smith to install a large freestanding bathtub in front of the windows, angled in such a way that the bather would have a full view of the mountain peaks outside. “One of the premises of this house was to be able to connect all the spaces with the outdoors,” says Smith

Another strong focal point is the custom-made vanity designed by Smith. It features a black and steel face frame that integrates with vertical grain American black walnut cabinetry. Smith then dressed it with Rocky Mountain Hardware and a Carrera marble countertop, and designed mirrors framed in the same blackened steel. A window over the vanity looks out to the home’s entry and, adding yet another interesting texture, Smith designed a set of walnut screens that recess neatly and completely into the walls when more light is desired, or can be closed for more privacy.

Tips:

“When working in a modern setting like this, the cleaner the better,” she says of the project, which took her two years to complete. “It’s all in the details. That’s what pulls this look off. It looks so clean and interesting because of all the details we considered.

“Any bathroom can have a marble countertop and walnut cabinets, but it is the extra detail that makes it special,” Smith explains. “The angling of the tub in a certain way, the textured tiles and the black metal framing that shapes the vanity. They are things you may not notice right away and you might not be able to put your finger on, but when you walk in, you feel it.”

About:

Clean lines and elegant spaces consistently identify Jennifer Hoey Smith’s work. A nationally licensed interior designer she holds a certificate from the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

Photos: courtesy Jennifer Hoey Smith