September 27, 2021

When Jill Maremont and her husband purchased their rural Michigan home a few years ago, they refused to leave the modern Chicago aesthetic they loved behind. Instead, they immediately called on Scott Dresner of Chicago-based Dresner Design to update the home’s main living areas, bringing contemporary style to Lake Michigan.

Maremont was already dreaming about continuing the modern look into the main bathroom, but it would take a couple years of back-and-forth conversations and considering materials before designer and client settled on the final design. It was well worth the wait.

Enough Space for All of the Amenities

Maremont’s goal was to the transform the 1999-never-left bathroom with its bland palette and poor function into a luxurious, relaxing oasis. Working in her favor was plenty of space to play with – at least once the massive whirlpool tub and oddly angled shower were removed.

“The room is big, so it was possible to make a nice space,” said Dresner. “Sometimes bathrooms are beautiful, but they are tight. This one had so much room, we were able to do something really outstanding.”

In addition to removing the tub and shower, Dresner replaced dated glass blocks – the bathroom’s only natural light source – with an expansive window. These changes allowed for a large shower enclosed with clear glass. The new freestanding tub sits below the window with nothing but nature visible outside.

“I wanted it to be her personal paradise spa,” said Dresner.

Modern Bathroom with Warmth and Flavor

Having worked together before, designer and client collaborated on the bathroom design. Dresner completed drawings in AutoCAD and designed the cabinets, but he credits Maremont for sourcing many of the materials.

“We talked about everything, and she gave me choices,” he said. “I love working like this – it means your client knows what they want.”

A floating walnut vanity and white built-in with doors are from Dresner’s own cabinet line. Made in Rome, both feature dark wenge interiors from the shelves to the drawer boxes. The contrast with the exterior wood provides a high-end look.

Adding to the sumptuous appeal, the 8-in.-thick Copacabana granite countertop stands out against the walnut of the vanity. Above, an elongated medicine cabinet framed in walnut offers a modern line and provides useful storage. It pops against the wavy, charcoal, subway-tiled wall. Wall faucets allow for extra counterspace.

Selecting Spa-like Extras

The updated modern look would be spectacular on its own, but it’s paired with a variety of extra features that that take the spacious bathroom to the next level.

Maremont wanted to have lots of storage for towels and larger items, as well as smaller toiletries. Dresner accomplished this with the variety of storage areas from the deep vanity drawers with push-to-open capability to the medicine cabinets and the large linen closet.

Despite the significant amount of storage space, the bathroom maintains a sleek look thanks to flat-front doors. For the linen closet, Dresner cut a hole into the adjacent garage and borrowed a bit of space from it to recess the unit into the wall.

The medicine cabinet has LED lighting on the top and bottom, and nightlights under the floating vanity create a soft ambiance. The porcelain tile floors have radiant heating, and the window treatment is motorized. These spa-like features provide the ideal atmosphere for a relaxing bath.

But in this bathroom, a shower might be just as rejuvenating. The rain showerhead offers chromatherapy with LED lighting controlled via a panel, which also operates a speaker. There is another showerhead and a handspray. A horizontal niche holds necessities, and a stone bench provides a spot to sit.

“Jill put everything into the shower that she possibly could,” said Dresner. “It’s big. You could have a party in there.”

As a designer, working with clients who have a strong sense of what they want allows projects to be more collaborative and can benefit both parties.

“It’s nice to have an educated client with style and taste,” said Dresner. “It’s fun and makes creating their dream easier. How we spin it is up to us, but we have a root to start with.”