During construction of a Bethesda spec home, bath and tile designer Davis Holland Leichsenring was tapped to conceive all six and a half of the abode’s bathrooms. “I envisioned them as spa-like oases fostering wellness and healing, and developed each with its own personality,” he says.
A sophisticated yet playful vibe prevails in the sleek, lower-level bath, dubbed the Spa, where Leichsenring embraced an aesthetic that is intended to appeal to kids in the nearby playroom, adults in the game room/bar and yoga practitioners in the adjacent exercise room.
“A grand feature wall continues uninterrupted between the shower and toilet enclosures,” explains the designer, who clad the wall in lively, tridimensional porcelain tiles in nine pastel colors, then offset the exuberant palette with charcoal-colored, large-format porcelain floor tiles.
A column separates the shower and WC, both enclosed by glass panels with frosted sections for privacy. The curb-less shower is bordered by a linear drain and features a floating shower bench, an invention created and patented by Leichsenring. “There are adjustable body jets under the bench to massage feet and legs, three wall jets, a 10-inch rain showerhead and a handheld spray, all controlled by a digital valve,” he notes.
Integrated with cubbies, cabinets and a bench, built-in millwork opposite the shower conveys the feel of a spa. Radiant heat warms the floor and a careful lighting plan illuminates the room via a dropped ceiling—with special emphasis on the center-stage statement wall.
Bath Design: Davis Holland Leichsenring, UDCP, Holland Bath & Spa, North Bethesda, Maryland. Architecture: John G. Katinas, AIA, Katinas Bruckwick Architecture, Bethesda, Maryland. Builder: Paul Katinas, General Contractor, Washington, DC. Photography: Austin Meyer.
THE DETAILS
Wall + Floor Tile: architessa.com. Plumbing Fixtures + Mirror: kohler.com through grofusa.com. Vanity: christianacabinetry.com through kitchenandbathstudios.com. Shower Bench: hollspa.com. Toilet: laufen.com through build.com. Glass Panels: riverglassdesigns.com.