This all white bathroom oozes sophistication and elegance with lots of natural light flowing in. Timber look tiles complements nicely with the white in the bathroom. Brodware products have been unsed in this traditional bathroom with lovely bevelled mirrors and traditional lighting.

Master bathroom with curbless shower, gold hardware, custom vanity, soaking tub, walk-in shower, and patterned blue cement tile floor

This Escondido area homeowner came to Specialty Home Improvement looking to build a living space for an aging relative. ADUs, also often known as “granny flats” or “in-law suites” are perfect for aging-in-place, short or long-term rentals, or for extra space on your property to increase the value of your home. The Challenge: Design an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and living space for an elderly relative on a fixed budget. The space is needed to provide as much complete independence and privacy for the relative as possible. The ADU also needed to fit a specific area in the backyard that did not impede on the existing outdoor entertainment area or pool. Since the area of the build is located in a warmer area of San Diego’s North County, summertime power consumption and indoor temperature were a concern. The Solution: For budget purposes, the shape of the unit was kept as a basic rectangle, since odd shapes and angles present challenges and additional costs to engineer and build. Since there was the possibility of guests or perhaps more than one person at a time using the ADU, the bathroom was given an independent entry. A closet was placed between the bathroom and the bedroom to help provide a sound buffer. Floors were designed as polished concrete to help maintain a cooler ambient temperature during the summer months. Light colors on the cabinets, walls, and ceilings along with dual paned vinyl windows provide ample light, temperature control, and ventilation.

In the bathroom, we used reclaimed teak to build a matching mirror and vanity set with polished chrome hardware, and an over-mount, drop in sink on a carrara marble countertop. We created a walk-in shower with a poured cement curb, a high end glass enclosure with barn door style rolling glass sliding door with polished chrome hardware. We used green semi-transparent glass subway tiles to create depth and energy. The drop down vanity pendant lamp is also polished chrome. The crown mouldings, wainscotting and cap, and the base mouldings create a clean finished look while breaking up the lines and planes in the room. The floor is poured concrete and the shower floor is cararra marble to match the countertop of the vanity. The shelves in the shower are teak, for water resistance and to match the vanity and mirror.

Master bathroom. Photography by Ian Gleadle.

El baño es sencillo. Cálido gracias al uso de la madera. La mampara ha sido diseñada por La Reina Obrera y Diego Macarrón y construida por Diego Macarrón.

Murray McKean

This passive solar addition transformed this nondescript ranch house into an energy efficient, sunlit, passive solar home. The addition to the rear of the building was constructed of compressed earth blocks. These massive blocks were made on the site with the earth from the excavation. With the addition of foam insulation on the exterior, the wall becomes a thermal battery, allowing winter sun to heat the blocks during the day and release that heat at night. The house was built with only non toxic or natural materials. Heat and hot water are provided by a 94% efficient gas boiler which warms the radiant floor. A new wood fireplace is an 80% efficient, low emission unit. With Energy Star appliances and LED lighting, the energy consumption of this home is very low. The addition of infrastructure for future photovoltaic panels and solar hot water will allow energy consumption to approach zero.

Renovated bathroom in Brisbane home with a large bathtub, rain shower head, pendent lights and dark floor and white subway tiles