Bathroom Design Idea: Bringing Nature In

Entering this bath is like stepping into an enchanted grotto or cavern. Tumbled marble tiles, slab marble tiles, and handmade tiles that look like elegant natural stone all pay tribute to the beauty of nature in this handsome bathroom design.

A shower stall with a frameless glass door lets the beauty of the bathroom's stone tiles show through.

A mix of large, medium, and small tiles in a variety of hues and patterns swirls around the room, but the fantastic array of patterns and sizes is never dizzying thanks to the rich yet subdued range of earthy colors and patterns.

The bathroom's massive wardrobe provides storage.

The visual drama inherent in these excitingly patterned tiles is enhanced by using different sizes of tiles and by setting some on the square, some on the diagonal.Befitting this extraordinary bath, a wardrobe gives ample storage (and a bit of privacy for the toilet area.) The natural graining of the wardrobe's fine hardwood is enhanced with a gleaming protective finish; the top, where condensation might collect, is a thin slab of granite.

A vanity niche, mirrored on all sides, reflects the sparkle of a stainless-steel sink and the muted glow of brushed-nickel fittings. A slab of granite with a beveled edge tops a frameless vanity cabinet in beautifully grained hardwood. The wood bears an intriguing carved design echoed in the wardrobe doors.

The vanity carries on the bath's hardwood motif

To make a concept like this work takes careful planning of every detail and meticulous placement of every tile. That kind of artistry and care is clearly in evidence, even in small details.To keep the room human-scaled, small diamond-shape tiles are set in channel-bordered rows at chair-rail height and above. Small, gleaming metallic tiles add jewel-like accents to this already beautiful space.