Colin and Justin: Decorative fall out

Published Aug 30, 2024  •  3 minute read

Working through ideas for a recent basement bathroom reno, Colin and Justin opted for the utilitarian look of subway tiles, adding in a fixed glass panel rather than a sliding door or curtain.

Colin and Justin discuss design inspiration, suggesting it can land at the most unexpected of times

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From where, precisely, does decorative inspiration stem? From the pages of a newspaper or magazine editorial?

Or as you encounter a piece of vintage pottery whilst prowling the local thrift store?  Maybe schematic ideas take hold during an early morning stroll, cued by crisp air and clear blue skies? Or perhaps, whilst walking to work as you run fingers across a richly textured brick wall…

Our own imaginations can be fired pretty much anywhere. Having espied a vintage tin sign, for example, perched high above the entrance to a now decommissioned air raid shelter in New York City, we made a mental note to employ its spare aesthetic as a jumping off point for a future project.  It just, somehow, resonated.

Later, settled at our Toronto drawing board, working through ideas for a basement bathroom reno, visions of that old tin sign crash landed.

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Everything hinged on that flash of yellow (one of our favourite accents) and the vintage tile upon which the simple wording was arranged.

Ah yes, subway tile. We’ve specified the no fuss ceramic on numerous occasions, its simplicity, we suppose, the very aspect that telegraphs its appeal.

The white bevelled edges scream ‘utilitarian’, an enduring decorative mood that seldom wanes, especially when arranged alongside softer layers and textural elements to provide schematic balance.

And so it came to pass our project kicked into gear. As far as design was concerned, it couldn’t have been simpler.

Using Schluter (www.schluter.ca) waterproofing membranes, our contractor fashioned a two inch curb to contain shower water, after which he clad the walls with the brand’s water proofing panels to protect against moisture ingress.

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Next up? Subway tile. Visit Euro Tile and Stone (www.eurotilestone.com) for a reliable range of product options, in endless finishes.  Note the pencil grey grout which immediately references our bomb shelter kick off point.

The supplier also stocks large concrete style slabs, such as these, which we applied to the stall walls and bathroom floor, with 2″ square anti slip mosaic specified for the enclosure base.

Work enduring, we commissioned a concrete manufacturer to hand cast our minimalist trough sink. A tricky procedure? Not really; we supplied a sketch and dimensions, and they did the rest.

First, they created a wood template (complete with drain area and connections for plumbing) and, this done, filled the blocky structure with poured concrete.

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Our technical drawing skills are pretty sharp, but you could just as easily opt for a site visit, tech’ plans, manufacture and installation.  Choose a reliable firm such as Anthony Concrete Design (anthonyconcretedesign.com) or take the easy route with ‘Ablitas’, a rectangular granite basin from Wayfair.

Project detailing? For shower fixtures, we recommend The Rubinet Faucet Company (www.rubinet.com) whose product roster is 100% adaptable, with custom service that allows for detailing in a Pantone colour or metal finish of your choice.

Having created an essentially waterproof, three-sided compartment, we front the enclosure with a fixed glass panel, rather than a sliding door or curtain, thanks to sufficient clearance that negated splash back from the shower fittings.

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There are times, when renovating, that a competent DIY job will comfortably suffice (painting, for example, or perhaps tiling) but   a professional glazing install is crucial if you want a safe, watertight fit.

Final layering arrived courtesy of towels, yellow flowers (to further reference the fallout sign) a round mirror from IKEA, Bel Air bulkhead lights – from Home Depot – and pottery hand thrown by Liz Brownrigg (www.lizbrownrigg.art) Decorated with naturally shed horsehair (bedded into the surface during the firing process) each vessel is unique and arrestingly gorgeous.

All things considered, our New York fallout shelter reno isn’t even remotely stark, huh? And it’s proof perfect, were it ever required, that even the most unlikely elements can provide the requisite inspiration to concoct a solid scheme.

More from us next week. Until then: decorative bombs away…

Watch for Colin and Justin on Citytv’s Breakfast Television. Find the Colin
and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv.

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