Great Escape

“I loved this house right away, but I knew we needed to make some changes to fit our lifestyle, ” says Susanne McMillan of her family’s home in Mountain Brook. The master bath topped her list. “We cut some of the square footage out of the master to create an additional bath for the daughter, and then we made some layout changes to make the most of the remaining space, ” explains architect Anna Evans. “We maximized the storage by flanking the freestanding tub with linen cabinets. The toilet room has a storage closet as well, and we included plenty of drawers in each vanity.” Susanne collaborated with close friend and designer Lisa Flake for finishes. “Natural light was important, so we asked Anna to keep the skylights in the closet, ” says Lisa. “And we were thrilled with her beautifully designed window that became the focal point above the tub.” From there, Lisa and Susanne finished out the space in a classic, warm style that includes vanilla-colored walls, uncoated brass fixtures, and Calcutta gold marble.

WHY WE LOVE IT…

1. Focal Point Window – “I designed this window as a full-circle version of a quarter-circle window that is original to the house, ” says architect Anna Evans. “It has special glass that lets light in without allowing you to see through it.”

2. Shower Placement – Anna placed the shower right at the door to the outside pool. As a result, it feels like an outside shower but still provides plenty of privacy.

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3. No Shower Handles – “I did finger cutouts on the shower doors instead of hardware because I didn't want anything to take away from the bathroom's beautiful, clean look, ” says designer Lisa Flake.

4. Hidden Closets – Anna placed the closet behind closed doors in the area leading to the
bathroom to keep the space looking tidy. She also included a packing table to help with closet organization.

5. Natural Light – “Sunlight in a closet is a rare luxury, ” says Lisa of the skylights in the space. Natural light also floods the bath through a custom-designed circular window and the shower doors that open to a pool view.

RESOURCES
Architect: Anna Evans Architect, 128 Elm Street. 205.879.5451; Interior design: Lisa Flake of Caldwell Flake Interiors,  205.222.9139. caldwellflake.com; Flooring: Calcutta gold marble from Triton Stone,  205.592.0202. tritonstone.com; Walls: Calcutta gold marble from Triton Stone; Plumbing fixtures: Kenny and Company,  205.323.5616. kennycompany.com; Vanity: custom design by Anna Evans; Tub: Kenny and Company; Mirror: Village Framers,  2847 Culver Road. 205.871.6221; Curtains: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com; Paint color: Vanilla Milkshake from Benjamin Moore,  benjaminmoore.com; Bath hardware: Architectural Heritage, 205.322.3538. architecturalheritage.com 


text by julie gillis • photos by jean allsopp

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