Most designers have an idea of what constitutes a dream bath, whether for themselves or for a client. When it comes to the Duravit Designer Dream Bath Competition, designers who share their vision can win big. For the fourth year, the manufacturer held this growing residential design competition, which recognizes and rewards both completed projects and unbuilt concepts that utilize Duravit products.
Winner, built category
The winner of the built category was by Bronwyn Breitner & Luigi Ciaccia (590BC). Housed within a classic New York City prewar apartment, the bath remodel incorporated quintessential design elements of the city in that era such as black-and-white hex-mosaic tiles for the floors and large-format white subway tiles for the walls. The designer paired these with Duravit fixtures that would imbue a clean modern aesthetic while seamlessly melding with the overall classic prewar theme: a Starck tub, Vero washbasin and Starck 3 toilet. Finally, brushed brass plumbing hardware and fittings complete the look.
Winner, built category
Melinda O’Connor received an honorable mention with her gut remodel of a guest bathroom in a turn-of-the-century Philadelphia home. The outdated space’s narrow floor plan and varied-height ceiling that follows the house’s roofline presented challenges to which the designer rose by specifying streamlined Duravit pieces that could easily blend into a transitional setting and not take up too much floor space. To one side she installed Duravit’s Architect Series bathtub and retiled the tub area all the way up to the ceiling with luminous glass tile. Wall niches here provide shelf storage for shower essentials, eliminating the need for extraneous furniture or caddy clutter. Along the opposite wall, she used the Happy D.2 sink console to go with a minimalist mirror and bath light bar. Elegant limestone herringbone tiles on the floor tie everything together.
Honorable mention, built category
In the unbuilt category, Eduardo Lam won for his master bathroom remodel concept. This retrofit, based on his own bath, utilizes crisp storage furniture and efficient fixtures from Duravit that would perfectly fit the existing space without the need for relocating any of the plumbing. These include DuraStyle Vanity Wall Mounted and DuraStyle Bathtub, both in Dark Chestnut, Stonetto Shower Tray in Anthracite Matt, Foster Washbowl and DuraStyle Two-Piece Toilet. A space-saving mirror with integrated light and storage ledge plus dimensional mosaic tiles that reach all the way up to the ceiling visually expand the space.
Winner, unbuilt category
And finally, Wayne Turett and Oliver Valle received an honorable mention for their unbuilt project that makes the bath an integral part of the master suite. Here, the washing and sleeping areas have a symbiotic relationship dedicated to well-being. In order to achieve this, they selected various Duravit fixtures and finishes that evoke a living-room setting. The Stonetto shower tray is inserted to allow the floor to flow seamlessly from dry to wet zone, with just a sheer curtain separating them when drawn. Meanwhile, the gently curved Cape Cod freestanding tub rests beside the shower tray and a custom bench that matches the millwork of the wall-mounted L-Cube Vanity topped by the ME by Starck Washbasin. Complementing these is the streamlined Lightstrip Mirror and Darling Rimless Toilet.
Honorable mention, unbuilt category
Duravit awarded built category winner 590BC $5,000 worth of Duravit product. For the unbuilt category, the manufacturer awarded $10,000 in Duravit product for Eduardo Lam to help realize his design concept. The judges for this year’s competition included Susan Szenasy (Metropolis), Parker Larson (Architectural Digest), Michelle Brunner (Luxe), Vanessa Deleon (Vanessa Deleon Associates) and Abby Bullard (Stonehill & Taylor).