Code confict forces design team to focus on details rather than size in this Spokane, Wash., bathroom

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On the Cover: Hanson Carlen Construction

created a master suite in Spokane, Wash., with

focus on the details within a limited space.

Jonathan Pece

36 TAKING IN THE VIEW A San Francisco Bay area home opens its walls to the panorama surrounding it.

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20 MASTER DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Whatever it TakesCode conflict forces design team to focus on details rather than size in this Spokane, Wash., bathroom addition

TABLE OF CONTENTS / JULY 2013

Code conflict forces design team to focus on details rather than size in this Spokane, Wash., bathroom additionBy Kacey Larsen

Thirty-six square feet is barely

enough space in which to turn

around, let alone enough space to

be considered a bathroom. Still,

this is what David Hanson,

principal at Hanson Carlen Construction

in Spokane, Wash., and his team were faced

with when taking on a bathroom remodel.

The goal was to turn a master bedroom into

a master suite by expanding the existing

bathroom. “When you think of a master

bedroom, at least for the West Coast, you

think of most homes having a typical

standard bathroom that you’d find off a

hallway with everything in a row. When you

think of a master suite, you’re thinking of

something that’s a lot more upscale and

maybe not only has practical features, but

also catches your eye,” Hanson says.

Hanson Carlen had done a kitchen

remodel with the clients three years prior,

so a certain interpersonal comfort level

existed heading into the bathroom project.

However, Hanson still asked the couple to

fill out the questionnaire he asks every cli-

ent to complete before starting the design

process. “Each person might have different

needs, or different storage requirements.

Some couples get ready in the morning

together; for others, one person is sleeping

while the other is trying to go out the door,

so you’re always trying to meet the needs

of each family member,” Hanson says.

Back to the Drawing Board

The original direction from the clients for

a big addition was the starting point for

this Spokane remodel, but that plan would

not come to fruition. After getting through

the entire concept stage with plans for a

20 July 2013 QR ForResidentialPros.com

Whatever

Takes it

big addition, the project hit a snag when

the county vetoed the plans because the

proposed addition straddled a 10-ft.-wide

utility easement. So, Hanson Carlen

Construction was forced to start the design

phase from scratch.

The needs for the new design remained

the same, but conceptually the designers

had to change their thinking. The firm’s

design-build capabilities allowed the

remodeler the benefit of working directly

with the architect to ensure the new space

met function, design and budget goals.

Hanson says options

to remodel within the

existing space and

expand into an adja-

cent guest bedroom were discussed and

then discarded.

Despite the homeowners’ initial shock

at the county’s denial of the first plan, they

quickly jumped onboard with the new

direction. “Our client believed in us. And

so when Ryan, our architect, said, ‘The

master suite will look this way,’ it wasn’t

questioned. They had a strong belief in

what we were doing,” Hanson recalls.

The project was revised to work with

the existing space, staking out where the

pipeline was in the backyard to use every

available inch. Hanson says, “When we

found [the original addition] couldn’t be

done that was OK, because in some ways

we came up with a plan that made us work

a little harder.” The result was a 115-sq.-ft.

six-cornered addition with a “stepped”

exterior design that was mirrored in the

interior (see top photo below).

“Details that Matter”

With a final design in place, Hanson says

the goal became to add “tons of little details

that created an overall feeling when you

walked into the room like, ‘Wow, this has

really been thought through,’ and so there

were a lot of fun things that we enjoyed

doing.” With a build time of approximately

four months, the design-build firm

commenced on the project that is described

as having a modern European flair.

To achieve this style, the bathroom was

designed with none of its elements touching

the floor. The toilet sits off the floor thanks

to a hidden wall-mount system, and the

custom maple cabinets were made in

Hanson Carlen Construction’s cabinet

shop. It is difficult to buy “off-the-shelf”

cabinetry that fits specific spaces, Hanson

says, so it made sense for the remodelers

to make the cabinets themselves. The

cabinets were designed to attach solely to

the wall to achieve the floating look but

had to be strong enough to support the

400-lb. Kenyan marble countertop.

The emphasis on the details, big and

small, is evident in how the cabinets are

“stepped” to coordinate with the interior

and exterior “steps” of the addition. The

drawers of the cabinets are illuminated with

low-voltage LED lighting. The towel bars

are heated and controlled by timers to turn

on in the mornings. They are heated using

hydronic heat, not electric, which is not

typical, Hanson says.

The entire bathroom features hydronic

heating, which required the installation of

ForResidentialPros.com QR July 2013 21

Jonathan Pece

The custom-made maple cabinets mirror the “stepped” design of the exterior walls and do not touch the floor to keep with the room’s modern European flair.

FAST FACTS ABOUT THIS PROJECT

SQUARE FOOTAGE BEFORE: 36 sq. ft. bathroom

SQUARE FOOTAGE AFTER: 115 sq. ft. bathroom

LOCATION: Spokane, Wash.

REMODELER: Hanson Carlen Construction, Spokane

Hydronically heated towel bars run on timers and a mini-mechanical room was installed in the basement for all the hydronic elements.

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an additional water heater and electric

boiler in an unused basement closet. “The

heating system is not typical because it’s

hydronic, and the rest of the house is

forced air; [the bathroom has] its own

mini-mechanical room,” Hanson says. “We

used a subcontractor that does our

hydronic work to get everything right

because [in this case] we had a bunch of

mechanical and plumbing details to work

out.” Also in the mini-mechanical room

are the mechanics for the remote-

controlled shower system. Remotely

mounted fans by the toilet and shower

make the room as noiseless as possible for

another aesthetically pleasing feature.

“We like to do things that are hard and

that challenge our mettle,” Hanson

explains. “It’s also fun to work on unique

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ForResidentialPros.com QR July 2013 23

The Spokane, Wash., bathroom was too small, so it was quadrupled in size with an addition to the master suite.

BeforeThe remodel included a 115-sq.-ft. addition with a six-corner “stepped” design. Original plans for a larger addition were scratched by the county because of a 10-ft.-wide utility easement that included a major pipeline.

MASTER DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Before

David Hanson

David Hanson