Morning routines are almost Jetsons-like in this Wesley Heights bathroom created by architect Carmel Greer.
Greer’s clients opted for a U by Moen digital shower, which is installed in the glass-doored walk-in. Attached to the dual Waterworks shower heads, the system can be controlled via an app or Alexa and lets the couple start the water before they’ve gotten out of bed. A notification on their phones alerts them when it has reached their preferred temperature. They can set a time limit on it to save water, too.
Then there’s the futuristic toilet. The white Toto model has a heated seat, a lid that automatically opens, a built-in air-purifying system, and multiple washing and flushing modes. Those features don’t come cheap—this particular model runs upward of $5,000.
Despite the price, Greer says her company, District Design, installs a decent number of these do-it-all toilets. The same goes for high-tech home appliances in general: “The really comprehensive smart-home things are actually becoming more accessible and easier to install.” Beyond the bathroom, she often gets requests for app-controlled lighting, security, and sound systems.
Even with the abundance of new gadgets on the market, Greer says that above all, people still just want a beautiful, clean bathroom. She made this one unique by using fun hexagonal floor tiles to break up the large expanses of Calacatta Gold marble and installing a freestanding cast-iron tub by Signature Hardware. The cabinetry was custom-ordered to suit the couple’s storage needs, and a sliding clothes hamper is cleverly tucked between the vanities.
It all makes for a space that’s both cutting-edge and understatedly luxurious. Says Greer: “For some people, the bathroom is the be all, end all.”
This article appeared in the May 2018 issue of Washingtonian.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
