Touch of Glass
In a small bathroom, strategically placed etched panes create a camouflage of refinement.
In redoing her 9-foot-by-5-foot bathroom, Ann McNulty of Brookline came up with a novel idea to hide the shower-curtain rod above the tub. She and her husband, Eric McNulty, had hired a contractor to gut the hideous green-tiled bathroom with its black toilet and tub. The room had been a bleak hole in an otherwise charming condominium in a 1910 brownstone town house, and the renovation plan called for white subway tiles and a custom-built vanity to house the sink and to create storage. Italian-limestone flooring added breadth to the room's modest size, and the details included recessed ceiling lights and handsome wall sconces.
As a final touch, Ann found two matching antique etched-glass panes and had a custom frame built around them. She then had them mounted above the tub and shower and hung a curtain rod behind the frame.
The effect is artful and functional, making the awkward rod invisible. The curtain drapes as gracefully as a fashion designer's couture skirt. In the morning, the etched glass allows sunlight to shine through and is a perfect example of how a simple but distinctive detail can make a small space memorable.
Jessica Brilliant Keener is a freelance writer. She lives in Brookline.
