Living

from Tri-Village Magazine March/April 2020

Community Calendar

Four’s a Crowd

Upper Arlington homeowners repurpose space for new bathroom

The Keefer family knew something needed to change. As a family with four teenagers, they needed an additional bathroom. The goal was to convert an already existing attic space into a new full bathroom.

But it couldn’t be any old bathroom. This bathroom required simple finishes to make it easier to clean for teenagers and the family hoped to create a contemporary space filled with grays and whites. The tiles used were a little larger meaning fewer grout lines – a much simpler clean for teenagers.

“The homeowners were debating on which kids would have access to this bathroom, so they decided to make it very gender neutral,” says Laura Watson, design manager at The Cleary Company. “Nothing too feminine or masculine. They really liked the clean and minimal look.”

Throughout the design process, spe- cial attention was taken with the finishes and the lighting to brighten up space, which had zero windows.

“Because of the space and roof limi- tations, we tried to use the space in the most efficient way possible,” homeown- er Peggy Keefer says. “We would have liked natural light, whether that had been a window or skylight, but it didn’t end up happening because of space and budget issues.”

Hidden Features

Throughout the project, it was im- portant to maintain easy access to the re- maining attic space and allow the family to utilize the walk-in closet. Although it meant a smaller closet, the Cleary team was able to successfully relocate the en- trance to the hallway.

Recessed cabinets offered additional storage in the room without taking up valuable floor space. A new hidden door led to the attic space, which was perfect for storing the Keefers’ holiday decora- tions and luggage.

When the Keefers first moved to Columbus in 2011, it was difficult to find products and designers who understood exactly what Peggy wanted. Photos courtesy of The Cleary Company

“I have modern tastes. Laura at The Cleary Company immediately understood my tastes and found a lot of options to fit our budget,” Keefer says. “This was my first time using painted cabinets in a remodeling project and I really like how it turned out.”