Ensuite Bathroom Reveal of Patti Wagner

We are absolutely thrilled to share the final reveal of Patti Wagner's ensuite bathroom. This vintage modern floor is all about quality craftsmanship, total attention to detail and Tudor inspired patterns. Continue reading to learn about this gorgeous ensuite bathroom renovation.

Meet Patti

We would be lying if we said we haven’t had a total crush on Patti Wagner for years now. Patti is part of a small husband and wife team who renovates and restores old homes, including their own 1927 classic Tudor home. By studying styles of the past, paying close attention to original craftsmanship and staying true to the integrity of the foundation, they remind us the true beauty of old world charm. This concept of restoring vintage homes definitely pulls at our heartstrings. Our female founder and total tile queen, Mercedes Austin, grew up in a historic home in south Minneapolis. She totally gets it -  this league of renovating is entirely in its own class. We have so much respect for Patti for never taking the easy route and making the old things (that so many of us would rip out and throw out) new again.

To read more about all that Patti does, visit her website!

Photo from the Instagram of Patti Wagner.

The Home

Since this project is all about the home’s integral roots, we couldn’t resist but showing off the work that Patti has already done to amplify her home’s vintage charm. To name a few, she’s restored all the original windows and (drum roll please) converted her attached garage into the kitchen. So it only makes sense that her next plan of action was to turn a sleeping porch into a modern Tudor style ensuite bathroom. 

To read more about the very beginning stages of this renovation, visit Patti's blog "Our Ensuite Bathroom Design Plans"

The Beginning Stages

This renovation kicked off in November of 2019 and we started talking tile with Patti in May of 2020. This may seem like a long timeline but we all know that plans rarely ever go to plan especially when restoring a historic Tudor home from 1927. You can never plan for a leaky roof, plumbing issues, unreliable contractors, and of course the elephant in the room: a worldwide pandemic. Everything needed to slow down, including this renovation. One good thing about slowing down a renovation is the time you have to truly fall in love with your tile. We always recommend ordering samples and placing them in the space where they'll live so you can see how they shine at every moment of the day.

“We may live in a fast-paced society; however, we only want you to build a bathroom once. If you take the time to do it right the first time, you’ll only have to do it once. Live with the tile. Look at it in different lights of day. Get another round of samples if you need. We think this bit of time in the front end to be fully certain of your selections will give you a great return on that investment of time.” - Mercedes Austin

We couldn’t agree more. Plus we know that good things are always worth the wait so we were more than happy to do so.

The Design Direction

The direction of Patti's ensuite bathroom changed multiple times throughout the process. From the get-go, she wanted it to feel warm, classic, timeless but unique and luxurious. So from a material standpoint, she looked towards warm walnut wood, patterned tile and a mixture of bronze and brass fixtures. Since floor patterns were common to Tudor home in the 1920s, Patti had a vision for a Small Hexagon patterned floor. While Small Hexagons are lovely, we knew we could pay homage to the decorative Tudor style by dreaming up a new signature pattern filled with vintage charm.

"We wanted to design something for Patti that would feel like it could have been a part of the home when it was originally built. Imagining being in the mindset of a tile maker in the 1920’s, we wanted to celebrate the artistry of Tudor style. This is something that comes natural to us as artisan tile makers" - Mercedes Austin

The Victorian Pattern 

Mercedes took a deep dive into the intricacies of the classic Tudor style and recalled a previous pattern inspired by this floor that we created with the help of designer Anwen from AHL Consulting. By incorporating our Small Triangles and 2"x2" Small Squares in an almost mathematic fashion, this luxurious pattern came to life. Since this pattern is extremely meticulous, our team made sure that it could be made into easy-to-install sheets. In other words, the tile installer adhered 108 sheets as opposed to 6,912 individual tiny tiles. 

One of the reasons we love the Victorian Pattern is how the color palette can make such a dramatic difference. Since the pattern itself has a classic feel, we knew we could add a modern twist with the color palette. We went through several iterations of the color palette with Patti. We landed on the perfect shade of soft green to not only elevate the design elements but create a playful and calming space to raise her three children. The final palette consisted of our hand glazed 123E Patina (Custom Color), 11 Deco White, and 77E Grey.

Patti says "the tile really set the tone for our design direction and personality. Often times, we think of color in a space through paint, wall paper and decor.  But tile can bring in color in a very timeless way."

For more on this project, visit Patti's blog "Repurposing and Converting Our Sleeping Porch into the Ensuite Bathroom: Before and After Photos"

3"x6" Subway, Chair Rail, Cove Base - 11 Deco White.
Victorian Pattern - 11 Deco White, 77E Grey, 123E Patina (Custom Color).

Final Results

We are totally obsessed with how this project turned out. The attention to detail, craftsmanship and integral roots of the home make this project one of our favorites. Because the space is all about artisan quality and architectural detail, we pulled out all the stops. The detailed border, wainscoting Chair Rails, grounding Cove Base Shower Trim all lead to the softness of the floor and highlighting it to be the focus of the space.

"I wanted her bathroom floor to feel like an epic statement yet be soft in expression. Every time she’d take time for self-care, I wanted that floor to make her feel like royalty…. humble royalty. Stained-glass feels, details from tapestries, strong lines, intricate pieces – these influenced the selection." - Mercedes Austin