Four years ago, Ray Lewis and Matt Condon were ready to move. “We wanted a truly unique property,” Ray explains. They found it all in Bexley with a charming Cotswold style home on a stunning site with an English countryside feel. “We fell in love with this property because it’s like a European villa,” says Matt.
Ray and Matt moved in armed with ideas for changes to the interior. They chose to work with Monica Miller from J.S. Brown & Co., who gave them some unexpected advice. “Live in the space first,” she advised them. Matt explains, “Monica was the only contractor who said ‘Just sit with the house a while before you start ripping things out.’” They are grateful to this day for her advice. It allowed their thinking to evolve over three years before embarking on their first big interior project to remodel the master bathroom.
The fully remodeled shower showcases a handpicked slab of Italian granite on the walls. “We wanted something that looked like it would be original to the house, and a long-term material so we wouldn’t need to redo it again. That granite did it,” Matt explains.
A pedestal sink leaves the floor space open, but presented the challenge of how to keep toiletries stored. A custom split mirror cabinet hangs over the sink, with mirrors lining the inside as well to create greater depth. Along with shelving for toiletries, the cabinet houses electrical controls for the lighting, fan, and heated floor that allows the limited wall space to remain clear of electrical switches. Classic subway tiles on the floor and midway up the walls add to the old world ambiance. Matt comments, “The house is so special, so every little thing we did in the bathroom we wanted to be special as well. Monica helped us make it a spectacular space in the original footprint. J.S. Brown was phenomenal to work with.”