Middle Eastern Muse
Exotic jewel tones and tactile elements from the East enliven a Seattle homespa.
By Peter Sackett
Julia Sandetskaya and Valeria share cozy mother–daughter
moments in the warm setting of their Arabian Nights–inspired
master bathroom.
Photo: Alex Hayden
Photo: Alex Hayden
In the evenings, this antique Moroccan chandelier disperses light in interesting patterns across the walls.
Photo: Alex Hayden
Photo: Alex Hayden
On the reclaimed Brazilian cherrywood floorboards lie richly patterned rugs from Indonesia.
Photo: Alex Hayden
Photo: Alex Hayden
From the BainUltra tub, the bather can enjoy a view of the expansive Brazilian teak deck.
Photo: Alex Hayden
Photo: Alex Hayden
An African textile hanging keeps the look of the bathroom eclectic and offers privacy in the shower.
Photo: Alex Hayden
Photo: Alex Hayden
When the wooden slatted blinds are open, natural light floods the space; antique shutters open to reveal a gas fireplace.
Photo: Alex Hayden
Photo: Alex Hayden
JUST FIVE YEARS PASSED since they launched their small Seattle design studio, MusaDesign,
but sibling interior designers Julia Sandetskaya and Polina Zaika are doing a crisp business. When a rare spare moment arises for personal projects, they focus where it yields the greatest rewards: the bathroom.
“My sister and I begin every project with the senses, by determining what feeling a healthy space should evoke,” Sandetskaya says, “and to me, a bathroom design should be very sensual. We have always felt Eastern cultures express sensuality much more clearly than others. I’m not sure why, exactly— perhaps the passions of religion or the warmer weather.” The sisters from St. Petersburg, Russia, transformed Sandetskaya’s master bathroom into a suite of languorous exoticism and wellness, reminiscent of traditional spas in the balmier latitudes of North Africa and the Middle East. Radiant in exotic jewel-toned hues of blue and green, and counterpointed with warm dusky browns, the space opens to a hillside prospect over Lake Washington and the misty fringe of the Cascade mountain range.
“Polina and I grew up with One Thousand and One Nights as one of our favorite stories,” recalls Sandetskaya. “I wanted to evoke that feeling again—of traveling to an exotic place. I’m fascinated with Moroccan culture.” Her goal was to keep the bathroom uncomplicated, warming
the room with a few simple tactile elements. “I admire the way nomadic cultures can transform an interior, in a couple of hours, with exquisite textiles and a few basic items that travel with them everywhere they go.”
The bathroom suite encloses two bathing areas at opposite ends of the room, whose walls are clad in hand-troweled clay the color of moondust. At one end, in a private, eddy-like nook, tiny glass tiles in a saturated range of sky-blue turquoise and sea green encrust surfaces surrounding a deep, oversized BainUltra soaking tub, equipped with pulsing air jets that soothe away stress. Chinese antique wooden shutters conceal an adjacent gas fireplace, and dappled light from the orb-shaped chandelier above the tub heightens the effect of an equatorial tide pool, creating a flickering constellation of watery facets.
Tropically rustic but geometrically refined, a twinbasined vanity of coconut plywood is smooth and elegantly simple. It hovers over hidden plinth lights that spill across oil-rubbed floors of reclaimed Brazilian cherry with a ribboned pattern of dark, syrupy browns.
In the far corner of the suite, shadowy walls of smoked glass enclose the emerald-tiled shower, outfitted with peg-like, minimalist fixtures. A boldly patterned African textile drapes
from an antique Japanese kimono hanger suspended from the ceiling—a light-handed gesture towards privacy in the shower.
Sandetskaya was deliberate in her use of cool dark colors—a technique that often surprises her clients in the Pacific Northwest, where homeowners typically reach for saturated reds, oranges and yellows to balance the effects of inclement weather. “Some of my clients say, ‘Julia, I don’t know what’s happening. I’ve colored my space bright yellow, but it looks sad,’” Sandetskaya says. “In Seattle, our atmosphere has a lot of blue in it, so those reds and yellows become muddy. But blues and greens become brighter. To get that healthy energy, you need to use lighting and texture, and that’s why the wood and tile elements work so well here. We made certain the bathroom had a lot of daylight. In the mornings, you don’t have to turn on the overhead fixtures, even during a Seattle winter.”
Unlike other parts of the home, the bathroom, Sandetskaya believes, should ask nothing of you. “It’s there to serve—preparing for the day, bringing it to a close in the evening or just melting away aches and pains,” she says. “It’s the most private space in any home—you
have permission to leave your daily routine behind.”
----
but sibling interior designers Julia Sandetskaya and Polina Zaika are doing a crisp business. When a rare spare moment arises for personal projects, they focus where it yields the greatest rewards: the bathroom.
“My sister and I begin every project with the senses, by determining what feeling a healthy space should evoke,” Sandetskaya says, “and to me, a bathroom design should be very sensual. We have always felt Eastern cultures express sensuality much more clearly than others. I’m not sure why, exactly— perhaps the passions of religion or the warmer weather.” The sisters from St. Petersburg, Russia, transformed Sandetskaya’s master bathroom into a suite of languorous exoticism and wellness, reminiscent of traditional spas in the balmier latitudes of North Africa and the Middle East. Radiant in exotic jewel-toned hues of blue and green, and counterpointed with warm dusky browns, the space opens to a hillside prospect over Lake Washington and the misty fringe of the Cascade mountain range.
“Polina and I grew up with One Thousand and One Nights as one of our favorite stories,” recalls Sandetskaya. “I wanted to evoke that feeling again—of traveling to an exotic place. I’m fascinated with Moroccan culture.” Her goal was to keep the bathroom uncomplicated, warming
the room with a few simple tactile elements. “I admire the way nomadic cultures can transform an interior, in a couple of hours, with exquisite textiles and a few basic items that travel with them everywhere they go.”
The bathroom suite encloses two bathing areas at opposite ends of the room, whose walls are clad in hand-troweled clay the color of moondust. At one end, in a private, eddy-like nook, tiny glass tiles in a saturated range of sky-blue turquoise and sea green encrust surfaces surrounding a deep, oversized BainUltra soaking tub, equipped with pulsing air jets that soothe away stress. Chinese antique wooden shutters conceal an adjacent gas fireplace, and dappled light from the orb-shaped chandelier above the tub heightens the effect of an equatorial tide pool, creating a flickering constellation of watery facets.
“Polina and I grew up with One Thousand and One Nights as one of our favorite stories... I wanted to evoke that feeling again.”
Tropically rustic but geometrically refined, a twinbasined vanity of coconut plywood is smooth and elegantly simple. It hovers over hidden plinth lights that spill across oil-rubbed floors of reclaimed Brazilian cherry with a ribboned pattern of dark, syrupy browns.
In the far corner of the suite, shadowy walls of smoked glass enclose the emerald-tiled shower, outfitted with peg-like, minimalist fixtures. A boldly patterned African textile drapes
from an antique Japanese kimono hanger suspended from the ceiling—a light-handed gesture towards privacy in the shower.
Sandetskaya was deliberate in her use of cool dark colors—a technique that often surprises her clients in the Pacific Northwest, where homeowners typically reach for saturated reds, oranges and yellows to balance the effects of inclement weather. “Some of my clients say, ‘Julia, I don’t know what’s happening. I’ve colored my space bright yellow, but it looks sad,’” Sandetskaya says. “In Seattle, our atmosphere has a lot of blue in it, so those reds and yellows become muddy. But blues and greens become brighter. To get that healthy energy, you need to use lighting and texture, and that’s why the wood and tile elements work so well here. We made certain the bathroom had a lot of daylight. In the mornings, you don’t have to turn on the overhead fixtures, even during a Seattle winter.”
Unlike other parts of the home, the bathroom, Sandetskaya believes, should ask nothing of you. “It’s there to serve—preparing for the day, bringing it to a close in the evening or just melting away aches and pains,” she says. “It’s the most private space in any home—you
have permission to leave your daily routine behind.”
----
Bathroom Dos and Don’ts
DO... |
DON’T... |
| • Minimize accessories to avoid clutter. Beyond quality hardware, choose just a handful of simple items to create a space for wellness and tranquility—a candle, a wooden bench and a good book may be all you need. |
• Assume that white is your only option. Dark, saturated colors introduce soft shadows that make a small bathroom feel larger and soothingly intimate. |
| • Consider your climate before selecting a color scheme. In northern latitudes, blues, greens and grays are as nurturing as reds, yellows and purples in southern climates. |
• Be afraid of a wooden floor—it feels wonderful under your bare feet. Sandetskaya recommends protecting it with a natural hard-wax oil sealer. |
| • Use pattern and texture to add warmth. Unusual textiles and organic materials help avoid an institutional look and will make the bathroom a place you love to spend time in. |
• Hesitate to consult an interior designer. Paint can’t hide architectural shortcomings. Expertise can transform even the most dour room without the need for radical surgery. |
Get the Look
Here’s how to recreate the sensuous space featured in these pages.  |
FIXTURESSleek, minimal fixtures like the Axor Starck Showerhead and Handshower create atmosphere without distracting from it—delivering the soothing, hot-water goods while practically vanishing into thin air. Hansgrohe, hansgrohe-usa.com |
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TILESCreate the sensation of water even out of the tub and shower. Translucent glass tiles in ocean colors lower your shoulders into an immersive experience. Aquamarine (b-75, shower) and Emerald Blend (ub302m, tub surround). Hakatai, 701 Mistletoe Rd., Ashland, OR , 541-552-0855, hakatai.com |
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BATHTUBRubber duckies aren’t always the right company for slipping into a Mediterranean spa. The BainUltra Ellipse 7842 jet tub offers room for two bathers, a heated backrest and therapeutic options such as chromatherapy and sound therapy for striking just the right meditative balance. bainultra.com |
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WALL SURFACE MATERIALBuff away the hard edges of your bathroom retreat by coating your walls with luxurious looking natural earth plaster. Sandetskaya selected American Clay in Wild Horse Smoke. Ecohaus (formerly Environmental Home Center), 4121 1st Ave. S, Seattle, WA, 206-682-7332, ecohaus.com |
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TOILETToilets don’t have to be mundane: the Toto Neorest 600 features a heated seat, warm-air dryer and countless other functions fit for an Arabian king. Bonus: a lid that opens when you approach it, then flushes and closes automatically when you walk away. Chown, 12001 12th St. NE, Bellevue, WA, 1-800-574-4312, chown.com |
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SHUTTERSEmerging clean and refreshed doesn’t mean your bathroom has to be polished and antiseptic. Sandetskaya found that antique Chinese shutters, with their handsome patina, offered a wonderful solution for filtering the light of her fireplace—and an extra measure of intimacy. Dragon Traders, 5930 6th Ave. S, Seattle, WA, 206-763-4642 |
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