2025 Bathroom Design Award: Lauren Geremia

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When hired by a good friend of a great client to update their Japanese-inspired single-story ranch-style house that was built in 1962, designer Lauren Geremia knew she would say yes after seeing the garden. “The garden and the grounds were mature, with huge blossoming trees, feeling both naturally wild and thoughtfully designed,” Geremia recalls. “The warmer temperature of the microclimate made the pool tempting, but mostly it was the smell of the flowers that sealed the deal.” It was their shared love of the fauna and flora that would guide the overall design direction inside.

Solid cherry doors commissioned from Julian Hoeber via Jessica Silverman Gallery open onto the primary bath. The tub is clad in tile by Tempest Tileworks and surrounded by a patchwork grid of textured glass. Overhead light from Galerie Meubles et Lumières; cap stool by Sarah Burns from Marta. Photos by Laure Joilet.

Located 45 minutes outside of San Francisco, the home was designed by the original owners in collaboration with Jon Larson and Carolyn Van Lang of Oakland-based Jarvis Architecture. “Beyond the strong direction provided by the gardens and florals, the Japanese architecture served as a strong thread as well,” she says. “We wanted to fold some of the Japanese vernacular back into the interior, which is evident in the overall materiality, especially in the tile selections and millwork details.”

This intention was evident with the updated primary bathroom, which had a functional footprint but needed more thoughtful surfaces and fixtures. “The client was interested in both privacy and maximum visibility and connection to the garden,” she says. “We addressed these competing priorities by incorporating a patchwork of both clear and textured glass at the tub alcove. Clear glass was used to provide an unadulterated view of the gardens from prime bathing position, while textured glass was incorporated to provide some obscurity from the outside looking in.”

left: The primary bath’s custom millwork features a Calacatta Namibia marble countertop and inset panels of Lee Jofa horsehair. Sconces from Maison Gerard; custom runner from Armadillo & Co. The sink and shower fittings are by Sun Valley Bronze. Photos by Laure Joilet.

Geremia infused the space with a symphony of materials that reflected the home’s architectural details and surrounding grounds. Solid cherry double doors that were a custom commission by artist Julian Hoeber via Jessica Silverman Gallery, open to a textured glass view. Hand-painted tile from Tempest Tileworks dance around the tub while a horsehair inlay adds texture to the custom vanity. The room’s showstopping moment is a hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper in the water closet that Geremia customized to feature botanicals from the incredible gardens outside.

Custom de Gournay wallpaper features botanicals direct from the incredible gardens outside. Ceiling light by David Duncan. Hardware by Sun Valley Bronze, electrical details by Forbes & Lomax. Photos by Laure Joilet.

The result is a masterpiece of thoughtful design that feels more like a gallery than a primary bathroom. When asked how her client felt about the enchanting space, Geremia notes, “Our client takes a bath every day—tracking the changing seasons through the patchwork window bay.”