2020 Kitchen & Bath Contest, 3rd Place Bath, Southland Development Services

Eric Koehler, Southland Development Services

Eric Koehler, Owner of Southland Development Services was challenged to create privacy in the oversized shower of this large master bath. By creating wing walls along the entrance, he eliminated the need for full shower doors and created natural privacy by disrupting the lines of sight. “When a shower is this big you really don’t need shower glass,” Eric explains. Niches were also added to the backside of the walls to provide unseen storage. The large tub lit by the natural light of the skylight is the highlight of this design and a huge hit with the client. www.southlanddevelopmentservices.com 

Bathroom Details:

• Tub: MTI
• Fixtures: Kohler
• Tile: Tile Shop

Tips to Make it Yours:

• Spend the money on a quality tub, especially if it will get high usage
• Large showers don’t require doors for privacy
• Use natural light to your advantage

Uncut Q&A

1) What is your official title and do you have any special design qualifications?

Owner Southland Development Services

2) How long have you been designing kitchens and baths?

15 years

3) What was the most challenging part of this design?

The huge shower, we struggled with privacy which we fixed by adding the small wing walls at the entrance and putting the niches on the back side.  This solved the privacy issue and gave them a great place to store stuff without it being seen.

4) What were the client’s needs for this kitchen and in the end their favorite feature(s) of this design?

Their needs were a nice big shower and tub.  At the end I think the tub ended up being their favorite.  They use it everyday and the way it was highlighted with natural light from a skylight above really helped making it stand out.

5) What is your general design philosophy when it comes to kitchens/bathrooms?

Give the clients what they want without sacrificing appearance.

6) Did you have a special look, feeling, or feature in mind when crafting this space or what was your inspiration?

Just wanted something inviting and relaxing.

7) What is a common mistake homeowners make when redesigning their kitchen/bath?

Try to cut corners on the fixtures they select.