Design/Build professionals are always finding fresh ways to use American Hardwoods. Why not in the Bath? The experts tell us that when “properly installed and sealed against moisture, wood can give a bathroom a warmer, more textured look and feel.” Here’s a sampling of what industry consultant, Wendy Silverstein, and her network of interior designers, architects and other field professionals have come up with!

• “The master bath in a Charleston, SC, farmhouse by Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes features hardwood on the walls and floor: white-painted poplar shiplap for the former, ebonized oak planks for the latter. The wide-plank ebonized-oak floor contrasts perfectly with the crisply tailored white walls, while a Carrara marble shower enclosure and a feature wall of highly figured local granite add a sophisticated note.” cameroncustombuilder.com
• “As part of the renovation of a 19th-century house in Bridgeport, CT, Crisp Architects encased the tub in the master bath in cherry paneling with a hand-brushed clear stain—a wood and finish that the designers use for custom cabinetry throughout the house. The calm and restrained space is kept from being too monastic by brightly striped Roman window shades and an abundance of natural light.” www.crisparchitects.com
• “Christian Rice Architects have brought a golden glow to this largely monochromatic bathroom in Coronado, CA, by giving it two entire walls of custom-stained white-oak cabinetry flanking a large vanity-island with doors in the same mellow wood. The amber-toned millwork—which is used throughout the bright and modern house—makes it as warm and inviting as the sunlit garden it overlooks.” christianrice.com

Wendy Silverstein, a consultant to the design industry and a former editor at Architectural Digest, Home, Kitchen & Bath Customer Planner, and Home/Style magazine, is a regular content contributor to the American Hardwood Information Center. Visit www.HardwoodInfo.com for more of her work.