Ski House Renovation
A WOODED SPACE IN THE MOUNTAINS 1990s Ski House Remodel - Stowe, Vermont
When husband and wife Kristina and Terry Itameri- Kinter, architectural designer and engineer, respectively, teamed up to redesign and renovate the outdated “Ski House” bathroom in their 1990s home, they chose a Geberit in-wall system.
The Challenge
The “Ski Capital of the East”, Stowe, Vermont has long been known for winter recreation and is home to the famous Stowe Mountain, Mount Mansfield, and Spruce Peak resorts. “Ski House” homes traditionally have very steep roofs that go past the exterior walls, enabling rain and snow to fall off easily.
Built on a hillside, Kristina and Terry Itameri-Kinter’s home had limited exterior space to expand. From the loft, the master en suite overlooks the great room with wood-burning stove and includes an outdated, 5 foot x 8 foot bathroom. The bathroom had a conventional tank-type toilet, outdated fiberglass tub and shower, and baseboard heating. The Itameri-Kinters wanted to open up the existing space as much as possible and bring in the look and feel of natural wood, a popular finish in this type of home.
The Solution
Kristina is originally from Europe, where Geberit in-wall systems are widely used. She is familiar with in-wall systems for bidets as well as toilets. As an architectural designer and salesperson at Close to Home, a decorative plumbing and hardware showroom in Burlington, Vermont, she specifies Geberit products in many of her clients’ projects.
“We wanted space savings, modern design, and ease of cleaning, all crucial factors in going with the Geberit in-wall system in our own home,” Kristina says. “Our bathroom is very small, and we needed to make the best use of space available. We removed the baseboard heating and replaced it with electric floor heat and replaced the swing door with a sliding barn door. We created several perspective drawings and came up with a tile size 48” x 12” and a pattern that would enhance the feeling of space in our small bathroom.”
The ceramic wall tile pattern flows from the floor to the shower walls to create an image of depth and space in the bathroom. Stikwood® caramelized light brown bamboo tile modified by the Itameri-Kinters complements the ceramic tile and creates a wide-open, “woodsy” feel.
“Since enlarging the bath was not an option, the challenge was to get as much usable space as possible and make the dated bathroom feel bigger than its small size. Even if space saving was not an issue, I would have chosen Geberit in-wall systems for design and cleaning reasons.” – Kristina Itameri-Kinter
The white Aquia wall-hung toilet and Washlet-bidet seat by TOTO® nicely match the white oval corner sink and wall-hung vanity by Laufen® . A Geberit Sigma20 dual-flush actuator plate in black with polished chrome accents and the Adorne® black push switches and electrical outlets with chrome trim provide a sharp contrast to the bright white fixtures.
The Itameri-Kinters’ home is located outside Stowe Village, with well water and a septic system. The Geberit in-wall system features built-in dual-flush technology to help prevent the use of excess wastewater, one of the main causes of septic system failure. By using less water per flush, the Geberit system helps maintain a healthy septic system and helps the environment.
The Geberit in-wall toilet system allowed Kristina and Terry the flexibility they needed to bring their stunning space-saving design to life. The system helped them reclaim usable space and achieve their water and wastewater objectives. The decorative flush actuator plate attached to the wall is the only visible component of the system and provides maintenance access to all working parts.
The Itameri-Kinters will enjoy the convenience and water savings of their spacious, accessible, contemporary bathroom for years to come.
Design, Architecture, and Photography: Kristina and Terry Itameri-Kinter