An Oceanport Primary Bathroom Features Classic Accents

Traditional materials and antique accents contribute to the timeless design

“Even though the house is on the water, I didn’t want the style to be coastal,” designer and homeowner Ginny Padula says. “I wanted a more European, vintage aesthetic.” Padula purchased the full-length mirror shown at right in the photo at an antiques shop in Red Bank.

When Ginny Padula was designing the primary bathroom for the new home she and her husband, builder Louis Padula, were planning in Oceanport, New Jersey, she knew exactly what the aesthetic would be: classic and timeless like the antiques she collects.

Padula, principal and senior designer at Town & Country Design Studio in Red Bank, describes the interior design style throughout her home. “It’s really traditional with many European accents. I have a lot of vintage furniture, accessories and art. That’s the look I envisioned in this bathroom as well.”

The designer began with traditional stone on the floor and in the shower. “It’s White Cherokee honed marble with deep gray veining,” she notes. The rectangular floor tile is laid in a sophisticated herringbone pattern, whereas the shower is swathed in large pieces of stone. “I knew I wanted slab materials in the shower,” Padula says. “It’s an updated way to use a classic material.”

His-and-hers custom vanities contribute to the traditional look, with richly toned wood, refined hardware and graceful legs. “I like when vanities look like furniture, so I designed them specifically for this space,” she says.

Padula designed the vanities to look like furniture.

The vanities are situated on opposite walls, providing the Padulas with separated washing up and storage spaces. The matching pieces also create a pleasing symmetry in the room, showcasing the elegantly curved freestanding bathtub beneath a window overlooking the Shrewsbury River. “I wanted to take advantage of the water view,” Padula explains.

The room is swathed in a deep charcoal color that commands attention without overshadowing the room’s furnishings. “I opted for dramatic walls to accent the dark veining in the floor.”
Dramatic, yes, but this primary bathroom also offers tranquility and peace for the designer and her husband. Padula says, “It’s a calm space to begin and end the day.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was published in the August/September 2024 issue of Design NJ under the headline “Steadfast Style.”
For more bathrooms in which this designer was involved, see “Finessing the Space” and “Bath With a View.”