Object of Desire: Fine Furniture for the Bath

For years we’ve been watching approvingly as living- and dining room-style furniture makes its way into the kitchen. Now, it also seems to be migrating into the bath as an antidote to the clinical look. This refined, sideboard-esque vanity is the work of Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon of London design studio Pinch. The two created the sink unit for their own place and liked it so much they made it the debut piece for their first bathroom collection.

Inspiration, Oona and Russell tell us, came from a multitude of sources: “There are reflections of American Shaker and Scandinavian Modernism, as well as a subtle Britishness influenced by the proportions and rigor of Georgian architecture, the warmth of Arts & Crafts design, and the simple beauty of the landscape.” If price were no object, would you like to perform your daily ablutions here?

Photography by James Merrell, courtesy of Pinch.

Above: The Jargo Vanity is made of American black walnut and has a Calcatta marble counter and an anti-fog mirror with recessed lighting. Pinch specializes in artisanal furniture, cabinetry, and lighting—the other pieces here, including the Goddard armchair, and Pace I rug, are part of the studio’s repertoire.

Russell and Oona designed the vanity for a loft-like extension off their Victorian house, and say its form was intended “to act as a bridge between the old and the new,” and to “make the vanity space in the room feel like a living space, one with character and flair rather than cold and hard—effectively a hideaway.”

We’ve been admiring the firm’s work since 2009. Here are some past posts:

• Just-Right Beds: Three Modern Heirloom Designs by Pinch of London
• Pinch Design: Almost Bespoke Armoires
• Pinch Furniture Design in London