A bathroom can be one of the hardest rooms to renovate. Jordan Vaughn, Principal Designer at Alayna Louise Interiors, effortlessly combined artistic vision, creative flair, and MAIDSTONE | DXV products.
Learn how Vaughn achieved this beautiful bathroom transformation with luxe materials and an eye for an updated, yet traditional, style perfect for a historic home.
Luxury Bathroom Transformation
“For me, great bathrooms should feel like small retreats within the home,” Vaughn said. “They’re spaces where you begin and end your day, so they deserve the same level of attention and beauty as the rest of the house. My goal was to create a room that feels uplifting, serene, and quietly luxurious.”
That she did. The bathroom is a study in serenity and peace with wall-to-wall shades of green and an interplay of fabrics and textures. This is the type of space made to begin or end the day on the right note.
“This project was part of a partial renovation. The goal was to transform the space into something that felt timeless and deeply personal while honoring the architecture of the home. Rather than creating a bathroom that felt purely functional, we approached it almost like a small jewel box—layered with texture, color, and moments of discovery,” Vaughn said.
The end result is nothing short of lovely. But any project has its share of unexpected issues. Designing a space can be challenging. Bathrooms, especially, with so many considerations and organizational needs, can prove tough.
“Our biggest concern was ensuring the room felt luxurious and immersive without becoming overly ornate or visually heavy,” Vaughn said. “Bathrooms can easily become sterile, but they can also tip into excess if every element competes for attention. The challenge was balancing pattern, color, and architectural detail so the room feels layered yet calm.”
Choosing the Bathroom’s Focal Point
A luxury bathroom design needs the right focal point. For Vaughn, it was always the freestanding bathtub.
“The freestanding tub was always intended to be the focal point,” Vaughn said. “The room’s architecture, with its tall windows and symmetrical layout, naturally framed that moment, so the design evolved around highlighting that view. We wanted the tub to feel sculptural but still integrated into the palette of the room rather than appearing as an isolated object.”
Tasked with describing the bathroom’s aesthetic in one word, Vaughn said, “Romantic.”
With so many baths to choose from, homing in on a particular material, let alone style, is a task unto itself. But it didn’t take Vaughn long to determine the best material for the renovation.
“We considered several materials,” Vaughn shared, “but cast iron ultimately felt the most appropriate for the character of the home. It has a permanence and weight that feels authentic to historic interiors.”
When it came to style, one cast-iron bath stood out from the rest, thanks to its striking lines and graceful curves.
“The Calden tub has beautiful proportions and a quiet elegance — it feels substantial without being overly decorative, which allowed the surrounding color and architecture to shine.”
While white baths remain top sellers, Vaughn’s bathroom renovation highlights the beautiful impact a well-chosen custom bath paint color (an additional service offered by Maidstone | DXV) can make.
“Yes, the custom tub color was always part of the vision,” Vaughn said. “I love the way color can soften a space and create a sense of warmth and personality. Painting the tub allowed it to feel integrated into the room’s palette rather than starkly contrasting with it.”
Design Trade-Offs
Sometimes a design project veers in a different direction than expected. Other times, something gets in the way of achieving the original design. Luckily, Vaughn’s project skipped past any potential roadblocks. The hardest part to navigate in this design was knowing when to rein it in.
“The biggest trade-offs were about restraint,” Vaughn said. “When you’re working with pattern, color, textiles, and architectural millwork, there’s always the temptation to add just one more layer. Editing the design so each element could breathe was an important part of the process.”
Breathing room is evident in Vaughn’s many projects. So, too, is her way with color. Vaughn’s choices lean toward familiar, soothing tones — colors that invite rest and relaxation. It’s a fitting choice for a bathroom renovation.
“I tend to gravitate toward layered, nature-inspired palettes: soft greens, pale blues, warm ivories, and subtle tonal variations within those families,” Vaughn shared. “These colors feel calming and timeless, and they tend to age beautifully within historic architecture.”
That timeless aspect carries over into her choice of finishes. Vaughn prioritizes classic, historic-friendly finishes over flash-in-the-pan trends. She understands the importance of choosing finishes with staying power.
“Natural materials and classic finishes tend to age the most gracefully. Marble, cast iron, unlacquered metals, and painted millwork develop character over time rather than feeling dated,” Vaughn said.
Creating Cohesive Interiors
Vaughn worked in softer elements, often in similar hues, such as patterned café curtains and window shades, a fluffy vanity seat, and a soft rug. What could have been competing elements were woven together into one cohesive design. How did she do it?
“Cohesion comes from repetition and restraint,” Vaughn said. “Even though there are multiple patterns and textures, they all share a similar color story and scale. When everything speaks the same visual language, the room feels layered rather than chaotic.”
To minimize the risk of feeling crowded or outdated, Vaughn ignored current trends. The room needed a design that would stay beautiful now and in the years ahead.
“We intentionally avoided anything that felt overly trend-driven. The goal was to create a bathroom that would feel just as beautiful twenty years from now as it does today. Instead of focusing on trends, we leaned into classic architectural elements and materials,” Vaughn said.
Careful planning and consideration for the space as it is and what it can be help ensure a successful design outcome. For Vaughn, it’s starting with the basics and building up from there.
“Proportion, quality materials, and thoughtful color choices go a long way,” Vaughn said. “When the bones of a room are strong, and the materials are timeless, the space tends to evolve gracefully rather than feeling tied to a particular moment.”
That’s where MAIDSTONE | DXV enters the room. Timeless, traditional forms and high-quality materials form the backbone of the Classic Collection.
MAIDSTONE | DXV Portfolio of Products
“Working with MAIDSTONE | DXV allowed us to bring a level of craftsmanship and quality to the project that aligned with the vision for the space. Their products strike a wonderful balance between traditional design and modern performance, which made them a natural fit for this bathroom,” Vaughn said.
See how MAIDSTONE | DXV can transform any space into something memorable. Classic, Golden Era, or Contemporary, these collections offer a simple starting point to inspire, delight, and transform any bathroom with pure luxury.
