Using the stunning views of Downtown Atlanta, architect and designer Vykintas Genys used HanStone Quartz to bring his client’s vision to life. “This breathtaking penthouse features ultra-modern design elements, inspired by my European upbringing,” said Genys. “Throughout, the home is adorned in cool tones, from the crisp white floor tiles, to the HanStone Quartz countertops in the kitchen and bath. During the renovation, many walls were removed to create a more open floor plan. A see-through wall was placed between the bed and master bath to expand the view of the gorgeous Atlanta skyline to all areas of the room. For the master bath, I designed a custom vanity using HanStone Quartz, placing the material on a solid glass cube to create a beautiful illusion.” 

In the kitchen, HanStone’s Royale Blanc and Aramis were used, while Aramis was also used in the bathroom. Genys used three slabs of the Royale Blanc and one slab of the Aramis for the project. The client of the project, Todd White, founder of Lexmark Carpet, let Genys be extremely creative with the project. “When I design space I usually create a feeling I would like to share and then I visualize colors and textures that would support that feeling and I stick to that. Material selection depends on the project,” said Genys. “Some clients have a conservative budget or design requirements that limit how far you can go creatively, but the Todd White penthouse project was a complete joy and allowed me real freedom of expression. And I learned that when I select material, people are more exited to know why or how it was selected, so a story to support the choice adds a lot to deepen the connection and experience of the space.

“Another important thing to mention, I think, is the sustainability of the material,” Genys went onto say. “I’m leaning toward manmade products for their longevity and reduced maintenance. We still use some natural materials because they are beautiful and often irreplaceable, but they need extra care to look fresh and a lot of remodeling projects happen because clients don’t want to deal with the maintenance or the outdated look.”

The project itself wasn’t an easy one, even with Genys experience in remodel design, several problems crept up during the remodel. “We are a remodeling contractor and have done hundreds of bathrooms in the past,” said Genys. “These experiences have led us to a different way of thinking when we design bathrooms. Our client for this penthouse remodeling project wanted the modern/contemporary look. I consulted with a few designers that suggested moving the bathroom wall toward the bedroom to make the master bathroom more open. When I started to model the space however, it became apparent that this idea made the master bedroom feel small. To resolve the issue, I chose to use a see-through decorative block wall between the bathroom and the master bedroom. This created a clean, elegant and sophisticated design that would complement the master bedroom.”

The vanity plumbing was kept in its original place, which lived on an open wall space that served as a big canvas for Genys to be creative. “I spent three weeks looking for the perfect tile for the vanity wall,” the designer said. “I thought that it would look great if I did a basket weave on the vanity wall, but had a hard time finding the perfect color. I visited many tile shops and almost gave up on my idea. I told my client that I needed another week to look for tile and luckily, I was able to find it. It was not the color I wanted or the size I wanted, but it was made of stone so we applied color enhancing sealer and then we stacked two tiles without the spacer next to each other to get the desired size.”

The project was an extremely custom experience for Genys especially since the client let them continue in the creative, custom experience direction. “I like floating sinks and thought that this look is what will make the basket weave wall look like an art piece,” said Genys. “Not to stick just to esthetics but to add functionality, I designed storage drawer cabinets under the vanity counter. It created a shelf for towels and drawers under for the things that we don’t want to exhibit. It was important that the whole piece would fit right with the wall color, so we selected HanStone Quartz for the countertop. They had the selection of colors that fit our design needs.

“Toward the shower and away from the vanity bathroom is an opening to the outside through floor to the ceiling windows,” Genys went onto say. “This bathroom is on the 47th-floor level with the view of Atlanta Midtown, Downtown, and new Mercedes arena. It was easy to imagine a freestanding tub on the under-lit platform and encased in glass double shower with the sauna on the side. The sauna raised some challenges. Sauna rooms are typically enclosed in wood walls to reduce heat loss. It took us a couple tries to select the right heater to heat up space for our client to enjoy a quality sauna. We had several showings of finished work to realtors, designers, and product suppliers and they unanimously impressed by the looks. We have never shared bathroom space with a bedroom in the past and I’m very happy and pleased that this unorthodox approach has pleased our client and visitors.”