Bathroom as photo lab

Sunset, Oct, 1988

A little-used sauna and an old bathroom took on new roles when interior designer Anita Spivak remodeled them. Her husband, AI, a serious amateur photographer, needed a darkroom. She noticed that, with the doors closed (and the heat off), the sauna turned into a pitch black space, ideal for his color enlarger.

Since Mr Spivak needed a broad space for color-processing equipment, the adjacent bath area doubles as a part-time photo lab. A 20- by 48-inch swing-up counter mounted to the room's side wall provides a sturdy space for the equipment. (It is also handy for sorting laundry.) Commercial-grade vinyl wallpaper protects against chemical spills.