Jason Lai’s Bold Long Beach Contemporary
“Who can say that they’ve designed a freestanding tub and designed it around a client’s primary bathroom?” muses Jason Lai.
Clad in a sheer white shirt and cropped black trousers, the L.A.-based interior designer and Bravo’s “Best Room Wins” winner and Youtube star in Destination Restoration by KILZ primer is reclining in the deep rectangular basin of Millennium, a tub he conceived for an exclusive collaboration with Hydro Systems. (The design originated with a former business partner during his partnership at a previous firm, which has since been rebranded as JL Interiors). His head is nearly submerged as he raises his bare feet in the air, their angled position mirroring the rhythmic lines of the Millennium’s black geometric waves and wall-mounted LED fixtures just above. It’s a moment captured on Instagram for his 45,900 followers.
Millenium serves as the showpiece for the primary bath of his latest project, a waterfront contemporary house in Long Beach’s Spinnaker Bay owned by [Don Bui] and Victoria Lam who later went on to become one of Lai’s junior designers. Lai envisioned a “cozy, modern” space with a neutral palette of blacks, grays, and whites, allowing the serene water views to take center stage. A large pivot door wall of black steel and glass leads directly to the freestanding tub. The tub’s rectangular shape fits seamlessly into the bathroom’s elongated layout and helps draw the eye back toward the view as one enters the space. “It’s the focal point of the entire room,” he says.
Measuring 63 inches wide with a 75-gallon capacity, Millennium is one of the most visually striking and singular creations in Hydro Systems’ best-selling Metro Collection. Intersecting its surface are bold asymmetrical embellishments that can be customized in almost any color or material – classic marble, travertine, subway tile, or, in this project’s case, Hydro Systems’ proprietary solid surface material, HydroLuxe SS™, in a contrasting hue. As Lai describes, “The tub’s geometric and abstract design can be anything you want it to be. It’s like a piece of art that can be interpreted in numerous ways. The line around the tub is never the same; from every angle, you get a new perspective.“
Hydro Systems’ marketing director Ken Steinhardt calls the collaboration with Lai “instrumental” in showcasing the company’s customization capabilities with HydroLuxe. “We have virtually unlimited design creativity with it, and that’s to say nothing about its superior strength, non-porous qualities, and durability,” he adds. “Millennium lives up to its namesake as a nod to Chicago’s Millennium Park. It reflects cutting-edge, next-generation design.” The customization opportunities with Millennium make it especially appealing to designers, particularly for “design chameleons” like Lai who enjoy experimenting with different styles. “Some designers like to use chrome, black, or brass finishes,” says Lai. “You can customize the tub with those finishes.”
Lai had been waiting for the right project to incorporate Millennium ever since its launch in 2018. The opportunity arrived with Lam’s project a full two years later – a gut renovation that transformed her parents’ former home into a retreat that felt more in line with their casual lifestyle and modernist aesthetic. “The tub deserves to be in a large format so it can be highlighted,” he explains. “It was the first item we picked for the primary bath. My clients wanted a truly one-of-a-kind piece, unlike anything they’d seen before. They envisioned a tub that could comfortably accommodate two people.”
To give Millennium the full standout treatment, Lai tiled the walls and floors in large format Ann Saks porcelain for a seamless look. He finished off his design with a custom vanity that appears as if it’s floating in the air, further contributing to the almost buoyant atmosphere of the space. A mirror attached to the side of the wall can be moved vertically or horizontally to get the full picture of the bay view.
“My clients love it,” gushes Lai. “Their bed sits across from the tub and can be viewed via a glass wall separating the bedroom from the bathroom – so they see it every day. It’s essentially a work of art in their bedroom.”
Lai is excited about the possibility of designing another tub for Hydro Systems in the future – perhaps one that is more budget-friendly for a wider range of customers. “There’s something truly magical about bringing a design to life,” he says. And what would he want the next iteration of his Millennium tub to be? “Most of my projects feature a neutral palette with pops of color,” was the reply. “So I’d love to create a tub in a bold combination like black and moss green or sapphire blue. I want to explore how this tub would look in different settings and finishes. I’m still waiting for the right client to come along!”
Design: Jason Lai Interiors JL Interiors
Photo: Jennifer Esteban
