Modernising a Family Bathroom

The Client's Story

We all know two things about bathrooms in family homes — they are the place in the house that generally gets the most traffic, and they are very often the first room to show signs of ageing or to get out of step with renovations that have been done elsewhere.

This barn style home in the heart of the Adelaide Hills oozes rural charm and character and while most of the house is warm and welcoming and meets the family’s needs, the bathroom is the one exception.

We faced some challenges. The L-shaped bathroom, which is used by the whole family was in a state of disrepair. It was also dark and gloomy largely due to the dark slate on both the floor and the walls, which made the room seem smaller and cramped.

The existing shower had been leaking for many years, and so the internal brick wall had become soaked and needed to be thoroughly dried out before the project could continue. The original brickwork had not been laid with any consistency but the home was in need for a much more contemporary-styled bathroom.

The walls therefore needed to be rendered smooth and flat for the laying of the new tiles on the walls and in the shower — it required some effort, but the final effect certainly justifies it.

After

The clients wanted a functional, bright and open bathroom which the whole family could enjoy. Their goal was a modern bathroom that meets the family’s needs, but which also retained and reflected the somewhat quirky nature of the rest of the property.

Overall, the bathroom was to become in tune with the feel of the rest of the home, and importantly a place in which they could relax.

This bathroom is not only now more complementary to the look and feel of the rest of the property, but the hand-crafted tiles have turned the bathroom into a feature in its own right.

In addition, the new shower alcove, freestanding bath and floating vanity are functional contemporary features that nevertheless help to reflect the character of this room and the house in general.