Light and air now take pride of place in what was a dark 1970’s bathroom, thanks to a well-planned renovation in the Brisbane suburb of Camp Hill.
“The homeowners are thrilled with the result,” said Front Porch Properties founder Rachael Turner, who designed the timeless, modern bathroom and managed the build. “The original bathroom was dark, full of mould and had a small shower. The owners requested two basins and were really surprised when I managed to find the space!”
The original bathroom was completely demolished, including the plumbing for the vanity, which was moved to the opposite side of the bathroom. “When you walk into the room you’re looking at the mirror. Mirrors reflect light and create a larger sense of space, so that was the main reason that I wanted to change it,” said Rachael.
A nib wall in the shower also allows sunlight to stream in from the window, while floor to ceiling subway tiles brighten the pared back, neutral bathroom. “I think the tiles add an element of luxury. Even if you go for more affordable tiles, like we did in this bathroom, going all the way to the ceiling makes a big impact as far as the quality and level of finish. It’s also practical because tiles reduce mould.”
The renovation took four weeks to complete including a custom vanity, which Rachael always suggests homeowners splurge on. “I don’t like it when you have awkward spaces either side of the vanity because they can be difficult to clean. A custom vanity also creates a more seamless look.”
But the overhaul wasn’t without its complications. Experts were called in to remove asbestos before work could commence and the glazier had a case of slippery fingers. “This bathroom is memorable for me because the glazier smashed the shower screen three times while trying to get it in and around the stairs. That was pretty disastrous because to get custom glass takes about five-to-seven days,” said Rachael.
As for tips for would-be renovators, Rachael says clever tile choice can save you hundreds. “The main wall that you look at when you first walk in, that’s where I spend money in terms of tiles. Spend say $100 a square metre on tiles on that wall and on the other three walls you can go down to $20-to-$30 a square metre because it’s not the wall you look at when you first walk in.”
In the shower, Rachael recommends hiding inbuilt storage shelves because “generally it’s going to look messy with soap and shampoo bottles,” and always put the mixer on a different wall to the shower head. “Avoid putting it directly under the shower head, so you don’t get wet turning the shower on. I usually put the mixer on the opposite wall,” said Rachael.
Rachael Turner is the founder of Front Porch Properties and can be contacted here.
2 replies on “Real Reno: Light, bright and classic bathroom”
From a design point and only the pics I can see I would not of placed the area were you place you shampoo etc ( its makes no difference were the shower head is placed it will get wet) so low, its not a good idea, as it will not dry out, it should of been higher not just to let light get to it but also if you have small children they do have a habit of wanting to open things, and taste them. Apart from that it looks fine but not a fan of the push down plugs , they look great but when they get stuck they get stuck and they are very hard to clean around
Looks lovely. Where is the pendant light from, and how far from the sink is it? Also, what IP rating is it? Love that pendant! Thanks