Tag: integriti bathrooms

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House Tours Jen's reno Kitchens

The big kitchen reveal

Impressive Ultra in classic oak beige in my own kitchen

Photography by Jacqui Turk

I am so excited to finally share my new kitchen with you today! Seeing these beautiful pictures makes the last two months of mess and chaos seem more than worth while!

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home and in this house, it really is. Not just because everyone hangs out in this room, but because it really is in the middle of our home. And the light here is the best in the house. It used to drive me nuts that people gravitated towards this room because of the light when it was unrenovated, as we had much nicer spaces to entertain in like the living room! Now I am no longer embarrassed of my kitchen, I am happy for people to congregate in here and admire it whenever they want!

Black barn door hardware from Bunnings
Bar stools from GlobeWest

This really is my dream kitchen. I’m going to blog about some of the finer details separately, but today’s post is just the first overview of what we chose, what we did and why. In terms of layout, this has not changed drastically, but we did get rid of the back door (see before pix at the end of this post) to allow the cabinetry to go right to the end of the kitchen. We were also able to move our fridge freezer into the kitchen (it’s the little things, right?!) because previously there was nowhere to fit it and it lived in the dining room!

The starting point for this room was the cabinetry from Freedom Kitchens. I always knew I wanted white shaker style doors so when I found out this was possible using their new, more affordable flatpack option, the Essential range, I was thrilled. I saw flatpack as an opportunity to make great savings, which would allow me to still have the other things I dreamed of like stone benchtops.

My good friend, TV interior designer James Treble, sketched me out a rough layout I loved over dinner one night and we were off! I then worked with Freedom Kitchens design consultant Nina Hughes to turn that sketch into a detailed plan, taking into consideration the flatpack options available. This in-home service is included for everyone buying from their flatpack range, as well as a site check to make sure nothing has slipped through the net, before your cabinets are made. This really made me feel confident. I think buying a kitchen off the shelf with no professional advice or checks would have made me worry myself sick!

The next thing I chose were the handles. Anyone who knows me or has been to my home knows I just love a brass accent! I was always going to have gold handles and I sourced these from Kethy (available through The Block Shop) after seeing similar in Julia and Sasha’s beautiful Block kitchen. It was a winning combo from the start. I didn’t look at another handle so this proved to be one of the easiest decisions!

Then benchtops: through my job, I know Caesarstone by reputation and I loved their designs. I had three samples on high rotation but I finally went for the most subtle, Noble Grey, for a few reasons. I liked the contrast of the grey with the white cabinetry, and while the Calacatta marble-look designs have been hugely popular recently, I wanted something a little different. Then I saw blogger Briar Stanley from Sunday Collector use Noble Grey in her amazing kitchen and that sealed the deal.

Of course, then I needed to decide on a complementary splashback. I absolutely love tiles but trying to choose some left me paralysed by indecision! There were just too many amazing choices. I could have opted for subways, and I am a fan, but again, I wanted something a little different. So I decide to carry the Caesarstone up the splash as well; a decision I have not regretted for one second! The splash behind the cooktop is really quite deep so it makes a real feature. When the light through the opposite window hits it, it really shows off the veins in it. I also think the streamlined look it has created has allowed me to add my other, more bling touches, without it feeling cluttered or over the top.

Speaking of bling, the gold tap is from Meir and I am so in love with it! Taps really are like jewellery in a kitchen. You can’t miss them so you might as well make a statement! Their new Tiger Bronze colour was released at just the right time a few months ago and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to get my hands on it! Would a gold sink as well prove too much? I must admit, I did really worry about my decision, but in the end, it all came together beautifully. And nobody can believe that sink came from Bunnings!

Of course, a kitchen can (and should!) look beautiful but it needs to function too! Having room for a fridge freezer was a great start! But I needed to think long and hard about the appliances, which I chose from Italian brand Ilve. I was really excited to get an integrated dishwasher from an aesthetic perspective but this one works brilliantly and even has a light inside, plus one which shines onto the floor so you know it’s on (being that it’s hidden behind a cabinet door). I just love how it seamlessly blends into the kitchen.

Choosing an oven was a lot harder than anticipated and something I’ve never done before. I eventually decided on a 90cm electric oven and having that extra space is already proving a Godsend when entertaining. I can’t wait to give it a really good workout on Christmas Day.

Then of course you have to match that with a 90cm cooktop even though I’m not sure I’ll ever use all six burners at the same time! We first wanted gas but had a delay finding out if we could get connected, which led us to opt for induction. I’m so glad we went this route because I bloody love it! I cannot believe how quick it is to heat up, it’s a dream to clean and, importantly, it’s safe, which when you have an adventurous climbing toddler around is one less thing to worry about. I’m also thrilled with our hidden rangehood which allows me to have an uninterrupted row of overhead cupboards.

So, we had the bones of a great kitchen, but there were two other things I needed to achieve: replacing the dated sliding door to the laundry, with a modern take on a barn door and black hardware was the first. I wanted the door to have VJ panelling so we did this by cutting Easycraft panels (I’m in love with this product) to size and fixing them to the front of a very cheap, plain door. We then decided what the hell, why not panel the entire wall and wow, wasn’t that the best call? This wall has become a real feature of the kitchen. We also did the back of our breakfast bar in the same paneling and colour.

Art by the Print Emporium

Secondly, I wanted to tie in the dining area, which adjoins the kitchen and previously had a cork floor, much better. I did this by adding VJ wainscoting to this room and painting it in the same grey (the panelling is in Haymes Paint Chinchilla Fur and the walls are Haymes Paint Greyology 4). It has made a huge difference. Of course, having the same floor helped massively too.

The icing on the cake of all this was our new Quickstep Impressive Ultra laminate floor (more on that next week) which we have also laid in the living room, hallway and my home office. Once that went down, we were finally finished!

A few other things I’m really glad we did and are worth a mention were:

  • adding bulkheads for a more finished, streamlined look (and no dust or clutter accumulating on top of the overhead cupboards)
  • putting a power socket in the back of the pantry so I could hide the Nespresso machine and toaster away in there
  • making sure there was a space for the microwave under the breakfast bar out of sight, so it didn’t have to use precious benchtop space
  • making one of the five powerpoints (you can never have too many) a USB one (we use this every day to charge a phone or laptop and it has proven really handy)
  • opting for a pullout double bin under the sink so there’s no ugly bin on show or in the way (I obviously need to get out more but I really love this!).

I could rave about my new kitchen all day but I’ll focus on some other aspects in future blog posts.

Overall, I am thrilled with kitchen and that it is finished before Christmas! I’m just waiting on my blinds (Romans) and looking for the perfect new kettle! A huge thank you to our friends at Integriti Bathrooms who helped project manage this reno.

Now, we could finish this without taking a look back at the before photos!

What do you think of the transformation? If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.

Want more? Take the VIDEO TOUR with Jen.

Listen to my husband Damian interview me about our kitchen reno in this podcast!

More kitchen and bathroom inspo.

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House Tours Jen's reno RENO ADDICT

Reno realities: Jen’s kitchen update

In partnership with Latitude Financial Services

So, my kitchen reno started on September 27. And it still isn’t finished! Unusual? Not really! From my own and others’ experience, these things are never as speedy as you anticipate. Four weeks from start to finish? Pah! I never really believed it! Add to that the fact we had to stop for almost a week last week to have new floors go in (was hoping it would have already been finished but hey ho!), and here we are, with an 85% finished kitchen.

I’m not going to share any new photos here because I figure we might as well wait for the full reveal now! You can see all the progress I’ve shared on my Instagram and the hashtag #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno

I’ve been lucky enough to have my friends at Integriti Bathrooms and their site supervisor (legend!) Steve coordinating all my trades. And there are a lot of trades involved, especially when you opt for a flatpack kitchen (for budget reasons). You need someone to demolish and take away the old one (or hire a skip), to organise someone to both assemble it (okay, it’s possible to DIY but Damian and I don’t rate our skills and patience in that department) and install, as well as a plumber, electrician and plasterer at an absolute minimum. We also got rid of a back door which required a carpenter, and added bulkheads, which required another visit from the plasterers. Then there’s always a wait for your stone (Caesarstone) to be cut by the stonemason although ours was ready in under a week, which is amazing!

Then unexpected things will pop up to throw you: fitting our concealed rangehood and venting it through the roof was a tricky job and we needed a different tradie for this.

We always planned to have a sliding barn-style door to our laundry but finding the right size door took a while, then we decided to do that whole wall in VJ panelling (door and all) and oh my goodness, it looks great! So this required more carpenters. And then I got a bit excited about VJ and decided to do wainscoting in the adjoining dining room. None of it is painted yet so ignore the off-white look!

So, was it worth doing a flatpack kitchen with the added hassle and time of organising trades myself (with help, thankfully)? A RESOUNDING YES. I couldn’t be happier with my cabinetry from Freedom Kitchen’s Essential Range. Every trade who has been in here (and my goodness there have been loads lately!) has been surprised (pleasantly) that it wasn’t a custom job and said the quality is as good as any more expensive kitchens they’ve worked with. And that’s good to hear from people who know their kitchens, but I was already very happy with what I could see with my own eyes. And I’ve been able to “pimp” my flatpack with my choice of stone, hardware, appliances etc. I’m delighted to be honest! Just want the damn thing finished!

Check out this video of me with Jess Aloi from Latitude Financial Services, discussing ways to get the luxe look for less in your kitchen reno:

Make your reno dreams come true with some help from our partners at Latitude Financial Services.

***

OUR KITCHEN SUPPLIERS

  • Project management and trades: Integriti Bathrooms
  • Cabinetry: Freedom Kitchens
  • Benchtop and splashback: Caesarstone
  • Appliances: Ilve
  • Tapware: Meir
  • Sink and black barn door hardware: Bunnings
  • Floor: Quickstep
  • Paint: Haymes
  • Hardware: Kethy
  • Blinds (DIY Online Blinds)
  • VJ paneling: Easycraft

I’ll give you all the finer details in the full reveal post. My painters are due today so we should be done very soon!

 

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Bathrooms Expert Tips

Introducing the new Interiors Addict podcast!

We’ve been wanting to launch a podcast for some time and today we’re delighted to share our very first episode! I’m so pleased with the content of this first one, where I interview James Treble from Ten’s The Living Room and Andrew Stenos, managing director of Sydney’s Integriti Bathrooms. You’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about renovating bathrooms: what’s involved, how much it costs, why it costs that much, how to do a cosmetic upgrade on a budget, the biggest trends and more.

The idea behind the podcast series is for me to sit down and have a relaxed chat with the many personalities and experts we’ve been working with for years, giving you access to their amazing knowledge on a variety of topics which interiors addicts will love and learn from.

I renovated my first bathroom (with Integriti Bathrooms, which is how I know they know their stuff!) last year and it was a massive learning curve and eye opener. And while the actual reno process isn’t always fun (it’s long, noisy, dusty and expensive) I can’t tell you just how worth it it is when you have your brand new bathroom at the end. Those of you who have created your dream bathroom will agree, I’m sure!

Photo: Jacqui Turk

James Treble is well qualified to comment on bathrooms too. His backgrounds in both design and real estate mean he knows what works practically, what looks good and what adds value to a home. He’s also a regular visitor to European trade fairs where he brings back knowledge on the latest trends in furniture, bathrooms and tiles to share with an Australian audience. Plus, he likes a chat!

I really hope you enjoy the podcast and would love to know who you’d like me to have a chat with next and on what topics! Feel free to comment below. Please like and share the podcast too!

This episode is around half an hour. Why not listen on your way to or from work?

Find it free in the iTunes Store.

Or play it via SoundCloud below:

For more on Integriti Bathrooms |  For more on James Treble

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Interiors Addict

Inspired use of cobalt blue and toilet seats in office reno!

When Sydney reno specialists Integriti Bathrooms (they did my bathroom recently) moved into new offices in Willoughby, they had great 1920s bones but were in a shocking state of repair. Enter interior designer Lynne Bradley, who helped bring the design-loving boss’s vision to life.

“It was near to derelict when they took over the lease so it was a huge effort to evolve it into the light, airy and functional space that it is today,” she says. “When I first viewed the office, the team at Integriti had already taken care of most of the structural details, so I had the pleasure of coming up with functionality and of course, the aesthetics. I felt that it was paramount that from the front door to the top floor, the brand was loud and clear, communicating who they were to customers and suppliers.”

She quickly decided to make a feature of the the cobalt blue from the company logo as a signature colour that would unify each space in varying ways and add energy. “In addition to this, adding texture was extremely important. Rather than hanging a sign in the entrance, I was keen to play on inference by suggesting a collage of toilet seats, of course with the signature blue as a teaser. It’s a fun talking point, with no doubt as to the nature of the business.” She’s even recommended that this feature wall be changed seasonally, from toilet seats to taps to tiles to basins!

Integriti Bathrooms managing director Andrew Stenos, admits: “When Lynne approached me with her ideas, I initially thought the bright blue would be way too bold and the toilet seats, just bad taste. Through some convincing and time to think, I was converted, but I can’t lie, even during the process I questioned it for a moment. Once it was all brought together and styled, I fell in love.”

Moving from the entrance to the top floor, we just love how the staircase has been punctuated with one blue post which sits comfortably amongst a black and white palette. “By adding a charcoal dado line on one wall on the top floor hallway, a sense of flow between each room is created,” explains Lynne. “The client meeting room was in great need of storage, so I looked to the existing architectural features of the building to create patterned and textured cabinetry. The recessed panels on the cupboard doors give interest and depth to this small room and the soft grey colour and bespoke brass hardware (from Made Measure) add a touch of glamour.” Rather than including the signature blue through paint here, Lynne instead ordered a stunning coloured cow hide (from Art Hide) to soften the room and inject much needed energy, trimmed to fit perfectly.

It was really important to Andrew to get this workspace right. “My vision was for a light-filled, designer look; bright, welcoming and a place where a team would be happy to work and feel like they’re at home. Some of my inspiration was drawn from beautiful spots I’ve been to in Sydney and seen in design mags, with a special reference to P.Johnson Tailors’ Paddington showroom. We’ve renovated some of their spaces and I was in complete love with the design and interior style of their shops.

The perfect place for staff to relax

“As we didn’t have a huge budget, we decided to keep the scheme simple, black and white. The black windows and whitewashed floors were expensive but so worth it. This left us with a good canvas to start with but it lacked life and felt a little sterile. We wanted it to feel clean, sleek, vibrant and young, as our culture is very much driven by being extremely understanding and cool guys. I wanted it to be the furthest thing from a normal, boring office and wanted our team to not like where they work but absolutely love it!”

In the staff boardroom, the cobalt blue was injected through a custom coloured glass ‘white board’. “Creating a flat lay through the centre of the boardroom table added much needed visual stimulation and texture that can be changed depending on products and samples that need to be discussed,” says Lynne.

The open plan office area features a classic fireplace that has gone from bland to high impact through the introduction of beautiful ceramic tiles (Di Lorenzo), blue paint, mirrors and much needed styling. “This is now the centrepiece for this space and is another talking point for visitors to the office.”

Lastly, the team wanted a ‘fall out’ area to relax and meet in. The generous proportions of the comfortable sofa, patterned rug (west elm), coffee tables, cocktail equipment, replica Castiglioni Arco lamp and artworks (also by Lynne!) complete the room.

“Never be afraid of using bold colour and creating humour,” Lynne says. “Also, reference the architectural features of your space to create unity. I believe that a building asks for its response!”

Andrew added: “As we are a boutique bathroom builder, it was so important for us to be able to seperate ourselves and make us look unique and individual. As we value design so highly, it was a must that design was the focus and that is why we employed Lynne. Her time was a great investment and I truly think we have the best office of any bathroom builder in Sydney.”

We think he might just be right.

Find out more about Integriti Bathrooms | Find out more about Lynne Bradley Interiors.

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Bathrooms RENO ADDICT

20 things I learned from my first bathroom reno

I recently shared the pictures of our beautiful finished bathroom and WC with you. And while we’re delighted with it, you know I like to keep things real, and we all know that renos are rarely smooth-running and stress-free! So while there were some hiccups behind the scenes, I thought sharing what we learned from these might be useful information for anyone about to embark on their first reno too. So, read on for my top learnings from the experience, warts and all!

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  • There is SO MUCH involved in a bathroom reno. From the amount of decisions to make (starting with who will do the work and ending with things like grout colour and whether or not you want a robe hook!). It is totally overwhelming. And by their very nature, bathrooms are pretty permanent so you want to get it right. Don’t rush anything!
  • The more planning you can do the better (see above!) to help you finalise your style, the practicalities and your fixtures and fittings. Plan, plan and plan some more to minimise the chances of things going wrong. Use Pinterest, rip things you like out of magazines, make lists, whatever works for you. The more you get down on paper, the better. Make sure you look carefully at any 3D renders or builders’ drawings you’re provided with where you can see it all come together in a more finalised way. Don’t be afraid to ask for changes (and more changes) to get what you want.
  • Get everything in writing. Make sure you have a contract, a scope of work, a cost, your builder’s licence details, every decision/change you make, all in black and white. This not only saves confusion but covers you if something goes wrong. Likewise, at the end, make sure you get the all-important waterproofing certificate and a certificate of completion (your statutory guarantee period starts from the date of this).
  • No matter how much you love interiors, you need expert advice with a bathroom. Listen to your trades, engage an interior designer (or be lucky enough to have them as friends!) and be open to their advice because they know what they’re talking about. I’m an interiors blogger, not an interior designer, and I know it, so I was always asking for a second opinion from someone who really knew their stuff.
  • Don’t choose fixtures and fittings online without seeing them in real life. We nearly did this with taps. When we saw them in the store, we changed our mind. If you’re getting a bath tub, actually get in it at a showroom to make sure it is big/comfortable enough. Things like the angle to lie back and read against are important!
  • Not all trades are created equally. Make sure you get three quotes (I think we got five!). Ask your friends for recommendations, use online services like HiPages and make sure you check licences. The company we went with were extremely professional in terms of the paperwork and managing our expectations which was important to us. Likewise, when you see a plumber spend hours making the plumbing fit in your tiny WC vanity you will have a new found respect for what they do. Seriously, it’s a work of art in there!
  • If, like us, you haven’t done a reno before and you don’t know any trades, it is a great idea to find a company who can manage the entire job for you. We wouldn’t have known where to start and I’m sure I would have had a nervous breakdown had we not gone down this route.
  • Try not to be too trend-driven. While there’s always something new and exciting out there, remember bathrooms are with you for years! I looked at so many great tiles, but when I kept coming back to to the white subway tile and marble penny round combo I’ve loved for years, I knew there was a reason for that. And I’m not sure I wouldn’t use the same tiles in my next bathroom too! The same goes for furniture; if you love something for years, you won’t regret investing in it.
  • Renos rarely finish on time. We were quoted four or five weeks and ours took eight. And even then there were a few outstanding things. Everyone (and their wife!) will say things to you like “Four weeks?! Really?!” and “We did in ours in three days and did it all ourselves,” and “But why does it take so long?!” and it wears really, really thin! Every reno is different but what they all involve, if done properly, is a lot of different tradespeople and processes, some of which need literally days of time (like waterproofing). Add to this the fact that everyone else’s jobs are also running over time and you’ll find the chances of your plumber, waterproofer and tiler all lining up perfectly are seriously unlikely, no matter how good the planning or project management.
  • You may well have to move out. We did, for four weeks, then lived through the last four weeks with a half-finished bathroom and WC. Be realistic about this from the outset. Can you live with your in-laws? Can you afford to rent an AirBnB? Even if you have a second bathroom, if you have small children, is it practical and safe for you to continue to live in your home during the reno (I work from home so the answer is no, definitely not during the noisy bit!).
  • You need to consider your neighbours. Renos are really noisy, messy things. There’s no getting around it. But you can’t never renovate because you’re worried about annoying the neighbours. It’s just one of those things. What you can do is make sure you, and your trades, are as considerate as possible. We put a note through every mailbox in our apartment building informing people when the renos were starting, when they were expected to end and a contact number to call if they had any concerns. You then need to make sure your trades (and there will likely be contractors involved so you might want to leave this information printed out in your home) know any building rules, where they can and can’t park, etc, etc.
  • In addition to the above, if you live in a strata building, like us, you will likely need to get a bylaw before you can commence work. Effectively, this means asking permission from the owners’ corporation. It is really just a piece of paper, but you have to have it. If you don’t, you could get in a lot of trouble, especially if, for example, your trades damage common property or, for example, there’s a leak into the apartment below you. You’ll need a strata lawyer and it costs around $1,000. Make sure you leave enough time for this to go through strata; I’d advise at least two months before you intend to start work.
  • Bathrooms renos are not pretty in the between stages, they’re actually quite brutal! As a total neat freak, I hated looking at our bathroom during demolition stage. Stripped back to bare brick, you soon realise there’s no going back and think: “God, I hope these guys know how to put it all back together again!”
  • Make sure what you ordered for your bathroom is actually delivered. Open boxes, check, check and check again. We learned this the hard way. Our bath arrived without a waste, we ordered one of our taps wrong and we didn’t realise our rain shower wouldn’t come with an arm to attach it to the ceiling. These were all small mistakes which led to delays. They all add up.
  • Think practically, not just about what will look nice. I wish, for example, we had not centred our bathroom basin. This would have given a large space to one side for hair straightener, hand soap etc, rather then two smaller benchtop spaces either side.

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  •  Make sure you consider the basin/vanity relationship. We slipped up twice here. Firstly, we left it to the last minute (because we were busy with other things and it seemed like it was a simple job) to source our WC basin and it proved to be pretty stressful because hardly any basins were small enough to fit it! We love the extra storage we have in the WC vanity (12 toilet rolls and counting, Toilet Duck and air freshener, compared to no storage at all before!) but finding the right basin? A nightmare! The one we got in the end is beautiful but let’s just say I wasn’t planning on having a $700 tiny basin in a room which is pretty much just a toilet! And did I mention we ordered the wrong tap so it wasn’t tall enough? Gah! Amateurs! When it came to the main bathroom vanity (also custom timber from Ingrain Designs), when it came to installing the original countertop basin it would have meant cutting so big a hole out of the top it would have damaged the integrity of this beautiful (and expensive) piece of furniture. Was it worth the risk? No way! So off we went (last minute again) to source a more suitable basin. Sigh.

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  • There are some things you just can’t plan until the very end, like exactly where to put your towel hook. But that’s okay!
  • Sometimes you have to compromise on your dream bathroom as a sensible financial decision for the longer term. In our case, we knew we planned to sell our apartment in the next year, so I couldn’t have the brass tapware I wanted. I love our bathroom, don’t get me wrong, but I would have made some less safe choices if this was our forever home. And I don’t regret it. Bathrooms are expensive things and if they’re going to help you sell your home for the best price, you have to be smart about it.
  • Styling will make all the difference. A plant, great towels (a new bathroom demands brand new towels!), fancy soap (even my husband invested in new American Crew body wash, shampoo and conditioner!) and the odd brass crab (in my case) are the things which finish it all off nicely; the icing on the cake!
  • Communication is everything. With your trades, or whoever is managing your project. The fact that I could pick up the phone and speak to one really helpful and articulate person, kept me sane and calm (ok, most of the time!). It’s also smart, and just good life advice, to be friendly and respectful to your trades.
  • It will all be worth it in the end. Even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time!

I know I’ll feel a lot more confident going into our next bathroom reno thanks to taking on board all the learnings from this experience.

–Our bathroom and WC were renovated by Integriti Bathrooms. Their MD, Andrew Stenos, regularly shares his bathroom advice on our sister site Reno Addict. You can see the finished rooms here.

Categories
Bathrooms House Tours RENO ADDICT

Interiors Addict bathroom reno: the big reveal!

Photography by Jacqui Turk

Today, I’m finally sharing the ‘after’ photos of our bathroom and WC reno. For those of you who have been following on Instagram, I’m sorry it has taken a while! Of course, the reno took more like eight weeks than four, but as I have learnt, there will always be something to cause a delay! In fact, I have learnt so much from my first reno that I’ll be sharing a series of posts about this but today is all about sharing some beautiful photos of our bathroom and WC, which we are delighted with!

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There was never any doubt in my mind that I wanted white subway tiles and marble pennyrounds in our new bathroom (more on the WC next door later). While I dabbled with other combos (and there were so many to tempt me!), I found I kept coming back to this. Then it was a choice between the beveled subway or the more organic, perfectly imperfect kind. As you can see, we went for the beveled and I’m so in love with the texture they provide. A large tub was also a non-negotiable, being a Pom and a seven-baths-a-week kinda girl.

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Our apartment bathroom isn’t huge, as you can see, and there wasn’t really a better layout than the one we started with. The ‘beautiful’ beige original bathroom didn’t have much going for it but the layout was a good use of space. This also saved us moving any plumbing, which kept costs down. Keeping a largely white colour scheme and introducing a frameless shower, all gave a sense of space and improved flow to the room.

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You can have too much white though, so I knew feature tiles would be important. To create the niche where we could put my much-loved pennyrounds, we had to build across what was an alcove in the shower, losing a little depth from the shower cubicle, but it was absolutely worth it! Using these expensive tiles in small areas like the niche and behind the basin, is a great way to create a more high end and interesting look without spending a fortune (let’s face it, labour is expensive enough and you need a lot of different trades for a bathroom!).

Speaking of trades, I am so happy I chose to go with one company to project manage the entire job and coordinate all the trades. I think I would have had a nervous breakdown without Integriti Bathrooms. Not only did they look after all the logistics, it was brilliant to have one point of contact to discuss any concerns or changes with.

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Another way we broke up the white was with the stunning custom-made timber vanities from Ingrain Designs in Melbourne. I discovered these guys from their work on previous series of The Block. Everybody who has seen the striking grain on these pieces has been just wowed. Not only does the bathroom vanity have super useful soft-close drawers, the shaving cabinet above is an exercise in simplicity meets quality. When you open it, it’s timber inside too. No plastic in sight. Such understated luxury! I’m so delighted to have something made by hand by a small (growing!) business in Melbourne from Australian Marri timber. Because it’s floating, it gives the illusion of more floor space. It also means we can store a basket of Seb’s bath toys under there (when we aren’t having photoshoots!).

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Although we could have, I am a big believer in not squashing a freestanding bath tub into a too-small space. I think it looks silly plus, think of trying to clean behind it! I’m really happy with how this inset bath from Kohler turned out. I deliberately chose an oval bath to soften all the hard angles in the room and to give a bit of a a look of a freestanding one. What do you think? It is so deep and long (1700mm) and comfortable to relax in with the perfect incline for lying back and reading a magazine.

Now when it came to taps, I can’t say this is my dream tapware but it’s high quality and won’t date quickly. We made this choice with resale in the not too distant future in mind. If I had my way we’d be talking brass, no question! But sometimes a girl’s got to be practical. The bathroom basin was a last minute change, picked up from Bunnings for a mere $149! I’m really happy with it.

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While the bathroom was deliberately simple, allowing the vanities to shine, I didn’t want to lose the decorative cornice we have throughout the apartment, which had to be removed when we built the wall across for the shower niche. Integriti Bathrooms tracked down a place in Melbourne with the moulds to make new cornice for the entire room, which matches perfectly. I really love these little details. To make the cornice pop, I was brave with my choice of a rather dark charcoal, Dulux Tea House, for the paint.

We kept the WC next door separate rather than knocking them through because when you only have one bathroom, it’s a practical choice! At least someone can use the toilet while someone else is having a bath, for example! We wanted to keep the look and feel the same so we used the same floor, wall and feature tiles and commissioned a tiny custom vanity, again from Ingrain. The fact that this had to be a cupboard with a door rather than drawers because of a lack of depth, just meant we ended up with one beautiful piece of timber which is the star of the show. Finding a basin to fit this tiny vanity however was a serious struggle. In the end we went with a very small, very expensive Gabicci one from Candana, but it really is a beauty!

If I had my time again, I’d put a lot more thought into the basins, their size in relation to the vanities and the positioning of the taps. The mirror was deliberately round to soften all the hard angles, and I really love it. It’s just a touch different and modern.

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The tiny vanity fits an amazing amount inside, including 12 toilet rolls! Magic as we had zero storage before!

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To finish it all off, the white plantation shutters were a must. I’m not sure there’s really any other option for bathroom window coverings in my opinion! I did consider leaving the sash windows ‘undressed’ being that they’re lovely features but, in contrast to the perfect finished rooms, they suddenly looked a bit old and sorry for themselves after years of repainting, not always very well!

Despite being a seventies apartment, our place doesn’t look like one and has a lot of lovely classic details like French doors, sash windows and moulding on all the doors and built-ins. This was another reason a super modern bathroom wouldn’t have worked here, not that that’s really our style anyway. I think we have achieved (if I don’t say so myself) the perfect timeless balance.

So, there we have it! I hope you like our reno! If you have any questions or comments, please drop them below. As I said, this will be the first of several posts about the bathroom and what we learned from the process.

SUPPLIER DETAILS

Labour and project management: Integriti Bathrooms

Tiles: Di Lorenzo Tiles

Bath, rain shower, tapware, towel rails: Kohler

Hand shower: Methven Aio Aurajet from Reece

Vanities: Ingrain Designs

Plantation shutters: DIY Online Blinds

Bathroom basin: Bunnings

WC basin: Candana Bathroom Ware

WC mirror: Life Interiors

Exhaust fan: IXL

Accessories: Brass crabs from Mr Pinchy & Co, candle by Gascoigne & King, tree stump stool from Two Girls and a Container, body wash and hand soap from Bondi Wash.

Categories
Bathrooms Expert Tips

What happens AFTER a bathroom renovation?

By Andrew Stenos

The day is finally here. After weeks of dust, strange people in your house (who probably aren’t all that strange anymore) and showering on your balcony (true story), your bathroom renovation is finally completed. But is that the end of this project and process?

At Integriti Bathrooms, we generally believe that this stage of the project is one of the most crucial to customer satisfaction. So here are some special steps to ensure that your newly renovated bathroom is everything you have ever wanted.

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Take a walk through with your renovator
Most bathroom renovators love what they do, and want to show off their handiwork to the people we create it for, the client. So take a bit of a walk through with your renovator, ask as many questions as you like (how am I going to keep the grout clean? Are there any products I shouldn’t use on my new copper tub?) and check that every final detail is as you wanted it.

Stage the bathroom
Put in all your towels, your favourite shampoo and a gorgeous candle and look at the whole thing done and dusted, not just your new tiles or new shower head. Does that cheap body wash look totally out of place in your new luxury hotel bathroom? Use this as an opportunity to spoil yourself and buy something fitting for that new shower recess.

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Photos
Once your bathroom is staged, either take some photos yourself or maybe your bathroom renovator will want to come over and take some photos for their website. This is a great chance to show off the amazing new piece of your home, share how much you loved the renovators and the new tile you imported from Mexico. The reality is this is the best your bathroom will probably ever look, so take advantage of this opportunity!

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Live with it and take notes
In the heat of the renovation and the joy of having a new space, it’s easy to miss little things like a chipped tile, or you suddenly realise that the mirror is totally off. It’s okay if these things happen, but don’t let it ruin your whole renovation experience. If it’s a small fault on the part of the renovator, 90% of the time they will be happy to come out and sort it out for you. If it’s a fitting that you decide simply isn’t right, get it fixed quickly so you can enjoy that new bathroom feeling as long as possible.

–Andrew Stenos is managing director of Sydney’s Integriti Bathrooms. If you are looking to upgrade your bathroom or simply redesign the space you have, Integriti Bathrooms want to help! Get in touch via the website and one of the team will be out to provide you with a completely obligation-free consultation.

All photography of Integriti Bathrooms projects.

Categories
Bathrooms

Four of the biggest bathroom trends right now

By Andrew Stenos

Trends in bathroom design tend to come and go, much like clothing, fashion or hairstyles. When renovating your bathroom, it is always best to be focussed on creating your dream bathroom, not necessarily working with the hottest bathroom trend in the marketplace.

Having said that, the top bathroom trends for 2016 can have timeless appeal if you follow good design principles as you go. Today, we are talking about some of our favourite bathroom trends and showcasing some amazing pictures to go along with it, hopefully to inspire your next renovation!

Concrete and Textures

As we showcased at Interiors Addict’s recent #BathroomAddict event, you don’t have to be conventional with your tile choice. Go big, bold and beautiful instead. This creates warmth and depth in an otherwise sterile room and can create a feature in a room that sometimes can lack personality. The amazing concrete tile we used in our Lindfield bathroom makeover creates such a rich, gritty texture, keeping the bathroom modern and edgy, while still being completely functional and practical.

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Hotel Styling

This is one trend that isn’t going to dissipate fast. Hotel-style bathrooms can be identified by their luxe appearance, using the finest of finishings, effortlessly combining textures and colours to create a warm and rich room, still modern and clean. Inspired by your favourite deluxe hotel, whether it is The Belaggio or 1 Hotel Central Park, New York, or in the case of this Bondi bathroom makeover, The Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. Pick and choose the best features from these bathrooms, whether it is the vanity, tile colour or the black trim, and make it your own — in the space you have.

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Totally Decadent Bath Tubs

Large tubs have been on trend for bathrooms for some time now. Gone are the days of the shower-over-bathtub in a new renovation, and instead we are seeing bath tubs getting bigger and better than ever, becoming a total feature in a room. However be practical and consider the floor space you have. Will it overwhelm the space and would your family use a shower more? The bathroom is one of the most utilised spaces in your home.

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Patterned Tiles

Whether it is a Moroccan style makeover, using a patterned Turkish tile, or whether it is using tiles to create patterns like chevron and herringbone, pattern is one of the biggest design trends in a bathroom right now. It is also an excellent judge of renovator – patterned tiles, particularly geometric patterns, are difficult to do, so if your renovator is working with this kind of pattern, you know they are worth their salt.

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At the base of it all, any bathroom renovation is about creating your dream bathroom for you – whether it uses some of these trends, or none of them. It’s about making sure that your home is somewhere you want to come home to. 

–Andrew Stenos is managing director of Integriti Bathrooms, who can project manage your entire bathroom for you. Integriti are currently renovating Jen’s bathroom and powder room. Look out for the reveal on the blog in October!

All photos shown are of Integriti Bathrooms projects.