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Bathrooms RENO ADDICT The Block

Bathroom styles 2018: which is for me, how do I get it?

When it comes to bathroom renovations, many shy away from their dream and instead opt for safer, more subdued options due to being overwhelmed by choice.

But is playing it safe really the right renovating attitude? According to renovating duo and winners of The Block 2014, Simon and Shannon Vos, a conservative approach rarely pays off and can lead to “renovation remorse”.

“Bathrooms provide an opportunity to inject a fun dash of architecture into the home that is hard to achieve on the same level elsewhere,” says Simon. 

The first (and undoubtedly the hardest) step is to figure out your style. To help you navigate the Pinterest minefield of trends and tiles, Simon and Shannon shared with us their top four bathroom trends for winter 2018!

1. Traditional

“Dark to light colour palettes always work well within this style,” says Shannon.

The Beaumont Tiles ambassadors suggest picking a deep-toned timber look tile for the floor, paired with a clean, light-toned Carrara marble mosaic walls to draw the eye upwards while adding a touch of theatre to the overall project. Incorporating hints of brushed metallics through tapware and other fixtures is a fantastic way to add complexity to the space. For those who are daring, add a chandelier or oversized pendant light for a serious bathroom statement!

2. Coastal

“Opt for a light grain timber-look tile then couple with a monsoon shower for some wow factor that looks and sounds like rain,” says Simon. He suggests clean tapware in either silver or matt black, and don’t forget to include indoor plants and seascape artworks to bring the outdoors in. “To complete your coastal bathroom, add textural layers with raw cotton bathmats, fluffy cotton towels and natural fibre baskets,” adds Simon.

3. Modern

Clean monochromatic lines with hints of colour, is the best way to nail the modern-look bathroom. A large format tile with either a lot of movement or bold vein features is always a strong starting point. To create playful balance, Simon suggests installing a 3D tiled feature wall to draw the eyes upwards and out.

4. Scandinavian

“Keep styling modest by selecting a central feature in your area such as a freestanding bath tub, then add colour and layers to frame its focal point,” says Shannon. “Geometric tiles in either white, black or marble look-a-like are always a spot-on choice for Scandi bathrooms. Though for those who are daring, contrast the geometric tile with a fun coloured grout like blue, or forest green. Or opt for a strong metallic mosaic.”

Discover your perfect style by heading over to Beaumont Tiles and taking the “What’s my style” questionnaire

Photo credits: Reece

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Travel

An unforgettable safari in the Dubai desert

dubai getaway

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This Bloggerati Getaway is proudly sponsored by Dubai Tourism

You can’t go to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, New York without seeing The Empire State, London without seeing Buckingham Palace or Dubai without going on a desert safari, as I was lucky enough to this week. A luxury desert safari, no less. Without a doubt, this was one special experience and the highlight of our trip so far.

Photo thanks to Be A Fun Mum. Click for details.
Photo thanks to Be A Fun Mum. Click for details.

I must admit I was a little anxious, understandably, at the idea of dune bashing while pregnant, but the lovely people at Platinum Heritage agreed to take me in a slow car which would take it very easy over any bumpy bits, and they did. I was so grateful for this as I would have hated to have missed out on such a great afternoon and evening. It started with donning headscarves, then into our vintage Land Rovers (they really look the part!) for a drive around the dunes. It truly was spectacular to be out in the middle of nowhere and what seemed like nothing but sand, sky and setting sun as far as the eye could see. It was so surreal and peaceful. We even saw a gazelle! I had to keep pinching myself.

Me sitting up front. Photo thanks to Melbourne Girl. Click for details
Me sitting up front. Photo thanks to Melbourne Girl. Click for details

We stopped for a falconry display where we sat on floor cushions, drank sparking apple juice and watched the sun go down and the moon rise. Again, you have to keep asking yourself is this for real?!

Photo thanks to Learn with Play at Home. Click for details.
Photo thanks to Learn with Play at Home. Click for details.

But it wasn’t over there. We continued, after dark, to a traditional Bedouin style camp lit with torches, for dinner and camel rides. We were welcomed with a sprinkling of rose water on our hands to wash them, and aromatic Arabic coffee. I avoided the camels. They have always freaked me out. Shudder. But the others sure had fun and the photo opportunities were great!

Photo thanks to Be a Fun Mum. Click for details.
Photo thanks to Be a Fun Mum. Click for details.

We dined on all kinds of traditional food on cushions inside tents, starting with lentil soup and bread, which we had watched being made, followed by an array of entrees which would have been sufficient on their own, then all sorts of meat, curries, rice and vegetables, including a traditional camel meat dish (no, I don’t want to eat camels either, so declined!). Later, I managed to squeeze in one deep fried doughnut dipped in date syrup. Delicious!

Trying to look the part, lippie and all...
Trying to look the part, lippie and all…

There was plenty of entertainment too: henna tattoos, shisha pipes to smoke (off limits for pregnant ladies too!) and traditional dancing. It was just lovely and all we could keep saying was “how amazing is this?” And then it was back in our Land Rovers in the pitch black, then onto our coach. It’s only about 45 minutes drive from Dubai city to the desert.

This was definitely a very Dubai experience and one I will remember for many years to come. Feeling very grateful indeed!

–Being pregnant overseas makes me more aware than ever of the need to take out proper travel insurance. I also brought with me a letter from my obstetrician saying I was safe to fly as this can often be an issue with airlines. Thanks to Bupa for providing my travel insurance for this trip (make sure you are covered for obstetrics care if you’re pregnant and traveling and ask as many questions as you feel you need to) and check your airline’s rules on how many weeks pregnant you can be to fly. It is usually different if you are carrying more than one baby. Get a free worldwide adaptor kit when you get your travel insurance through Bupa before December 31 2014 using this link or by calling 1300 555 240. Conditions apply.

dubai getaway

dubai tourism platinum heritage shangri-la hotel bloggerati australia 1001 events