Room of the Week: Casual, Coastal Chic for a Bathroom on a Budget
See how a designer injected a fresh, beachy vibe into a bathroom, while keeping costs and construction hassles down
Georgia Madden
6 February 2022
In a Q&A format, we talk to the designers – and examine the creative thinking – behind some of Houzz’s most loveable rooms.
Images and answers by Shanna Driussi, partner at Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations.
Who lives here: A family of three
Location: Skennars Head, NSW
Bathroom designer/ interior designer: Julian Driussi, partner at Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations
Room purpose: A home’s main family bathroom measuring around seven square metres
Approximate budget: $28,000
Who lives here: A family of three
Location: Skennars Head, NSW
Bathroom designer/ interior designer: Julian Driussi, partner at Northern Rivers Bathroom Renovations
Room purpose: A home’s main family bathroom measuring around seven square metres
Approximate budget: $28,000
The bathroom before works.
What didn’t the client like about the original bathroom?
It was dark, outdated and showing its age with broken fixtures and fittings.
Ready for a change? Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz to breathe new life into your bathing space
What didn’t the client like about the original bathroom?
It was dark, outdated and showing its age with broken fixtures and fittings.
Ready for a change? Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz to breathe new life into your bathing space
The bathroom before works.
Brief
Our client wanted to update their bathroom to fit in with the rest of their home, which has a contemporary coastal style. They wanted the bathroom to be light and airy, and to include a vanity with rattan doors.
The bathroom layout needed to stay the same, and the client also liked the idea of an open shower.
Brief
Our client wanted to update their bathroom to fit in with the rest of their home, which has a contemporary coastal style. They wanted the bathroom to be light and airy, and to include a vanity with rattan doors.
The bathroom layout needed to stay the same, and the client also liked the idea of an open shower.
The layout.
Starting point
Our client’s inspiration for this bathroom came from an image by a local homewares store, where a bathroom had been styled to promote some towels.
Another element of the starting point was rattan – they wanted a vanity with rattan doors. Everything else in the bathroom was chosen to complement this material.
Starting point
Our client’s inspiration for this bathroom came from an image by a local homewares store, where a bathroom had been styled to promote some towels.
Another element of the starting point was rattan – they wanted a vanity with rattan doors. Everything else in the bathroom was chosen to complement this material.
A niche was cleverly added to the shower wall beside the vanity to provide extra storage.
Key design aspects
Colour palette
Key design aspects
Colour palette
- Sage green, white and light, natural touches through rattan and timber.
- Rattan, brushed-copper tapware, Polytec Nordic Oak timber veneer, and YDL Stone Arctic White vanity top.
- Custom vanity by Solid Kitchens ’n‘ Cabinets.
- Fabriano freestanding acrylic bath tub from Eagles Plumbing.
- Fienza Reba vessel basin in Gloss White from Eagles Plumbing.
- ABI Interiors Elysian tapware, shower rose and hand-held shower.
- ADP 750-millimetre arched mirror from Eagles Plumbing.
Thinking behind the arrangement of fixtures
It was decided early in the design process to keep the fixtures in the same layout of the original bathroom plan as it was functional, made good use of space and meant minimal moving of plumbing.
It was decided early in the design process to keep the fixtures in the same layout of the original bathroom plan as it was functional, made good use of space and meant minimal moving of plumbing.
Challenges you worked around
As we kept the plumbed-in fixtures in the same place, this bathroom didn’t really present any challenges.
Browse more images of breathtaking Australian bathrooms on Houzz
As we kept the plumbed-in fixtures in the same place, this bathroom didn’t really present any challenges.
Browse more images of breathtaking Australian bathrooms on Houzz
Tell us about the beautiful green tiles
They are Slash double-fired ceramic subway tiles in Sage with a gloss finish by Imola Ceramica, supplied by Ballina Tiles.
Our client always loved blues and greens and the rest of their home includes lots of these tones. They decided to stay true to a colour they have never tired of. The green of the tiles complements the coastal feel they wanted to achieve.
They are Slash double-fired ceramic subway tiles in Sage with a gloss finish by Imola Ceramica, supplied by Ballina Tiles.
Our client always loved blues and greens and the rest of their home includes lots of these tones. They decided to stay true to a colour they have never tired of. The green of the tiles complements the coastal feel they wanted to achieve.
And the floor tiles?
Our client liked a terrazzo look and after consulting with us, it was recommended to choose a light terrazzo colour to keep the atmosphere fresh and airy.
These tiles fuse the look of traditional Italian terrazzo with the appearance of quartz stone, creating a more subtle stone effect. They are Florina Ceramics’ Snow porcelain tiles with a rectified edge from their
Quarrazzo range.
Our client liked a terrazzo look and after consulting with us, it was recommended to choose a light terrazzo colour to keep the atmosphere fresh and airy.
These tiles fuse the look of traditional Italian terrazzo with the appearance of quartz stone, creating a more subtle stone effect. They are Florina Ceramics’ Snow porcelain tiles with a rectified edge from their
Quarrazzo range.
We love the sweet palm-tree hooks – tell us about them
Our client fell in love with these palm-tree hooks online. They add a playful personal touch to the bathroom and complement its coastal style. And with their brushed copper-look finish, they suit the tapware.
Our client fell in love with these palm-tree hooks online. They add a playful personal touch to the bathroom and complement its coastal style. And with their brushed copper-look finish, they suit the tapware.
Why do you think this bathroom works?
It now has an airy and contemporary coastal atmosphere. The open shower area works well (there’s no glass to clean!). Plus, it’s easily useable by physically impaired people, should elderly family members visit.
A freestanding tub is always a delight in any bathroom and adds a luxurious edge to the bathroom’s relaxed, coastal vibe.
There’s also now space between the vanity area and bath, so it’s far easier to clean than the previous arrangement.
Your turn
Which ideas would you steal from this space? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on bathroom renovations? Check out this Room of the Week: A Terrazzo-Inspired Bathroom in Fremantle
It now has an airy and contemporary coastal atmosphere. The open shower area works well (there’s no glass to clean!). Plus, it’s easily useable by physically impaired people, should elderly family members visit.
A freestanding tub is always a delight in any bathroom and adds a luxurious edge to the bathroom’s relaxed, coastal vibe.
There’s also now space between the vanity area and bath, so it’s far easier to clean than the previous arrangement.
Your turn
Which ideas would you steal from this space? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on bathroom renovations? Check out this Room of the Week: A Terrazzo-Inspired Bathroom in Fremantle
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Plenty of room for the free-standing tub, not "squeezed in" at all.
Depth of field through a camera is different from what the human eye can see. The human eye can see 3 dimensional whereas a camera is only 2 dimensional (also depends on the type of lens attached to the camera and what settings are used). Therefore the distance of what you see in a photo between objects is not an exact replication of what you can see with the human eye.
As an example, there is enough space for a person to fit between the tub and vanity in this bathroom but looking at this image it doesn't appear that way.
Amazing bathroom. The colour is beautiful and that rattan is totally on trend at the moment. Down in Melbourne, it would be very difficult to do such a lovely job for under 30,000!!! Wish I could fly your builder down here.
Colours are very pleasing on sophistication, light airy style.