An elegant ensuite bathroom renovation

Looking at the end result, you'd never guess that Laura was a design debutante. Finished in warm, natural tones and featuring a stylish walk-through shower, curvaceous mosaic feature wall and luxurious stone bathtub, her unique, open-plan design takes full advantage of the stunning waterfront views from her Balgowlah home.

"I borrowed elements from lots of pictures, but everything basically revolved around the bath," she says. "I wanted to make that the centrepiece of the room."

With dreams of long, indulgent soaks as her inspiration, it didn't take long for this mother of two to whip up a masterpiece.

"I chose all the materials in one day," she says. "I've got baby twins and my time is very precious!"

Because Laura didn't want the ensuite bathroom to date, she chose low-maintenance ceramic tiles in a natural, stone-like finish. The tapware, custom-made vanity and neat, wall-hung toilet were all kept low-key so as not to detract from the open-plan simplicity.

With the PCs sorted, Laura's only remaining task was to find someone who could turn her ensuite bathroom vision into a reality. 

After doing a quick search on the internet, she came across Mark Annesley's Just Bathroom Renovations in Gladesville, Sydney. With an extensive gallery of work on his website, Laura could instantly see that Mark shared her style sensibility.

For Mark, it was a match made in heaven. "Laura fully understood what she wanted to do in terms of her ensuite bathroom design and the scope of the work needed," he says. "All I had to do was get it to the finish line."

Initially, Mark and Laura's biggest challenge was coming up with the ideal layout.

"Everything had to be set out so you could comfortably get to each fixture and not feel boxed in or crowded," says Laura. "I think we did the measurements about five times before we were satisfied it was going to work."

And then there was the small task of getting the 176kg bathtub up to the third floor!

"In the end, it had to be craned up to the balcony of the ensuite bathroom," says Mark, who relished his daily workouts lugging toilets and tiles up three flights of stairs.

Finally, to maintain the minimalist look, Laura did away with conventional ceiling or wall heating and opted for a modern, in-floor alternative. Consisting of a woven mat of wiring laid beneath the screed and tiles, this system can be set to a timer, as well as the desired temperature.

"In-floor heating was a great option here because it not only heated the whole ensuite bathroom but the shower recess as well," says Mark. "It helps keep the floor dry, avoids mould and is nice and comfortable to walk on in winter."

Mark Annesley 

Just Bathroom Renovations

What was the brief from the owner?

Laura fully understood what she wanted in terms of her ensuite bathroom design and the scope of the work needed. She outlined to me exactly how it was going to look, right down to the materials. All I had to do was organise the labour, put it all together and get it to the finish line.

What was the biggest challenge?

All the stairs! We had to go up about three flights and it was a very steep block, so all the labour involved in getting the materials up, as well as ourselves, was quite a challenge. In the end, the bathtub had to be lifted up by crane. 

What are the benefits of the in-floor heating in bathrooms?

It tends to override the need to have any other type of heating, like overhead heat lamps or strip heaters, on the walls. And it heats not only the whole ensuite bathroom but the shower recess as well. This helps keep the floor dry, avoids mould and is nice and comfortable to walk on in winter.

What advice would you give others wanting a similar look in their ensuite bathroom?

Because Laura's ensuite bathroom was so large, and had so much natural light coming in through the windows, the open-plan stone look worked very well. But if you were to try it in an average-sized bathroom with only one window, it would tend to make it look cave-like and too closed in. 

Laura

How did you come up with your ensuite bathroom design?

I looked through home magazines and borrowed elements from lots of pictures. Everything was built around the bathtub because I wanted to make that the centrepiece of the room. I also wanted a natural stone look that wouldn't date, and wouldn't clash with the existing view.

What did you consider when choosing the materials?

The ensuite bathroom had to be easy to clean.  So although I wanted the tiles to have that natural stone look, I opted for a low-maintenance, ceramic alternative.

What was the biggest challenge?

Working out where to put the walk-through shower in relation to the vanity and bathtub. It all had to be set out so you could comfortably get to each fixture and not feel boxed in. We did the measurements about five times before we were satisfied it was going to work.

What is your favourite part of the ensuite bathroom renovation?

The bathtub! I use it probably twice a week.