bathroom design Archives

Interior renovation Sydney – before and after

This house was in dire need of a complete interior renovation to bring out the best of it. Being conveniently located in Sydney’s lower north shore the 60 year old duplex had a lot going for it:

Good bones
Beautiful North facing backyard
Charm of a small 2-bedroom house

Narrow hallway prior to renovation — *^{A bit of drama was added to the narrow hallway}*

Narrow hallway with dark ceiling — *^{A bit of drama was added to the narrow hallway}*

For more inspiration, head to our Gallery of completed projects.

Internal flow needs improvement

The layout was awkward and didn’t take advantage of the sunny backyard at all. Instead, the bathroom was located in the most beautiful part of the house. It had an old bathtub cramped into the tiny space and a basin barely large enough to wash one’s face. In addition, the property’s kitchen was impractical and lacked storage. Located on the outside, the laundry forced residents to walk over uneven ground and face trip hazards just to do their laundry.

Flowers on vanity top — *^{The new bathroom became a sanctuary}*

In case you had any doubt, this property needed a complete overhaul. We started the process by planning the new layout and recommended relocating the bathroom towards the bedrooms. Increasing functionality and flow we were also able to allocate space for a small indoor laundry.

Colour samples for interior renovation — *^{Neutral colour scheme for a rental home}*

Building permit for interior renovation

The plans required the relocation of a structural wall and therefore a building permit. We recommended applying for a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) as opposed to getting Council approval because we wanted to speed up and simplify the planning process for the interior renovation. Hence, our team developed the necessary drawings and documents for the certifier to grant the building permit and the construction work to begin.

Old bathroom before interior renovation — *^{Ample storage in the new bathroom}*

Renovated bathroom with vanity — *^{Ample storage in the new bathroom}*

Relocation of existing bathroom

With the bathroom being relocated, we opened up the house towards the backyard to take advantage of this lovely lush view. Because of that, the residents have now an abundance of natural light flowing into the kitchen, dining and living room.

We transformed the bathroom into a small sanctuary with a modern walk-in shower, toilet and vanity with a mirrored cabinet on top to provide ample storage. The colour scheme looks welcoming and ties in with the new kitchen.

Kitchen before interior renovation — *^{The new kitchen is light-flooded and inviting}*

New kitchen after internal makeover — *^{The new kitchen is light-flooded and inviting}*

Complete interior renovation

The kitchen now includes all appliances and smart storage solutions you would expect from a modern kitchen. We recommended a light and classic colour scheme combining oak timber with white. Saving valuable space, we butted up the dining table against the island bench where space is at its premium. In addition, we created a bar to the spacious deck inviting the residents to enjoy a snack and drink outdoors. At the same time, the new awning window protects the residents conveniently against any weather conditions.

bar with fruit basket — *^{New outdoor bar with awning window}*

Being an investment property, the entire transformation was carried out keeping an eye on the cost involved to maximize return on investment. Furthermore, we selected all the appliances and finishes to be solid quality and hardwearing while oozing out the desired cottage atmosphere.

New kitchen with flowers — *^{Oak and white for a cottage feel}*

Facelift for the timber flooring

The existing cypress pine timber flooring needed some replacement patches here and there. To ensure that the transitions are hardly noticeable, the builder’s tradespeople sanded back and resealed the entire floor. The treated floorboards turned out beautifully. As a result, it’s now nearly impossible to distinguish between the old and new boards and where the previous walls have been located.

Transformation into a cosy home

What a transformation from an unloved rental property to a cute little cottage home. Not only is the house now functional and beautiful, but the makeover also added significant value to the property.

If you have an older home in Sydney that needs an interior renovation, feel free to contact us for an initial chat. Feel free to book a suitable time for you in the table below.

Alternatively, email martina@martinahayes.com.au or call me on 0434 498 450. You can also use this contact form.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Bathroom Finishes for you!

The right bathroom finishes can either make or break your space. The finishes that you decide, have a great effect on how your space will feel as well as developing its personality. Choosing your bathroom finishes is an exciting part of your renovation project as in this stage you really see your space come to life.

Contemporary bathroom white & timber — Contemporary bathroom design

A bathroom is a space that is served several times each day so it’s important to choose bathroom finishes that are well functioned as well as making you feel good each and every time you use the interior space. We achieved this for our client, a young couple in North Ryde, where we designed multiple spaces in their home, including bathrooms and kitchen. Have a look at their kitchen here.

Candles decor bathroom — Candles add atmosphere to your bathroom

Little decor items such as in the image above add character and your own personal touch to your bathroom.

The Bathroom Finishes we chose

The bathroom renovated for our clients was designed with the contemporary interior design style in mind as this is the look they desired to create through their home.

Tiles

Tiles cover the majority of the open surface area in your bathroom. Floor tiles and wall tiles are very important bathroom finishes that work at creating the vibe and feel of the space. It also determines the final colour scheme you choose for the bathroom.

Our client’s bathroom is quite large in scale, therefore providing us the opportunity to choose a large square floor tile. Sourced from Amber Tiles in Chatswood it measures at 600 x 600mm. The colour is a deep and luxurious cappuccino colour, creating a modern and sleek contemporary design.

The wall bathroom finishes are also in the modern contemporary style as to tie the bathroom design together cohesively. The wall tile we chose is one whose design emulates the marble Calacatta look. Grey veins run through the tile’s design footprint.

Tapware

Tapware is a bathroom finish that has the potential to add a lot of character and genuine style to your interior space. It’s also a simple way to make your bathroom feel more luxurious. As we were designing this bathroom in the contemporary style we decided to use classic but stylish chrome tapware.

Wall-mounted Vanity

The gorgeous wall-mounted vanity features a dark and moody timber veneer finish. It features his and hers basins on the vanity’s stone top that is also in a deep and rich cappuccino colour. Having the vanity wall hung is another element in this bathroom that adds to the luxe look.

Above the bathroom vanity is a large rectangular mirror that is sleek, modern and contemporary in design.

Walk-in Shower

A beautiful feature of this contemporary bathroom design in North Ryde is the walk-in shower. It’s glass all around illuminating sleek lines. In the shower is a built-in niche just the right size to fit all your essential body washes, shampoos, and other toiletries. The showerhead sits on a rail to make it an adjustable element in this bathroom design.

Lighting

Adequate bathroom lighting is essential for any bathroom. It’s important for getting ready each and every day, so you’ll really want to get this bathroom finish right. For this design, we chose downlights as to illuminate areas that need the most lit up. We also included LED strip lights as to add a soft glow and ambiance.

This is our bathroom design in North Ryde complete with bathroom finishes that add style, character and flair to your space.

If you have any questions about your bathroom finishes and design in Sydney, please call me on 0434 498 450 or email to martina@martinahayes.com.au.

If you prefer, you can also use this contact form.

Bathroom Layout Planning

Many people dream of a bathroom design and layout that feels like a sanctuary. Some people love their bathroom design to include sleek clean lines, others indulge with a farmhouse style bathroom with dried flowers and decorative knick-knacks.

Irrespective of what your personal bathroom style might be, your dream bathroom begins with a great cutting edge bathroom layout.

Industrial style bathroom with a black freestanding bathtub — Bathroom design in North Sydney

What is a cutting edge bathroom layout?

Cutting edge design is the latest most advanced creation. It is one that best conquers the space implementing energy and artistic design in your home.

A great floor plan is all about achieving great functionality while also creating aesthetic design. It puts the beautiful items on show, e.g. vanity or freestanding bathtub which then has the ability to become the focal point of the space. The focal point is the place in the space which the eye is naturally most drawn to. On the other hand, the toilet pan should be hidden as much as possible and not to be the focal point of your bathroom.

Whether you wish to construct a new home or update an existing, it’s imperative to get the layout right.

This short video (below) explains key points to consider when planning your bathroom layout.

Key Points to Remember when creating your bathroom layout

Leave sufficient walking space

A successful bathroom layout allows for sufficient walking space in-between your bathroom items. It should never feel like a tight squeeze moving from your shower to your wash basin.

Spacious Counter Top and Wall Mounted Vanity

Great bathrooms always allow for a luxurious and spacious counter top. This then leaves plenty of space around the basin to place your cream pots, perfume bottles and personal items you wish to keep on top. A classic combination is incorporating a stone bench top on a wall mounted vanity with the basin sitting on top. Standard vanity widths are 900, 1000 and 1200mm incorporating a single bowl, and 1500, 1600 and 1800mm for double bowls.

Contemporary bathroom with turquoise tiles — Wall mounted vanity with basin on top of the benchtop

Accessible Windows

Any windows should be easily accessible, allowing you to open and close it as required without the need to bend over or stepping into the bathtub to reach the handle.

Balanced Bathroom Design

A successful bathroom design comes down to achieving a well balanced bathroom layout. This means the vanity should ideally stretch wall to wall avoiding cutting short. Everything sits snug in place as if it belongs right here in exactly this spot. This will wow your visitors and make you feel good every time you use the space.

Placement of Fixtures

Shower Placement

Walk-in-showers with a simple glass screen and no door are state of the art. But unless you wish to dry the floor after every shower session, I’d recommend selecting a glass panel of at least 1.4 metres in width. This way the water splashes onto the screen and not onto the bathroom floor.

Towel Racks

Once you have decided your bathroom layout, don’t forget to find a good convienient place for your (heated) towel rack.

Bathroom layout to consider

When planning your bathroom it’s important to consider how the layout will affect the space. A traditional bathroom layout is when fixtures are placed along the walls. This is a great way to design, but be aware there are newer layout of design to consider.

A state of the art bathroom layout should be largely in consideration if you are building or renovationing to resale as it could result in a higher resale value of the property. Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses!

Bathroom-Design-Latest-Layout-Trend-traditional — Traditional bathroom layout – placement of fixtures along the walls

Floorplan showing bathroom layout — Cutting edge bathroom layout

To make this layout (above) work, the bathroom spaces needs to measure at least 3.3 by 3.6 metres.

Even with a smaller space than the above measurements there are endless design combinations. Designs and layouts are created to look fantastic as well as being functional for you.

Additional bathroom

If your dream is an additional bathroom for you to say good-bye to the queues in the mornings, have a read on how to add an ensuite to your master bedroom.

Get yourself some inspiration for your new bathroom and other projects I recently completed.

I can help you to create and develop your own bathroom layout, I would love to help.

Contact me here or send an email to martina@martinahayes.com.au. Alternatively, pick up your phone and give me a call on 0434 498 450.

To receive free information, please type in your name and email address below.

Add Ensuite to Master Bedroom

Have you considered adding another bathroom to your home, but you don’t have much space to play with? You might be asking yourself “How can I possibly add an ensuite to the master bedroom”, what is the smallest bathroom or ensuite I can have in the space that I have. In addition, don’t forget to have a look at some bathroom inspirations here.

This video shows the smallest possible layout and advises on indicative costs that come with adding an ensuite to a master bedroom. Check it out!

Adding an ensuite to Master Bedroom

Let’s assume this is the floorplan of the room you would like to add an ensuite to. The room is 4.80 metres long and 2.2 metres wide.

Floorplan showing bedroom — Floorplan of bedroom where you wish to add an ensuite to

Smallest ensuite layout possible

The floorplan below shows the optimum layout for a compact ensuite.

Floorplan of the bedroom and ensuite — 2D Floorplan showing the updated bedroom plan now including an ensuite

You wish to erect a wall with a distance of 1 metre to the existing wall. This allows you to include a shower, a wash basin with vanity below and a toilet pan to your Master Bedroom.

New ensuite for master bed on 2.2 square metres

All it takes is 2.20 metres in length and 1 metre in width. All in all, you will be able to enjoy a fully functional ensuite on 2.2 square metres a wonderful addition to your Master Bedroom.

This is a look from the top in 3D.

3D view into ensuite from above — 3D view into ensuite from a birds eye view

Include a window in your bathroom

If you’re lucky enough to have an exterior wall, include a window that lets in natural light. This way, the ensuite will feel larger and more airy.

Add ensuite to master bedroom – 3D view

3D view of compact ensuite — The design is small & compact as well as being fully functional.

How much does the new ensuite cost?

How much do you need to allow for a small additional ensuite? Because it will require new plumbing, put aside at least $12,000 up to $25,000, depending on the finishes you wish to use.

Layout for large bathroom

If you are lucky enough to have plenty of space, go for a more generous layout. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to plan the ideal bathroom.

To get some inspirations for your ensuite and bathroom design, take a look at my gallery.

If you have any questions, please contact me via email martina@martinahayes.com.au or phone 0434 498 450.

You can also use this contact form.