70's Retro Home Modernised with a New Ensuite
When we are looking to buy our forever home it needs to tick all the boxes and close to the top of most buyers' lists is an ensuite. It's taken for granted in a new build but if your heart lies with an older, character home, you may not be so lucky.
Not too long ago most homes had one small bathroom for the entire family to share. The bathroom was considered purely functional, a place for personal hygiene. However, in just a few decades, the concept of ensuites, that offer not only bathing facilities but also a sense of privacy and retreat, has become commonplace.
My client bought a 70's architecturally designed home that would have been the talk of the neighbourhood in it's day, it even had a dumb waiter direct from the kitchen to the home bar in the ground floor entertainment room.
The master bedroom, big, with panoramic windows to take in the sea view and a fully fitted walk in wardrobe with sink in the corner. I'm sure that was state of the art at the time!
Walk-in wardrobe before
The brief was to split the existing wardrobe to incorporate an ensuite with a stylish, modern and neutral aesthetic. And if possible, to repurpose the original drawer unit.
The Design
I am not sure which part of the process I enjoy more, picking the colour scheme or planning the space, I think in this case probably the latter.
The wardrobe flanked storage cupboards in the hallway which were rather dominant and redundant as the house does have plenty of storage options elsewhere. Incorporating some or all of the hall cupboards meant I was able to present the client with several layout options.
Floor plan options
The first two plans allowed to keep one storage cupboard in the hall. The benefit of the first plan was the natural light coming into the wardrobe. The second two plans allowed for a luxurious big walk-in shower.
The client opted for the last plan, removing the hall cupboards created a lovely clean, uninterrupted wall in the passage and made way for a generous size vanity, teamed with a mirror cabinet, this ensuite is not short on storage.
Design Details
I selected the vanity in American Walnut veneer as the colour ties in so well with the original timber doors in the home but its clean lines and oval bowl give it a modern edge. Huge 1200x600mm tiles have the appearance of natural stone in a soft, warm neutral, teamed with vintage white finger tiles for a subtle feature above the shelf in the shower, black tapware was selected for an edgy finish to an otherwise timeless palette.
The team from Alchemy Bathrooms did an amazing job in re-framing the new space and creating the new bathroom. The old drawer unit fitted like a glove and clever carpentry work repurposed wardrobes doors into shelves in the wardrobe.
The Result
New ensuite after photos
Walk-in wardrobe with re-purposed drawers and shelves
My clients love their new bathroom, providing a stylish little retreat to escape the mayhem that can be in a busy family home.
If your ensuite or bathroom is ready for an upgrade, contact me to see how I can help turn your dreams into reality.