[ COOL & CALM ]

A new layout has transformed this Sydney bathroom into a peaceful haven.

THE BRIEF

Problems with the floor plan prompted the owners of this Sydney home to overhaul their ensuite. They asked the team at Minosa to design a smart, serene ensuite that made better use of the existing space. “The light in the room was great but there was a daggy bay window and the spatial planning needed a rethink,” says Darren Genner, co-founder of Minosa.

DESIGN APPROACH

To make the ensuite more space efficient, Darren installed a blade wall in the room that tucks away the shower and toilet. It now occupies space that was once a dark walk-in wardrobe. “The blade wall allows us to use the ‘dead’ space in the centre of the room and creates a little more privacy,” he says. It also allows the owners a spot for a floating mirror that’s 4mm thick but generously sized. “Sometimes a double basin can limit the work surface in an ensuite, but a big mirror opens up the working area,” says Darren. A line of trim is designed to pull the eye away from the window and to direct it to the heroes of the space: the beautiful vanity and bath. “We opted for an Ilbagno vanity from Antonio Lupi. It has a moulded Corian top, Italian walnut trim and soft edges. It really is old-world glamour reinvented.” A Gareth Ashton freestanding bath is teamed with a spectacular Gessi ‘Goccia’ bath filler and set against vertically laid white mosaics. Large-format 1200x1200mm floor tiles minimise grout lines on the floor and are repeated above the trim for continuity. The effect is simply beautiful, says the owner. “It’s such a calming space to step into.” Minosa; minosa.com.au

Tile style Inax mosaics from Artedomus run vertically to window height to provide a touch of understated texture. Bigger is better Large format (1200x1200mm) porcelain tiles ensure very few grout lines on the ensuite’s floor.

Vanity fair “It’s the softly rounded edges of this vanity that make it the right choice for this bathroom,” says Darren.