The Panel’s advice
Andrew Benn
Architect and director, Benn + Penna Architecture, bennandpenna.com
The obvious solution would be to create an ensuite off the master bedroom, where the front terrace is now. Doing this would take out the light to Josh’s bedroom but we could open up the beautiful stained glass that’s covered over and add another picture window on the same wall. It’s not a small job but definitely worthwhile in the grand scheme of things.
As far as the front of the house goes, Jana and David could see the construction of the bathroom as a chance to lift the character of the facade. Just because it’s a bathroom doesn’t mean it has to look ugly. I’d suggest external louvres for privacy and sun control; it’s west facing here so the sun will be pretty strong in the afternoon. Landscaping the front garden at the same time would make a huge difference, adding privacy and value.
Wayd Munro
Builder, Focusbuild, focusbuild.com.au
Jana says it’s like George Street in the bathroom. One thing she and David could do to make space for another bathroom would be to move the front door back a bit and have an ensuite off the master where the entrance is now. But the idea of using the terrace is a great one. If you look at the house next door, you can see that it could originally have been the main entrance but now it’s redundant. There are two footprints in the dust on that deck that have probably been there for 10 years! The owners never use it so it’s a waste of space. Some research and investigation would have to be done to establish the best way to run the plumbing for the ensuite; my guess is we would have to get it across to the other bathroom. I think that the additional expense would be well worth it for the outcome.
Lisa Koehler
ISCD educator, stylist and interior decorator
Jana tells me she has a dream bathroom in her head, inspired by a recent hotel visit where the bathroom had tiny, shimmery, pink mosaic feature tiles. I think it sounds great. That said, mosaic tiles are one of the more expensive tile choices. The fact that the tiles are so small means the walls have to be completely flat; bigger tiles are far more forgiving of lumps, bumps and variations in texture. But you can be a bit indulgent in a small space; we’re not talking huge square metres so you can afford to do a bit more. If you’re clever with the rest of your wall tiles in the space, you can leave enough wiggle room to have a delicious feature. A family bathroom needs to be a functional space but an ensuite is your own personal retreat and I think you can afford to make a breathtaking statement.
the solution “Add an ensuite to the master”