personal space

The reinvented bathrooms and walk-in robe in this Melbourne home ensure that the work week runs as smoothly as lazy weekend days

Who lives here: Linda, her husband Sam and Sam’s daughter Sophie, 15. Style of home: A single-level contemporary architectural home that now boasts greater functionality thanks to the revamp of the bathrooms and walk-in wardrobe. It was all-systems-go from design to build, with building taking 10 weeks. The renovation cost just under $90k for all three rooms.

After a busy week jetting in and out of airports, hotels and meetings with suitcases in tow, Melbourne couple Linda and Sam relish heading home for the weekend. Working in finance, both balance hectic schedules. Their house has to be more than just a place to recharge – it needs to be a zone where everything works effortlessly and efficiently to keep their busy lives in motion.

While the inner Melbourne house they bought in late 2014 was blessed with light and space, where each room linked to a landscaped garden, some spots simply didn’t function well. “The bathrooms were the really practical parts of the house that we were struggling with,” says Linda. “We loved the space but we felt like it hadn’t been used very efficiently in the fit-out.”

Interior designer Lena Bruno of By Bruno got to work on problem solving, redesigning the ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, as well as daughter Sophie’s bathroom, which doubles as the laundry. “The way Lena designed the ensuite with twin sinks and storage is great,” says Linda. “We’re not tripping over each other as we’re trying to get ready at the same time. We both have our own side of the wardrobe and our own space where we can put a suitcase, fill it, and hang things up at night to put on in the morning at 5am. It was really that combination of making it more functional and luxurious.”

“The wardrobe mirror is round like the bath and vanity basin. This creates a sense of rhythm and repetition” LENA BRUNO, INTERIOR DESIGNER