The design approach

Creativity and thriftiness have delivered great outcomes in this bathroom. It’s shared by everyone in the house, so it made sense for Jo to design two doors into the room, one from the main bedroom and the other from the hallway leading to her daughters’ bedroom. She decided early on to give the space a furnished look. “I spotted the console table at a vintage furniture store that was selling off stock so I was able to put those savings into having it customised with a zinc top,” says Jo. Anchoring the room are handmade encaustic floor tiles that, in return for yearly sealing, offer a traditional pattern and gorgeous matt finish. Jo also made savings in other areas. “The basin is a second so it’s slightly imperfect,” she explains, “but we love it because both kids can use it at once. I had the oversized steel towel rail made by a local steelworker and powder-coated black. This was more economical than buying one off the shelf.”