Hidden gems
In several of the projects in this issue, the powder room – a smaller space used less frequently than a family bathroom – serves as an opportune testing ground for experimentation. For Archier, this meant collaborating with Tasmanian ceramicist Lindsey Wherrett to prototype a handmade basin in mossy green hues to complement the exposed red-brick walls of Willisdene (pictured and page 46). In Clovelly House II (page 108), Madeleine Blanchfield Architects has imagined elements of the house as artworks, designing a bijou powder room with modern floral wallpaper and copper details to offer guests a dose of whimsy and delight. And in Luigi Rosselli Architects’ Bougainvillea Row House (page 132), the need for absolute spatial efficiency in a narrow plan has resulted in a compact powder room, complete with curving timber ceiling, ensconced under the stairs behind a concealed door.
“Geometrics have been a recurring motif for a while now … graphic definition remains, but has been pared back for a more subtle effect.”