Best bathrooms in the spotlight
From gold accents to see-through glass walls, the TIDA Bathroom Award winners are all about luxury, writes Colleen Hawkes.
Award-winning bathrooms are invariably about luxury, but they are also about happy homeowners. The winning designers in the 2019 TIDA Trends International Design Awards not only met their clients’ brief, but also expanded on this to create bathrooms that are out of the ordinary.
Christchurch designer Davinia Sutton of Detail by Davinia Sutton won two awards for a master suite and a powder room in the same house – the TIDA Designer Bathroom and Powder Room awards.
The designer said the owners of the contemporary, architectural home wanted a boldly designed ensuite that would sit centre stage in the home’s master wing. But it also needed to pay homage to their Indian heritage.
For the master suite, the designer specified gold tapware and goldaccented vanity basins, plus metallic gold-toned mosaics on a large panel behind the freestanding tub.
TIDA judges said the design makes maximum use of all the available space, while the mix of selected fittings, fixtures and materials provides the desired sense of luxury.
‘‘This master ensuite has a calm and serene ambience that belies its superior functionality, while respecting a strong cultural background.’’
Gold also features in the powder room, where there is a beautiful gold mosaic basin.
The visual drama is accentuated by the use of metallic-look fishtail mosaics on the feature wall behind the vanity. The same tile is used as a backdrop to the toilet area.
TIDA judges said the ‘‘stunning powder room’’ has an immediate impact on guests. ‘‘Positioning the vanity with its show-stopping gold glass mosaic basin on the entry axis introduced a bold and vibrant element to the space.
‘‘Concealed LED lighting and careful placement of pendant lights
accentuate the striking combination of materials and colours the designer selected.’’
A see-through bathroom in a glass box was another award winner. Wilson & Hill Architects won the TIDA Architect-designed Suite award with a bathroom that takes its cues from a boutique hotel suite.
And that’s because this bathroom is in a hotel – it’s one of the three new suites that the architects added to the rooftop of the Queenstown Park Hotel. The suites were designed to present a luxury experience to high-value international guests.
Top-quality materials were used throughout, while the exposed steel vanity was designed to provide maximum storage.
The TIDA judges commented that while enclosing the bathroom in glass was a bold move, it was also an apt solution for the challenges the space presented – ensuring both bathroom and bedroom had plenty of natural light plus access to the stunning views.
Jenny Dunlop of Dunlop Design won the TIDA Designer Suite award, with a master suite in a luxury clifftop apartment designed to make the most of sweeping Auckland Harbour views.
The judges noted how the selection of rich, milk chocolate-toned tiles created an immediate impact, while the light grey and white veining in those tiles complemented other elements in the room.
‘‘A floating, light-toned vanity with subtle LED lighting, undermounted basins and mirrored cabinetry creates a softer ambience, while the freestanding, organic-shaped bath brings a quirky touch to the overall design.’’
Kamermans Architects won the Architect-designed Bathroom award, with a light-filled bathroom designed to provide continuity with the rest of the contemporary home.
Architect Frans Kamermans said he started with the preferences from each of the homeowners – he liked timber, while blue was her favourite colour – and combined them in the design of the kitchen as well as the ensuite and main bathroom.
With all the bathrooms and bedrooms facing east, full-height glazing in these rooms maximises morning sun as well as valley views.
At a time when most bathrooms are either dark and moody, or pale and neutral, the TIDA judges felt that it was refreshing to see a different approach with the soft pastel blue used here.