Bold and colourful

#1 Purple passion

Anisa du Plessis’ Johannesburg home is filled with personal pieces, handmade creations and intriguing collections – and her luxurious yet playful en-suite bathroom is no exception. “I’m not one for identical ‘his and hers’ vanities, which is why I’ve used different mirrors. It makes it so much more interesting.”

Anisa’s friend Riaan Smit painted the old sideboard she had converted and added new knobs. “The washbasins were a challenge; the first ones I bought were too tall to fit on top of the sideboard, so we had to exchange them – these two are perfect,” she says. The purple walls express Anisa’s love of colour and counterbalance the light grey walls in the rest of the room.

#2 Dramatic in black

When Angie and Shane Durrant moved into their Jo’burg home, one of the first things they did was remove the cupboards in the main bedroom to extend their en-suite bathroom. The couple agreed on a black-and-white theme and their decision was cemented when they came across a salvaged cast-iron ball-and-claw bath that had already been spraypainted in black.

They positioned the bath against a wall to allow space for the inclusion of a shower but the bath remains the focal point. “When you’re in the bath, it’s like you’re floating in outer space,” Angie says. “So while all the black might not be conventional, it creates a calm setting for us.”

#3 Out of the blue

After three years spent in a rented home where the walls, floors and furniture were all the same boring shade, Chireze Hoogendyk was ready for something new. When she and her singer husband Jan (aka Elvis Blue) built their new home on a golf estate in George, they were in agreement: it should be anything but dull.

“We both love bright colours,” says Chireze. “Elvis’s favourite colour is red while I love royal-blue and yellow.” Even the kids’ bathroom boasts a cheerful blue wall and small mosaic tiles for extra detail.

#4 Pretty in pink

Interior designer Etienne Hanekom was tasked with adding a second bathroom to a Robertson home that didn’t have enough existing space to accommodate one.

The solution was a charming, dome-top extension that was relatively simple and affordable to create. “The structural integrity of a custom-made, arched corrugated iron roof from RainQueen Tanks meant there was very little brickwork required and no steel frame,” Etienne explains.

And since the 150-year-old clay-brick home already had a corrugated iron roof, the addition complements the house perfectly. An arched door echoes the main structure, while a raw brick floor adds to the farm feel Etienne wanted. A skylight built into the dome-shaped roof provides additional light.

#5 Just for fun!

Hannah Cuthbert of Durban wanted to avoid a stock standard look. “I love prints and patterns, especially when they’re layered!” she says.

“I love to introduce various different elements into a design.”

The main feature in her new bathroom is the striking Orla Kiely wallpaper; it boasts a black background with a small-scale design of Orla Kiely’s stem.

The tub, found in an old hotel in Glenwood, was originally installed in her previous home. It was re-coated and Hannah used a brush to paint the outside. “I loved it so much that I said it had to come with us to our new home! Thankfully, it fitted,” she says with a laugh.

I love that the bathroom has a personality and complements the rest of my home. – Hannah

#6 Get the picture

Artist Sarah Danes-Jarrett of Wynberg had always dreamed of having a ball-andclaw bath and when she renovated her Victorian home, she decided on a classic black-and-white palette. As the house only had one bathroom, it had to work for the entire family. She called in the help of Bespoke Bathrooms to assist.

The wallpaper, a reproduction of an 1858 Thomas Baines painting of the Victoria Falls, is a real showstopper! “I love this image because Victoria Falls holds a special place in my heart and I wanted water as the main theme in this space,” explains Sarah. “The colours and style were just right. This is the first bathroom I can really call my own; it’s new so it’s sparkling clean, everything works and I’m also proud of all the South African craftsmanship that’s gone into it.”

STOCKISTS Bespoke Bathrooms 082 671 8292, bespokebathrooms.co.za Block & Chisel 087 015 0181, blockandchisel.co.za Collectors Place 083 659 0189, collectorsplace.weebly.com Duravit 011 555 1220, duravit.co.za Flush Bathrooms 021 511 7888, flushbathrooms.co.za Hoi P’loy 021 447 1433, hoiploy.com RainQueen Tanks 083 629 9576, rainqueentanks.co.za Tile Africa 0800 002 783, tileafrica.co.za

Paint colour Plascon Woodvine Paint colour Plascon Ageless

Greenery and the white of the bath interior and floor tiles create contrast while wall panels, also in black, add texture. Bath from Collectors Place Hexagons such as these small, white honeycomb floor tiles from Tile Africa work well in this dramatic space. If you’re not keen on having them cover the entire floor, consider using them just on the inside of your shower.

A blue wall creates a strong focal point in the children’s bathroom. The built-in shelf was inspired by one that the couple saw at a spa – it’s great for storage. Paint colour Plascon Sapphire Blue

The exterior was painted with Dulux Roofguard, which has a Solarflex property that wards off the harsh summer heat. Paint colour Dulux Irish Rose

The custom-made oak vanity works well with the contemporary basin and taps.Basin and taps from Tile Africa Paint colour Dulux Aegean Cruise 2

A copper mirror and lights are the perfect fit for this minimalist basin. Happy D basin from Duravit; Meir tap from Flush Bathrooms; lights from Hoi P’loy; mirror from Block & Chisel This unique glass splashback was custom made; the top is shaped much like the curved marble splashbacks you’d typically find on old Victorian washstands. We love this! The herringbone floor and geometric tiles on the wall balance beautifully with the touches of shiny brass and oak veneer used for the cabinet. Items available through Bespoke Bathrooms Victorian Bathrooms ordered the tiny, ‘waterwise’ tub in a custom colour called Caribbean Current.

The wallpaper is UV-laminated and it’s been treated to make it wipeable, durable and suitable for hightraffic areas.