[ Q& A] with Marietha

How did your family manage while the bathroom was being renovated? I snuck off to visit my dad at that time, so my boys had to bear the brunt of it! Construction took place during the drought; we had a bucket that we put in the shower and that was used for flushing the toilet. Sometimes, we would have to use the kitchen sink for things like washing our hair. Where do you go for interior inspiration? I studied interior design some years ago, so it’s something I love to do. I’m always thinking of new ideas and projects. Do you have any tips for prospective bathroom renovators? The most important thing I’ve learnt is not to skimp on a good builder or plumber! In terms of making decisions, always begin with your feature piece; for us it was the floor. From there, we could decide on the rest of the colours we wanted to use in the space.

How did you and your husband go about combining your personal decorating styles? My husband is a practical ‘I’ll get it done’ kind of guy. I did the design work and he did the practical work like putting up the shelves, installing the shower, mounting the basin table and getting the windows in. Is there anything you’d do differently? Absolutely not; we’ve muddled along but we’ve loved it.

What’s next? We’d like to work on the front yard. I’m envisioning a waterwise garden with indigenous grasses and succulents; something low-maintenance and beautiful with various different levels.