Wash and Wear

We give bathrooms and laundries a style injection.

 

 

Cleopatra favoured hers filled with milk. Archimedes took to the streets of Syracuse naked, screaming “Eureka”, after observing how the water rose when he got into his. Baths mean different things to different people, but it can be said that bathrooms are increasingly becoming more than just a room in which to get clean. More and more, we are treating them as places of retreat, reflection and ritual, as opposed to pure function.

 

So how do you create a space that is both beautiful and purposeful? The key is to get your foundations right – classic lines, quality fixtures and a neutral palette. With these as your backdrop, you can refresh your bathroom on a regular basis by updating the details: an approach that is kinder to your wallet and the environment. 

 

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The design

“Domestic bathrooms are developing into sophisticated living spaces,” says Jodie White of Mico Bathrooms. It’s about creating a total environment, rather than just a room containing a collection of individual parts. No longer an afterthought, these rooms are often a modern home’s crowning glory. Allocated more space and budget, bathrooms are now acknowledged as places to be, rather than places where we merely come and go.

 

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The look

Today’s bathroom borrows from the best of a range of styles in surprising ways. From minimalism designers take raw materials, such as concrete and glass, and contrast them with the softer textures of fabric and linen. Offset by injections of colour and texture through wallpaper and tiles, neutral no longer means stark. Hannah Taylor of Jacobsen Creative Surfaces says that, though white tiles are still the most in demand, there are linen looks, weaves and patterns such as damask available for those who want a warmer look. For floors, Hannah recommends using as big a tile as possible, and for walls there is a definite move away from the basic square white tile – so opt for a rectangle over a square. But the wisest move aesthetically is to tile right to the ceiling throughout the whole room. “If there is no way of tiling up to ceiling height, consider tiling some walls and painting the others: one or two wholly tiled walls look better than half-height all the way around.”

 

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The accessories

The secret to a stylish bathroom? Clever storage is top of the list. It removes clutter, leaving space to display items of beauty rather than a hodgepodge of grooming products. Don’t be afraid to mix old and new. An antique jug makes an interesting statement when placed on a modern vanity; a beautiful chair could hold a stack of carefully folded towels. Susan Reid of Harrowset Hall says environmental issues can influence colour choices: “People’s growing interest in preserving the planet is translating into natural, soft, earthy colours.” A few plush towels, a pot of rich body cream, fresh flowers and a scented candle can imbue even the most modest of bathrooms with spa-like luxury.

 

The technology
Bathrooms are normally relegated to the least sunny side of the house, but a lack of natural light need not mean a dark, damp space. Good lighting and extraction are critical. Though downlights are great for illumination, there is a move towards the drama of a pendant light. Sound systems are no longer the domain of the living room, and even televisions are crossing the divide. Underfloor heating is becoming the norm rather than an extravagance. But it’s in the area of sustainability that technology is really changing the way we bathe. New flushing systems and digitally controlled showers and tapware are reducing water consumption. The Rinnai Efficiency and Infinity systems give you as much hot water as you want, but only heat the water you need to the temperature you require, so energy is never wasted. Rinnai has also introduced a range of solar water-heating systems.  

 

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The fixtures

These days bathroom fixtures are no longer merely amenities – they’re appealing objects in their own right. And where possible they are freestanding. “The walls should function as the frame of the room only,” says Mico’s Jodie White. Whether grandly claw-footed or futuristically modular, a bath placed in the centre of the room becomes sculptural. Says Sarah Rennie of Clearlite and Athena Bathrooms: “When it comes to basins, vitreous china is still the most popular material, but there’s a move away from the square ‘box’ style back towards softer edges and oval ‘egg’ shapes.”

 

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Laundries

Where space allows, laundries are now light-filled and efficient, with well thought-out storage. Appliances are integrated, cleverly hidden behind cabinetry. Thoughtful details such as a hanging rail, a large benchtop for folding clothes, pull-out bins for sorting and a drop-down ironing board make for a pleasurable workspace. When purchasing new appliances, look for ones that are designed for reduced water and energy consumption, and go for natural cleaning products free of chemicals and bleaches that are better for your clothes and the planet. And remember to embrace the aesthetics. Who says a laundry can’t have flowers?

We would like to thank Debbie and Brian Stewart for the use of their home in Devonport; Leon, Hans and Brent of Ottow Burke & Associates for the use of their bathrooms at the Kensington Gardens apartments; and the Barnards for the use of their laundry in Mt Eden.