Power dressing

The color red has always made a strong statement, but when you wrap it around the tub and up the walls, its impact is even more dramatic

A view of the plan of the bathroom angle, area, design, diagram, drawing, font, line, product design, text, white — A view of the plan of the bathroom before it was remodelled.

A view of the plan of the bathroom angle, area, design, diagram, drawing, floor plan, font, line, product, product design, square, text, white

A view of the bathroom area, wooden flooring, bathroom, bathtub, ceiling, floor, flooring, home, interior design, room, red

A view of the bathroom area, wooden flooring, bathroom, home, interior design, room, red, gray

A view of the bathrom, wooden flooring, mirrors, ceiling, floor, flooring, home, interior design, real estate, room, orange

It's often easier to be a little more adventurous with color when it features in a room where you don't spend large amounts of time. This master bathroom, for example, packs a powerful punch with a red resin surface surrounding the tub and stretching up the wall.

But for the owners of the remodeled house, a bright bathroom is a welcome change from the gray, corporate world of their working week.

Designer James Butler says the vibrant bathroom reflects an almost whimsical design approach, which is reflected elsewhere in the house.

"At 800sq ft, this is a very small house, but it sits in more than an acre of land, which made it very appealing for the new owners," he says. "They wanted the house to reflect the country setting, so we introduced a farmhouse aesthetic, but with a very contemporary spin."

Butler says the bathroom occupies space that was originally the master bedroom, which in turn was moved to the former sunroom.

"Not surprisingly, given the size of the house, every inch counted when it came to remodeling the bathroom. It was a real challenge to provide both a tub and a separate shower."

Butler says the solution was to create a wet area at one end of the room, where the tub sits. The shower is adjacent to the tub, and separated from the vanity by a glass wall.

Butler says it was important to have a shower that the owners didn't need to step up or down into. To this end, the floor joists were lowered to provide room for a tiled area beneath new teak floorboards. The boards have openings that allow the water to drop through to the drain below.

To provide a sharp contrast to the red centerpiece, the shower wall is lined with white Corian. This provides a sleek surface that meets the window with no moldings or window frames.

"We wanted the bathroom to still look good in 10 to 15 years, so we chose materials that would be durable and non-dating," says Butler.

The cantilevered vanity features an Italian laminate that looks like pear wood, but is easy to maintain. Although there was not enough space for two separate sinks, a large trough sink with two faucets provides enough space for his-and-hers washing facilities.

The wall behind the vanity and the opposite wall are both mirrored to reflect light and enhance a sense of space. The left wall features a row of closets behind the mirrored doors.