Bathing in the great outdoors

Sometimes an array of features and details are not the way to go for a bathroom by the sea. Instead, a simple, natural aesthetic can be more practical and visually in tune with the setting.

When designer Jen Stumbles of Eco Outdoor created a family bathroom for her own beach house, she wanted a no-nonsense feel – a practical bathing space that would be open to the elements and celebrate the home's strong indoor-outdoor connection in part through the use of materials. 

The ground-level bathroom opens completely to the outdoors on one side, or can be closed off with bifolding doors, she says.

"The washroom-style aesthetic is achieved partly by a broad, but not uniform, use of limestone tile on the floor and walls. On the walls small-format tiles bring out the richness in this material," says the designer. "By contrast, the rough-hewn, large-format pavers have a light, creamy presence."

The wall behind the outdoor shower is made up of different stones, cut and positioned to ensure both their surface colours and inside hues are all equally represented. This approach gives the wall a more textural, 3-D presence, Stumbles says.

"A large oval stone tub takes centre stage in the space. This is carved from a solid slab of stone, reinforcing the simplicity and honesty appropriate to a utility washroom."

The washbasin is also hewn from a single piece of stone, and specified in a block form to further the wash-and-go style appropriate to a seaside house. An unadorned wooden shelf extends the use of natural materials.

The designer took a similar approach with the ensuite bathroom upstairs, again using a limited material palette.

"A mirrored wall doubles the size of the space and reflects natural light, and again the irregular limestone tile work provides contrast and texture."

Story by: Trendsideas