Design, four ways

As they are often small spaces, bathrooms can be designed purely for practicality. However, by allowing in plenty of natural light and using a defined colour and material palette, it is possible to create pleasant, individualised bathrooms like the ones on these pages.

These four bathrooms are all located in the same home in Singapore, which was designed by Maria Arango and Diego Molina of Ong&Ong. The intention with the designs was to create rooms that had a close relationship to the outdoors, says Arango.

This meant letting light into the room and creating visual links with any greenery from the surroundings. The bathroom on the facing page has clerestory windows that frame a leafy outlook, and glazed sliding screens between the shower and the balcony, where potted plants can be seen.

As this bathroom is between two children's rooms, the design is kept simple, with easy-to-use fittings and low-maintenance surfaces, such as white Solid Surface.

For the second-storey powder room, above, Arango took a more sculptural, contemporary angle. A custom-made, rectangular black Solid Surface basin is partly framed by a stainless steel tap that extends from the floor and bends around the basin. A tall, wide-framed mirror furthers the verticality of the design.

"These angular shapes are juxtaposed against the high, curved glass ceiling. A rounded light fitting with multiple square petals forms a link between the two," says Arango.

To bring light into the powder room pictured left, which serves the pool and outdoor area, Arango created a series of overlapping frosted glass panels.

"The slight gaps between the panels provide ventilation, while the frosted glass allows for privacy in this public area. The fittings and fixtures are chosen for visual interest, such as the control for the taps, which brings to mind a joystick, and the toilet, which resembles an egg."

Like the children's bathroom, the bathroom on this page is designed to allow in as much light and greenery as possible. This bathroom is designed for the homeowner's elderly parents, says Arango.

"A custom-made, mosaic-tiled seat allows them to run a shallow bath or sit down while having a shower. Bars and handles are provided for safety."

Story by: Camille Butler