Going underground

Designed by Honour Creative

From the interior designers:

Background

This distinguished and inviting space was once an unused basement – but our homeowners had the vision to turn it into a second bathroom.

 Architects DLA Architects created the construction plan and Honour Creative was tasked with designing the space to maximise its value. 

The brief 

Travelling, children, and entrepreneurial endeavours had, until recently, taken the front seat in this couple’s life. 

However, with children starting to be more independent, it was time to let go of the ‘first flat’ furniture and to feel they had progressed from the early years of make-do. 

A steady programme is underway to upgrade this family home to be sophisticated, calm and interesting – and this new bathroom was the first area to be tackled. 

The keys ideas we focussed on were many: peaceful, calm, uncluttered yet interesting, comfortable, feeling up-to-date yet timeless, warm, with earthy tones and deeper colours contrasting with base of neutrals, and lastly, rich details. 

Challenges & how these were overcome

As a basement space between a garage and the stairs, this room had strict size limitations, with no capacity to go under-floor for the plumbing and no natural light! 

With a windowless space, the inclination can be to go as light as possible. 

Instead, here, the strategy was to take the shower across the whole back wall and create a boldly coloured feature with dark floor, wall and ceiling for the visual effect of a space that continues. 

Tiling the ceiling was an important aspect of the design. 

Not only does it provide a quality finish and affect the sense of space but with the strict height limitations and one owner that is 2m tall, it adds valuable waterproofing. 

Using the same tile in different colour for the remainder of the walls created a cohesive scheme that balances light with dark. 

The warmth of the brass fittings creates a vital lift to the deep green tiles. 

In addition, the bathroom offers a balance of interest and simplicity with the lighting and shelving. 

Story by: Trendsideas