Going up, going down

Dropping the floor, rather than raising the ceiling, allowed a small, awkward ensuite bathroom to become much more spacious and practical

Buildng into the roof area provided enough space architecture, bedroom, ceiling, daylighting, floor, interior design, real estate, room, window, gray — Buildng into the roof area provided enough space for an attic bathroom

Buildng into the roof area provided enough space architecture, bed, bed frame, bedroom, ceiling, daylighting, estate, floor, home, interior design, mattress, real estate, room, wall, window, gray

Velux windows add a sense of height in architecture, bathroom, ceiling, daylighting, interior design, room, gray

Tiled surfaces create a clean, modern look. - architecture, bathroom, ceiling, daylighting, interior design, lighting, product design, room, teal

Problems are often solved by thinking outside the square. For example, local zoning regulations may not permit changes to the roof line, but that needn't stop the floor level being dropped to create additional space in a small attic room.

This is exactly how builder Cameron Ireland and his wife, interior designer Rachael Newnham, overcame the problem of improving the dimensions of a small ensuite bathroom. It was cramped and oddly angled, and tucked in beneath the pitched roof of their old wooden house. Zoning regulations precluded lifting the roof to gain space, so instead the owners decided to drop the floor level within the existing ceiling cavity of the floor below.

This created a compact, functional bathroom, finished from floor to ceiling with porcelain-like Italian sandstone tiles. The space features a long, narrow shower enclosure, a cantilevered hand basin and toilet, and a freestanding storage unit.

"The hand basin and toilet are very striking and modern, and have become dramatic centerpieces," says Newnham.

"With the addition of appropriately positioned skylights, we increased the head height in key areas and improved the amount of light coming into the bathroom, so it feels light and spacious."