Hand-made marble vanity basins are a feature of this villa bathroom makeover
A freestanding bath, hand-made marble vanity basins and a floor-to-ceiling glass shower wall give this bathroom a 5 star hotel feel

When available renovation space is adequate but a developer's expectations are grand there's a way to both maximise the sense of spaciousness and at the same time add hotel-style luxury. The answer is about more thinking and less clutter.
This dramatic family bathroom renovation forms part of the makeover of the whole villa by residential property developer and project manager Andy Blyth and architect Paul Leuschke.
"The existing bathroom had been a typically under-considered villa affair with two step-up showers, wood everywhere and worst of all a cramped, claustrophobic feel," says Leuschke. "In its place, Andy Blyth wanted a wow-factor bathroom with the look of a high-end design you might expect in a five-star hotel.
"While the room was already a decent size, I wanted to increase the feeling of space both to imply luxury and to give the bathroom a better sense of proportion in relation to the high stud."
The developer and architect took several steps to achieve this, including the use of large-format, marble-finish tiles on the floor and walls.
"While real marble would be a major hassle to maintain, the porcelain tiles achieve the same gracious effect and are extremely low upkeep. Continuing the tiles across the floor and shower walls invites the eye to run uninterrupted right across them, visually implying more space."
Similarly, the floor-to-ceiling glass shower screen has a dramatic impact but doesn't detract from the flow of the stone-look tile surfaces.
This elegant backdrop sets the scene for the room's intentionally few but luxurious features.
The large soaking tub provides a sculptural feature and works well with the soft-cornered marble basins on the vanity. The tapware is also modern and minimalistic while the shower area is served by two monsoon rainheads, another pampering inclusion for the potential owners.
A full-wall mirror running behind the vanity doubles the sense of visual space all over again.
However, while the large-format, natural tilework, giant shower screen and sleek tapware are contemporary, there are touches that relate back to the home's turn-of-last century origins,
"We decided to use typical villa mouldings here to tie back to the wider interior, while the period shutters on the sash windows admit natural light and bring privacy from neighbours," says Leuschke. "The internally lit wall niche and ceiling spots add a crisp, bright feel."
Credit list
Architect
Bath
Taps
Shower fittings, accessories
Wallcoverings
Underfloor heating
Blinds
Developer, designer and project manager
Benchtop
Basin
Shower stall
Flooring
Ventilation
Hot water systems
Awards
Story by: Charles Moxham
Photography by: Michael Ng
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