Hidden treasure

Designed by Leonie Hamill, Cube Dentro

From the designer:

The owners of this new build in Auckland invited us to provide the design for their guest powder room.

This was a complex brief because of its location near the front entrance of the home and, understandably, the homeowners did not want a utilitarian room to be visible upon arrival. The idea of distracting the eye from their extraordinary home was not appealing.

Our owners requested a discreet design solution, without compromising on elegance. They also wanted the powder room to express their preference for a monochrome aesthetic.

Otherwise, the way was open to create something memorable, striking and practical, too.

Our design has embraced a fully integrated room, that when enclosed becomes part of the modern vernacular of the home.

Unbeknown to guests, a dynamic powder room sits behind a beautiful timber clad entrance.

Underpinning this project was a commitment to an efficient layout.

A confined room requires innovative thinking around how to create the illusion of space and maximise heavily used areas such as the shower.

The opening feature to this remarkable room is a concealed, handcrafted cavity sliding door.

On the exterior it is clad in American Oak with a customised stain to perfectly match the surrounding interior timber panelling.

On the inside, the door has been tiled to mimic the walls and floor and create a seamless aesthetic when closed.

A strong design hallmark in the room is a feature wall which doubles as a concrete tilt panel (on the exterior) and a soft polished concrete wall inside.

An aged-brass chain hanging curtain creates a division between the shower and toilet area but also looks incredible in its execution.

The use of oversized ceramic floor tiles extends to the ceiling and creates the ambience of a luxe hotel.

Visually, they also help to blur the distinction between the floor and walls – adding to the sense of space.

A custom-made vanity unit in American oak veneer has a generous vessel basin positioned in the sunken countertop.

Sufficient storage keeps bathroom items hidden from sight while discreet aged-brass tapware in a playful shape adds further personality without overshadowing the room.

The floor mounted, matt black toilet makes for a bold statement and holds contrast between the lighter tile work.

A bespoke, custom wall light and mirror with a built-in demister pad completes the picture of a functional and easy to clean room.

Customised detailing, aged brass inclusions and concealed features take the overall wow-factor of this powder room to a perfect 10/10. Our homeowners couldn’t be more thrilled with their hidden treasure.

Designed by: Cube Dentro

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Kallan MacLeod