Maximised opportunities

Large mirrors, a skylight, a limited palette and concealed fittings give this compact bathroom the impression of spaciousness

This comapct bathroom was moved from the rear architecture, bathroom, ceiling, daylighting, floor, home, house, interior design, real estate, room, gray — This comapct bathroom was moved from the rear of the house.A skylight reflected in a mirror creates an illusion of space

In the bathroom are the laundry, a vanity, architecture, bathroom, ceiling, floor, home, interior design, product design, room, sink, gray

Altering the layout of a house, even slightly, may well have a huge impact on its flow, function and convenience.

The bathroom in this home was a dingy space at the back of the house, restricting access between the living areas and garden. To improve the bathroom and maximise the small site, designer Matt Gibson moved the bathroom to the centre of the home and the living areas to the rear, where they now connect easily with the garden.

Because the new bathroom is an internal space, Gibson added a skylight, which runs the full length of the ceiling.

"We butted the skylight up to a floor-to-ceiling mirror covering one wall of the bathroom. This effectively doubles the size of the skylight and allows even more light to be reflected into the bathroom," he says.

Because space is tight, the shower is mounted over the bath, and plumbing for the toilet is concealed by the vanity. This creates a less cluttered look and provides additional bench space.

The owners also wanted to have the laundry in the bathroom, so a tub, washer/dryer and vertical storage for mops and brooms are concealed behind doors that are fitted flush with the wall.