Reflected glory

Careful positioning of mirrors brings the lush green leaves of trees in the adjacent courtyard into the bathroom

A view of a bathroom, wooden flooring, marble architecture, bathroom, ceiling, estate, floor, home, interior design, property, real estate, room, tile, wall, window, gray — A view of a bathroom, wooden flooring, marble tiled wall, wooden vanity, white sinks and bathtub, chrome faucetry, mirror.

A view of a bathroom, wooden floor, marble architecture, bathroom, floor, home, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, wall, window, white

A view of a bathroom, marble tiled walls, bathroom, floor, flooring, home, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, sink, tile, wall, gray, yellow

One tried and true way to introduce splashes of color into a bathroom with a neutral decorative scheme is through the choice of towels and other accessories.

Another method, seen in the bathroom of this 100-year-old conservation house, was employed by architectural practice Ong & Ong. The master bathroom has large windows and doors opening onto a tree-filled balcony and central courtyard.

Senior architect for the project Maria Arango says mirrors were carefully located above the vanity so they would reflect as much greenery as possible from trees in the courtyard and beyond.

"The green reflections add color to this mainly white space without introducing clutter," she says.

"We restricted our materials to white marble and timber because of the age of the building and its conservation status. We wanted the bathroom interior to have a feeling of history," she says.

Most surfaces in the bathroom are white, with marble tiled walls, a white bath and basins, and a clear glass shower enclosure. For warmth, the floor has been laid with timber decking.