Soft focus

Sometimes situation plays an important part in a home's internal dynamics. For example, a house built into a steep hillside may have some dug-in rooms that are starved of light. One way to maximize natural light in a space where there isn't any, is to simply borrow some from the room next door.

This was the central requirement and response when Zack/deVito Architecture created this small ensuite bathroom. While one side of the home offered light and views, the other lacked solar penetration. Jim Zack explains how the solution to a dark environment became a feature.

"The client wanted a light-filled, minimalist bathroom space," says Zack. "Introducing a large translucent glass screen provided an eye-catching solution. A fair amount of time was spent gauging the right level of opacity for the glass. We wanted to create interest from one room to the other, while at the same time retaining a degree of privacy."

Proximity to the glass also contributes to the level of visibility. Round mirrors fixed within a foot of the glass can be seen in soft focus from the bedroom. A step further away from the glass renders bathroom occupants as mere silhouettes.

The bathroom's simple fixtures and white cabinets take a back seat to the glowing feature partition. Even the concrete floors in both rooms are in unobtrusive natural gray tones.

The only dramatic introduction of color in the space is through the mosaic shower tiles the rich blue color was chosen by the owner and complements the expanse of glass.

"We recessed the bathroom wall to create a subtlety of difference within the bedroom," says Zack. "This could have been taken a step further, with this inset wall finished in a quite different color. However, the result would have looked much busier, and detracted from the minimalist feel."

Story by: Trendsideas