Upon reflection

Pebble floors, wood finishes and large windows ensure a smooth connection between this master suite and the koi ponds and bamboo groves outside

Image of bathroom which features a glass shower bathroom, cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, floor, flooring, home, interior design, kitchen, real estate, room, brown, orange — Image of bathroom which features a glass shower enclosure, pebbled flooring, lighting, custom made vanity, basin with brass faucetry, mirrors, wall tiles and doors and windows.

Image of glass shower enclosure which features a bathroom, floor, flooring, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, brown, gray

View of master bedroom with ensuite in the carpet, door, floor, flooring, hardwood, interior design, laminate flooring, living room, real estate, room, wood, wood flooring, brown

This Japanese-styled bathroom features a large bathtub with bathroom, home, interior design, room, brown, white

This Japanese-styled bathroom features a large bathtub with cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, interior design, kitchen, room, brown

Recognising the best features of a house, and incorporating them into your renovation project are good indicators of a successful outcome.

Originally, this property was designed in a Japanese style both inside and out, including landscaped gardens with koi ponds and bamboo groves. However, the house itself was due for renovation, with a new master bedroom and bathroom being the first stage of the ongoing project.

Architect and designer Clay Aurell of AB Design says the homeownersbrief was to remodel this wing of the house in keeping with the existing Japanese style.

The project also had to respond sympathetically to the gardens, and provide views to the distant mountains.

"The vision was to have a new master suite that captured the tranquil outlook, and at the same time, provided a spa-like experience," he says.

New doors and windows were added to open up the wall overlooking the deck and gardens.

The deck was extended, and a hot tub that overhangs a small stream and waterfall was integrated into it.

"Inside the house, the space available for the bathroom was quite small, so we had to rely on a few clever tricks with the vanity and shower to create a sense of expansiveness," says the designer.

The owners had already seen the bathtub they wanted, so this element became the focus of the design. Tucked across one end of the room, below a large window, the tub looks across the garden to the mountains. A drainage trough on three sides is filled with small stones.

Because the bathroom is narrow, the vanity is shallower than a traditional vanity. It has wall-mounted taps over two long, narrow basins that run left to right to save space.

A shelf, instead of cabinets or drawers, helps create an open appearance. The shower stall opposite is long rather than deep, so the enclosure has floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides, to maintain the impression of space.

Storage is also cleverly detailed, with the mirror above the vanity concealing a recessed medicine cabinet, and additional space provided by a tall cabinet in the toilet area.

"These devices help make the bathroom feel more spacious than it is," says Aurell.

Materials reflecting the surrounding gardens and the underlying Japanese aesthetic including the landscape pebble used for the floor, and the teak on the vanity, shower base, bath surround and shelving have been incorporated into the design.

Japanese-style sliding shoji screens between the master bedroom and ensuite complete the effect.