The Residence & it’s occupancies
This 1920 Victorian terrace in the inner west of Sydney had been treated with the clinical modern touch by its owners. The home consisted of two very busy city professionals and there much loved pets, three siemes cats
The Brief
The designer was engaged to create a clean, modern space that had a place to hide everything. There current interior is stark, white on white with bright COOL white led lights...bright and white was the name of the game for this set of clients
•Everything to have a home
•Walk in shower
•Minimalistic feel
•A basin that is refined and elegant
•Natural touch
•Good lighting
•White on White
•Concealed & dynamic storage
•Large Mirrors
•Non visible towel rails
•Period features to remain
•ACCESS FOR THE CATS
Limitations
A small footprint and the desire to have every thing away from view left the designer with out a lot of options.
Although the window was north facing the closeness of the neighbour meant that only a small amount of light would filter in.
A poorly placed door with a small nib played havoc in the design development of the space
How the requirements of the client brief were achieved & problems solved
This was a challenge, cutting edge minimal spaces are only successful when the lines are clean and the spaces functional.
The obvious choices were clear from the beginning of the design development, the toilet was best placed to the north, the basin needed to be on the eastern wall and the shower was to be on the southern side of the room.
Once the fixtures where positioned the main problem was how to get ample storage to hide everything these clients had and to also add light and make the space feel larger.
The designer chose to create a wall to wall and floor to ceiling wall of mirror, this would reflect the small amount of light and brighten the space and also reflect all that was going on to make the space feel that much larger. This solution had many benefits, it allowed for the heated towel rails to be concealed inside of the joinery.Ventilation is created at the base of the door with a fan placed in the ceiling space which was vented to fresh air, this allowed for great circulation of air. The rail was installed on a timer with the underfloorheating and programmed to start a hour before and and hour the morning rush. Being a professional couple with a very set schedule this was easily achieved. All personal effects were covered and the basin found it’s location…right next to the window, this tick probably the BOLDEST of lines on the brief, easy access in for the the cats. The cats could come in thru the window onto the basin and down, given the basin is Corian and it retains the heat the cats enjoying sitting in the bowl when the northern light floods in…
On the basin, the designer chose a very streamed line solution, made from Corian and only 12mm thin it magically floated from the wall of mirror. The wall mounted taps also float thru the mirror, above the basin and to the right is very generous storage for everyday personal effects.
To give this space a greater feeling of space is frameless shower screen, the designer chose to create one that was oversized to play with the very high ceiling, the ceiling rose was originally going to be removed but thru the process of fit our we engaged a heritage plaster restorer to come in and restore the plaster and architraves around the traditional windows to add warmth t this clinical space. It was then chosen to add a feature pendant to the rose that match eh rest of the pendants I the home
To create a further streamline addition the designer chose the 3mm shower soaker by Gessi as it's refined detail and thinness defies gravity and sites so perfectly in the minimal space. Tow corianshower niches were created for ease of cleaning and to house everyday elements for the shower.
The final thing to chose was the palette, the designer needed warmth, with the period features there was a need to tie back to the period. Alba marble was selected for Its resemblance to the period as carrera was to veiny for the client, Alba offered a consistency the clients loved and also added movement and nature to the space.
The lighting was simple like the over all appearance, feature light to the centre and three. Down lights obove the wall to wall storage.
The hero of this design is the clean simple nature of the design solution, the lines are in perfect balance and crisp and very sharp. The floated basin magically hanging from the mirror and the way this engaged with ALL of its occupants
Elegant simplicity with total functionality
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