SMALL BATHROOM TRANSFORMATION
This goes back to November 2019 when my husband and I bought our first home in Perth! We decided to buy a 2x1 as a start for multiple reasons, we found our pick and about 4 months later we had the keys of our first little place (yay). I knew what the space needed since the first time we stepped in, and so I started sourcing the materials and planning the design, it was reno time.
We ended up renovating all the rooms, I’ll show you how they’ve changed and the design process behind each one of them step by step, starting with one of the nicest transformations, the bathroom.
Here are the before & after pics
To see these enlarged you can click on each image.
Everyone has a budget!
Including designers (aka me) so prioritizing the items was crucial!
Items worth investing more money in
TILES
I selected good quality tiles (they are Italian manufactured, I know I just couldn’t help it, I love them!) and tiled the walls all the way up to the ceiling, because this makes the room feel more spacious and it helps the lighting bounce around effectively. PLUS fully tiled bathrooms are easy maintenance (you can wipe the walls with a wet cloth and it’s magically all clean), no mould, and last but not least it’s one of the things that will help increase the value of the property!
VANITY
The vanity is @adpaustralia. Initially I had a very different thing in mind, I wanted something more decorative with different basins, but I had to compromise with my husband who gave up on everything else and only made one request: the vanity top to be one whole piece because he finds it a lot more practical. So I decided to take that on board, at the end of the day it’s his house too (haha) and we have to share the same bathroom.
This vanity has everything he wants, and I love the warm touch that it brings to the room with its natural timber finish. It’s great quality and well divided inside, so we are able to use that internal space to store everything and leave the top always neat and clean.
TAPWARE
All tapware is @abeyaustralia in brushed gunmetal finish. The sleek look and simple lines made this range perfect to add a dramatic contrast with the more decorative terrazzo tiles. Great finish, very easy to keep clean, good quality and pretty competitive price too.
On a lower budget
The mirror is @timberline.bp. I liked the shape and the size, plus it was a really good price.
The ‘dressing room’ style lights are @ikea_australia. I wanted the light to come directly and straight to avoid funny shadows and maximise the lighting. I could have done many other things, but time and budget played against creativity, and so I opted for a quick and effective choice.
Towels and décor keep changing around and that’s just how it is! But we found out this year that investing the money on the right items has definitely paid us back as the value of the house has drastically increased also thanks to the renovations! Yay!
I hope this can help you prioritising the items to achieve a functional, aesthetical and mindful design without emptying your wallet! Leave your comments and questions below if you like!
Giulia x
