natural stone bathroom renovation

A natural stone bathroom renovation

The key to this renovation was an industrial look created by natural stone

By Rachel Ogden |

The first thing Natasha and Sam Chandler wanted to do when they bought their first home together as a married couple was to put their own stamp on it – and that included the bathroom.

Embarking on an extensive renovation of their stucco-fronted Victorian duplex, they approached Roselind Wilson, designer and founder of Roselind Wilson Design, to turn their lacklustre master bathroom into something special.

Before and after Natural stone bathroom renovation 2

Photo: Rosalind Wilson Design

‘Natasha and Sam were a young professional, entrepreneurial couple, and both had a love of culture, having lived and worked internationally and travelled extensively,’ she says. ‘They were excited to carry out the refurbishment to their own unique taste, and, since they’d lived in various countries, their style was quite refined. The brief was to create a sophisticated, industrial-look bathroom incorporating a steam shower, bath, double vanity and beautiful natural stone.’

The couple explained to Wilson the overall look and feel they wanted for the bathroom, the kind of stone they liked and showed her some images for inspiration.

‘Natasha and Sam had a long-standing relationship with a specialist marble supplier in Italy, so all the natural stones were carefully selected and a specialist fitting team flown in from Italy to ensure a perfect result,’ she recalls. ‘The rest of the design of the bathroom was organic, starting with the bath, which was placed by the window to take advantage of a beautiful view. Then we repurposed space from the hallway to fit a steam/sauna shower, with a generator housed inside the stud walls. This left the main wall opposite the master bathroom’s entrance for a showcase double vanity. The ceiling heights in the room are almost 3m so we decided on a large mirror and designed this feature to connect the elements.’

Before image

As some of the stone chosen had striking striations, Wilson felt it would be best to use it to create a focal point to define the room.

‘The design started with strong lines, seen in the chunky horizontal vanity top, offset by strong vertical grey limestone storage niches on either side,’ she explains. ‘To balance this, the support bars of the mirror curve gently back towards the wall with further curves provided by the oval surface-mounted bowls. The effect is quietly dramatic. Below, the vanity cupboard doors have a textured surface by XyloCleaf that mimics metal mesh when close up.’

Before and after Natural stone bathroom renovation 3

Photo: Rosalind Wilson Design

By combining different materials, textures and finishes, the bathroom exudes a sense of individuality while remaining luxurious.

‘The stripy stone is honed ocean black travertine, chosen for its warmth, character and consistent veining, without being overbearing,’ says Wilson. ‘Despite its strength in pattern, it is somehow understated and timeless. Urban grey antiqued limestone was then chosen to provide a solid contrast to the movement of the travertine. The metals bring the industrial twist, specified in the client’s brief, without being too cold. Mixing metals, such as the vintage brass taps, bronze metal mirror, radiator and door frames, adds a more authentic feel. The result is a sophisticated yet personal design with all the features of a chic hotel bathroom, but in the comfort of their own home.’

Photo: Rosalind Wilson Design

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