Behind the rolling hills of Arthurs Seat sits “The Farm”, a coastal getaway and future permanent residence for our clients. The modest three bedroom brick home will be renovated and a substantial extension added. The footprint of the extension re-aligns to face the beautiful landscape of the western valley and dam. The new living and dining rooms open onto an entertaining terrace. The distinct roof form of valleys and ridges relate in level to the existing roof for continuation of scale. The new roof cantilevers beyond the extension walls creating emphasis and direction towards the natural views.

Stage two of this project was to renovate the upstairs bathrooms which consisted of main bathroom, powder room, ensuite and walk in robe. A feature wall of hand made subways laid vertically and navy and grey floors harmonise with the downstairs theme. We have achieved a calming space whilst maintaining functionality and much needed storage space.

A serene style ensuite featuring an outdoor bath.
Mid-sized contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a freestanding tub, a corner shower, a two-piece toilet, an integrated sink, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a niche, a double vanity and a floating vanity.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary master bathroom in Brisbane with a freestanding tub, a corner shower, gray tile, ceramic tile, grey walls, ceramic floors, a vessel sink, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a double vanity and a floating vanity.

Photo of a small country kids bathroom in Brisbane with a claw-foot tub, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, subway tile, grey walls, mosaic tile floors, a hinged shower door, a niche, a single vanity and a floating vanity.

Inspiration for a large contemporary master bathroom in Sydney with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a corner tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, beige tile, subway tile, beige walls, marble floors, a pedestal sink, marble benchtops, beige floor, a hinged shower door, multi-coloured benchtops, a niche, a double vanity and a floating vanity.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary master bathroom in Sydney with beaded inset cabinets, grey cabinets, a corner tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a one-piece toilet, beige tile, porcelain tile, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, white floor, an open shower, white benchtops, a single vanity and a floating vanity.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master bathroom in Sydney with dark wood cabinets, a corner tub, a corner shower, yellow tile, mosaic tile, yellow walls, porcelain floors, a vessel sink, solid surface benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, beige benchtops, a niche, a double vanity, a floating vanity and flat-panel cabinets.

The owners love colour and were excited for us to invite fun through colour, pattern and texture across the kitchen cabinets, bathroom tiles and powder room wallpaper.

Photo of a scandinavian bathroom in Melbourne with a freestanding tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a double vanity and a built-in vanity.

Design ideas for an industrial bathroom in Melbourne with an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, white tile, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mount sink, brown floor, a shower curtain and a single vanity.

Photo of a small contemporary master bathroom in Melbourne with white cabinets, a freestanding tub, a corner shower, a wall-mount toilet, gray tile, porcelain tile, white walls, porcelain floors, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops, a niche and a single vanity.

Design ideas for a contemporary master bathroom in Brisbane with light wood cabinets, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, white walls, an undermount sink, grey floor, an open shower, white benchtops, a single vanity, a floating vanity and flat-panel cabinets.

Large beach style master bathroom in Newcastle - Maitland with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, beige tile, a vessel sink, wood benchtops, beige floor, a hinged shower door, a single vanity and a floating vanity.

Photo of a contemporary bathroom in London with a freestanding tub, a corner shower, white tile, white walls and dark hardwood floors.

Madeline Harper Photography
Photo of a large country master bathroom in Austin with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a freestanding tub, a corner shower, white walls, porcelain floors, a drop-in sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door and white benchtops.

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Photo Credit: Emily Redfield
Design ideas for a small traditional master bathroom in Denver with brown cabinets, a claw-foot tub, a shower/bathtub combo, white tile, subway tile, white walls, marble benchtops, grey floor, a shower curtain, white benchtops, an undermount sink and flat-panel cabinets.

Custom flat-panel cabinetry in dark grey contrasts the minimalist monochrome material palette, with white wall tile in various patterns and a barn-style shower enclosure