Challenges and Solutions – Old Bathrooms in Apartment Buildings

An ensuite in a St Lucia apartment that was once dark and boxy has been opened up thanks to an understanding of what makes a space really ‘work’.

My client’s ensuite redesign needed to consider restrictions of existing plumbing in a multi-story apartment complex yet meet their goals to modernise. The locations of the shower, bath, basin and toilet had to remain where they were, as the solidly built apartment was constructed in the 1970’s. Despite these layout challenges the ensuite now feels spacious and exudes elegance with a classical style. High quality finishes, tapware and fittings were selected to add a level of luxury synonymous with apartment living.

What I did with a small shower:

The shower area was once a small square space in the corner. I decided to move the shower head to the adjacent wall and position the new semi-frameless glass shower screen so that it returned at an angle off the lower bath hob, to create a more generous shower.  Truncated showers are a great solution for small spaces and in this case the client was really happy with the result of a larger shower area.

How to create a great vanity in a narrow space:

The vanity, whilst needing to be narrow within the space, still provides ample storage solutions with shelving and drawers behind the moulded door fronts.   With twin basins the vanity unit was quite long, but I created a solution to step it ‘in’ where a bench-to-ceiling-height door is accessible in the middle.  In doing so I effectively reduced the visual bulk of the vanity unit, and made it appear like a stunning furniture piece.  I pride myself on the details that make all the difference.  Wall mounted taps also meant that the bench did not need to be so deep.

Other things that help:

The detailed marble mosaic floor tiles and bevelled edge subway wall tiles breathe new interest into the space. Elegant mirrors with bevelled edges and curved tops add to the elegance with soft wall lighting to complete the finishing touches.  The before photos show how different it used to be!  My client feels like she lives in a luxury hotel everyday now with such a beautiful space. I was honoured to make her dream a reality