This artistic and design-forward family approached us at the beginning of the pandemic with a design prompt to blend their love of midcentury modern design with their Caribbean roots. With her parents originating from Trinidad & Tobago and his parents from Jamaica, they wanted their home to be an authentic representation of their heritage, with a midcentury modern twist. We found inspiration from a colorful Trinidad & Tobago tourism poster that they already owned and carried the tropical colors throughout the house — rich blues in the main bathroom, deep greens and oranges in the powder bathroom, mustard yellow in the dining room and guest bathroom, and sage green in the kitchen. This project was featured on Dwell in January 2022.

Showee Niche in Renovated Upstairs Full Bathroom for Loft Bedroom. New Ceramic Tile (for Floors/Walls and Shower), New Vanity, Marble Top, Lighting and Shower.

AFTER: Modern bohemian bathroom with pattern cement tiles and reclaimed wood vanity.

Project Description Set on the 2nd floor of a 1950’s modernist apartment building in the sought after Sydney Lower North Shore suburb of Mosman, this apartments only bathroom was in dire need of a lift. The building itself well kept with features of oversized windows/sliding doors overlooking lovely gardens, concrete slab cantilevers, great orientation for capturing the sun and those sleek 50’s modern lines. It is home to Stephen & Karen, a professional couple who renovated the interior of the apartment except for the lone, very outdated bathroom. That was still stuck in the 50’s – they saved the best till last. Structural Challenges Very small room - 3.5 sq. metres; Door, window and wall placement fixed; Plumbing constraints due to single skin brick walls and outdated pipes; Low ceiling, Inadequate lighting & Poor fixture placement. Client Requirements Modern updated bathroom; NO BATH required; Clean lines reflecting the modernist architecture Easy to clean, minimal grout; Maximize storage, niche and Good lighting Design Statement You could not swing a cat in there! Function and efficiency of flow is paramount with small spaces and ensuring there was a single transition area was on top of the designer’s mind. The bathroom had to be easy to use, and the lines had to be clean and minimal to compliment the 1950’s architecture (and to make this tiny space feel bigger than it actual was). As the bath was not used regularly, it was the first item to be removed. This freed up floor space and enhanced the flow as considered above. Due to the thin nature of the walls and plumbing constraints, the designer built up the wall (basin elevation) in parts to allow the plumbing to be reconfigured. This added depth also allowed for ample recessed overhead mirrored wall storage and a niche to be built into the shower. As the overhead units provided enough storage the basin was wall hung with no storage under. This coupled with the large format light coloured tiles gave the small room the feeling of space it required. The oversized tiles are effortless to clean, as is the solid surface material of the washbasin. The lighting is also enhanced by these materials and therefore kept quite simple. LEDS are fixed above and below the joinery and also a sensor activated LED light was added under the basin to offer a touch a tech to the owners. The renovation of this bathroom is the final piece to complete this apartment reno, and as such this 50’s wonder is ready to live on in true modern style.

Karen Dorsey Photography

Salle de bain parentale équipée d'une douche à l'italienne et d'une baignoire. Le tout est agrémenté de carrelage effet terrazzo pour apporter cette touche d'originalité et d'authentique.

The previous owners had already converted the second bedroom into a large bathroom, but the use of space was terrible, and the colour scheme was drab and uninspiring. The clients wanted a space that reflected their love of colour and travel, taking influences from around the globe. They also required better storage as the washing machine needed to be accommodated within the space. And they were keen to have both a modern freestanding bath and a large walk-in shower, and they wanted the room to feel cosy rather than just full of hard surfaces. This is the main bathroom in the house, and they wanted it to make a statement, but with a fairly tight budget!

In this project, Glenbrook Cabinetry helped to create a modern farmhouse-inspired master bathroom. First, we designed a walnut double vanity, stained with Night Forest to allow the warmth of the grain to show through. Next on the opposing wall, we designed a make-up vanity to expanded storage and counter space. We additionally crafted a complimenting linen closet in the private toilet room with custom cut-outs. Each built-in piece uses brass hardware to bring warmth and a bit of contrast to the cool tones of the cabinetry and flooring. The finishing touch is the custom shiplap wall coverings, which add a slightly rustic touch to the room.

The master bathroom features a custom flat panel vanity with Caesarstone countertop, onyx look porcelain wall tiles, patterned cement floor tiles and a metallic look accent tile around the mirror, over the toilet and on the shampoo niche. The golden sink creates a focal point while still matching the look of the bathroom.

With the clients help and ideas we added this feature of 2 sets of different color glass insert tile int he shower.

Project Description Set on the 2nd floor of a 1950’s modernist apartment building in the sought after Sydney Lower North Shore suburb of Mosman, this apartments only bathroom was in dire need of a lift. The building itself well kept with features of oversized windows/sliding doors overlooking lovely gardens, concrete slab cantilevers, great orientation for capturing the sun and those sleek 50’s modern lines. It is home to Stephen & Karen, a professional couple who renovated the interior of the apartment except for the lone, very outdated bathroom. That was still stuck in the 50’s – they saved the best till last. Structural Challenges Very small room - 3.5 sq. metres; Door, window and wall placement fixed; Plumbing constraints due to single skin brick walls and outdated pipes; Low ceiling, Inadequate lighting & Poor fixture placement. Client Requirements Modern updated bathroom; NO BATH required; Clean lines reflecting the modernist architecture Easy to clean, minimal grout; Maximize storage, niche and Good lighting Design Statement You could not swing a cat in there! Function and efficiency of flow is paramount with small spaces and ensuring there was a single transition area was on top of the designer’s mind. The bathroom had to be easy to use, and the lines had to be clean and minimal to compliment the 1950’s architecture (and to make this tiny space feel bigger than it actual was). As the bath was not used regularly, it was the first item to be removed. This freed up floor space and enhanced the flow as considered above. Due to the thin nature of the walls and plumbing constraints, the designer built up the wall (basin elevation) in parts to allow the plumbing to be reconfigured. This added depth also allowed for ample recessed overhead mirrored wall storage and a niche to be built into the shower. As the overhead units provided enough storage the basin was wall hung with no storage under. This coupled with the large format light coloured tiles gave the small room the feeling of space it required. The oversized tiles are effortless to clean, as is the solid surface material of the washbasin. The lighting is also enhanced by these materials and therefore kept quite simple. LEDS are fixed above and below the joinery and also a sensor activated LED light was added under the basin to offer a touch a tech to the owners. The renovation of this bathroom is the final piece to complete this apartment reno, and as such this 50’s wonder is ready to live on in true modern style.

Justin Lambert

The arch around shower entry is an antique hand carved Moroccan wood. The shower and floor is blue and white Moroccan tile and a Moroccan hanging fixture.

Julie Mikos Photography

A black-framed aluminum glass shower door was used in tandem with classic white tile in an oversized subway and in penny tile on the floor and shampoo shelves.

Photography: Molly Culver Photography