Australian House & Garden — June 2017

Photograph by Derek Swalwell.

Moody neutrals rule in this

petite but perfectly formed

guest bathroom in Melbourne.

BATHING

BEAUTY

The brief“Absolutely no white tiles” was the main

request from the empty-nester owners of this guest

bathroom. Fiona Austin, interior designer and director of

Austin Design Associates, took note. “Other than that, we

were given free rein,” she says. “We opted for a limestone

vanity top and niche, then matched the floor and wall tiles

to the grey colour palette used throughout the home.”

FIXTURES

Vanity top in honed Turko

Argento limestone,

$300/m2, CDK Stone;

cdkstone.com.au.

Kado Lure Petite bath

$1787, Reece; 1800 032

566 or reece.com.au.

Icon A69.08.V5 bath

spout, $1648, Astra

Walker; (02) 8838 5100

or astrawalker.com.au.

Crusted 05 200x1200mm

porcelain wall tiles,

$110/m2, and Materia

Project Bark 05 100x1200

porcelain floor tiles in

Warm Grey, $110/m2, Ital

Ceramics; (03) 9387 5911

or italceramics.com.au.

Austin Design

Associates, Brighton,

Victoria; (03) 9592

6411 or austindesign.

com.au.

CASE

STUDY

small-space

solution

4

The design approach Finding the perfect spot for a

small freestanding bath informed the design of this 2.9x2.5m bathroom.

“From there, our focus was ensuring the space didn’t feel too clinical,”

says Fiona. Warmth comes from the extra-long wall tiles. “They’re

beautiful; the size is striking and their texture is quite unusual,” she explains.

The lack of natural light is countered by LEDs in the ceiling and a strip light

around the mirror. A major feature is the honed Turko Argento limestone

used on the vanity top and niche. Its soft, cloud-like grain is much admired.

“The result is an elegant, timeless bathroom,” says Fiona. >

MATERIALS PALETTE

Limestone, porcelain, timber veneer

TOP TIP

‘Look beyond Carrara

for your marble.

You’ll find some

equally beautiful

stones out there.’

156 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

HG BATHROOM SPECIAL