HG bathroom special
186 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE &GARDEN
Patina and texture work wonders in this expertly designed under-the-stairs powder room.
THE BRIEF
Wishing to maximise every
centimetre of space in her
sydney townhouse Kate Nixon,
Australian House & Garden’s
interiors and houses editor
and director of studio Kate,
carved out a spot under her
stairs for a powderroom.
“it might only be 2x1m but we
hadheight on our side,” she
says. “i wanted to bring in
texture and patina via the
terracotta tiles, which feature
elsewhere in the house.”DESIGN APPROACH
“i’d been waiting for the right
project to use a mei & picchi
washstand i loved – and this
was it,” she says. Kate had her
builderset a niche into the wall
so it could be accommodated
perfectly. a tall arched mirror,
designedto drawthe eye
upwards, was custom-made
for the space, as was a slim
stone shelf. tapware is kept
understatedto allowthe
terracotta and bronze lights
to take top billing. the owl
paintingis the first thing visitors
see when theystep into the
space. “my husband and i both
separately spotted it in the
windowof a local gallery and
we each told the other about
it. it was meant to be!”#
Studio Kate;
studiokate.com.au.[
NATURAL CHARM
]Key piecesMei & Picchiwashstand,from $1960, Surestyle. Mizu Driftwall basin set,$245, Reece. Italian terracottatiles,$360/m2,
Aeria Country Floors. Custom-mademirror,$418, Livinglass. Hunzawall lights,$219/each, Light Up Kingsford. Ferm Living brass
towel ring, $79, Designstuff.Barn Owlartwork by Alex Louisa.✚Outside chance
Outdoor lights
are a smart choice
for a wet area;
they’re designed to
be durable enough
to handle moisture.✚Good shapeSculptural
washstands come into their
own in powder rooms; storage
isn’t an issue, so good looks
can take precedence.Photograph by Maree Homer.