Keeping It Local
This husband and wife team transformed a near-derelict house into a welcoming family home – and created a wonderful bathroom that’s perfect for relaxing. Driven by the desire to live in a great beachside location, Cronulla couple Blake and Renee took on a 50-year-old home that was in need of quite bit more than a little TLC. “Revolting and smelly,” Renee may have thought it when she first saw the place, but, as a builder by trade, Blake recognised the potential in the old property – and just six months after moving in, the renovation project was under way. “Blake basically knocked most of it down and rebuilt from scratch, including a new roof!” explains Renee. First to go was the original bathroom. “We knew that the location of the bathroom wouldn’t change with the new plans,” says Renee, “so it was top of our list. We couldn’t bear to live with the original one any longer than necessary – you just don’t feel clean in a dirty bathroom!”
BATHING BEAUTY
Renee based the bathroom design around a large Balinese timber buffet they found at Seminyak Homewares in Cronulla. “The buffet was just perfect for the job. It was exactly what I was looking for!” she explains. “It had six drawers, was just the right height, with a nice, solid feel and wide enough for two basins.” Blake carefully waterproofed the buffet and added a pair of large bowlshaped basins. He continued the timber theme by making two long, timber-framed mirrors, which conceal built-in storage behind. A deep spa bath, large white tiles on the walls and pale natural stone on the floor
completed the picture. “I love my bathroom,” says Renee. “It’s a wonderful place to unwind and this relaxed mood sets the tone for the rest of the house.”
PHOTOGRAPHY TONY POTTER
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