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For a contemporary bathroom vanity that can withstand the knocks,

Take a look at the Blue Australia range

Bathroom vanities are one of the hardest-working pieces of furniture in the home. We use them for everyday tasks such as brushing our teeth, shaving, applying our make-up and fixing our hair. As such, they need to be tough enough to withstand constant use.

The blue Australia range of bathroom furniture from Architectural Designer Products is made to withstand all these daily rigours.

Director Andrew Jones says the range draws on the latest European designs, featuring clean, contemporary lines.

“Our dedicated team is committed to producing stylish, yet practical, high quality bathroom furniture. Our friendly and helpful sales staff ae always willing to assist with inquiries.”

The Balmoral and Clovelly vanities are made from moisture- resistant, medium density fibreboard and the components are locked together with metal pins. They also have a solid back for added strength.

The hinges come with a lifetime guarantee, and all cabinetry is fitted with the Blum full-extension metal drawer system and an anti-slam damper system to ensure doors close softly.

The vanities are coated in white polyurethane or Wenge, Select Beech or Young Beech Laminex laminate, and come either wall hung or white a kick board.

The basins in the Balmoral and Clovelly ranges are raised above 12mm thick glass tops that have been screen-printed on the underside and toughened to give them a fresh, aqua green colour.

Also available in the Blue Australia range is the Wall Buddy – a half partition wall that provides privacy for the toilet, storage space for towels, and a cupboard.

A sculptured bathtub takes pride of place in this master bedroom.

If a bathtub is more akin to a work of art than a piece of utility furniture, why hide it away in a master ensuite?

This ivory bathtub for instance, is made from crushed almond shells. Rather than sitting in the bathroom, it has taken up residence in the master bedroom of a house designed by Glenn Holmes, of Design Department.

“The homeowners are parents to three lively children and their master suite is their sanctuary. Enjoying a bath at the end of the day is one of those indulgences that they couldn’t bear to consign to a small ensuite bathroom,” he says.

Elevated on a teak platform, the bath is positioned directly opposite the bed. From its curvaceous form, the bather has a view out the window that takes in Sydney’s middle hard our.

The teak platform serves a number of purposes. Practically, it ensures the carpet isn’t destroyed by bath water- there is a stainless steel tray beneath the tub to collect water that is easily accessible for cleaning. Aesthetically, the teak platform evokes a nautical theme that is prevalent throughout the home’s interior design.

Behind the tub, the walls are painted white to provide a blank canvas for artwork and to offer a light backdrop for the bathtub during the day.

“It’s about providing a bathing experience that includes a stunning view- a comfortable place to soak where you can either relax or converse with your partner without interruption,” Holmes says.

To complete the picture, the bedroom is fitted with a state-of-the-art sound system.

The separate ensuite is reserved for daily cleansing rituals and includes a shower and toilet. Twin basins are separated by a central pedestal, which houses linen and toiletries.

The porcelain bowl and timber vanities echo the bathtub and platform in the bathroom. The tumbled marble floor has the same dept and variety as the bedroom carpet, but is a more practical surface for a bathroom floor.

Rustic charm mixes with contemporary flair in the bathrooms of this

new house, which was built with materials from an old barn

Nostalgia is not just a fond remembrance of times gone by- it can also influence many of the decisions we make, including the way we choose to live.

One of the owners of the home featured here, architect Richard Landry, grey up in the Quebec countryside and retains a love of traditional farm buildings. Given the opportunity to acquire an old barn, he says he jumped at the chance, shipping the building in pieces to Los Angeles.

To day, the barn is resurrected within a new dwelling where rustic beams and cladding sit a long side more contemporary design elements.

“It was never our intention to re-create the original barn,” says Landry. “Rather, we wanted to use it in a contemporary context, re- using the wood as accents within the house.”

For example, Landry and co-owner Robert Carrola used cladding from the barn for interior doors and to create the wall behind the bed in the master bedroom, where the juxtaposition of styles is just as noticeable.

“The wood is in its original, unfinished state,” says Landry. “It is also used for columns in the wardrobe and dressing room.”

The master bedroom adjoins one of two large sheet-metal silos positioned at either end of the house. These circular structures accommodate the bathrooms.

Rustic beams also crisscross the ceiling of the bedroom and master bathroom. Other raw materials include split-face concrete block walls and unfinished steel, which has been left to develop its own patina.

“Leaving the structural elements and the ducting exposed is a rather contemporary gesture,” says Landry.

A modern look is also provided by the soff it ceiling that appears to float above the bed. This features down lights and subtle cove lighting.

In the master bathroom, an antique oak wine barrel has been made into a cabinet and is paired with a pedestal basins and claw – foot bath. The colour full marble flooring slabs were book-matched so the joints cannot be seen.

A separate steam shower room beside the gym has a more modern feel, with a glass basin and granite seating.

Natural materials come to the fore again in the powder room, which features a large block of granite, carved and polished to create a basin. This is supported by rustic wood column.

A window in this bathroom opens onto a small, trellised garden,

ushering in sunlight and helping to create a sense of space

Here are few things more revitalizing than taking a shower under the sun or beneath the stars. But welcoming in nature –with- out compromising privacy- is challenge when designing a small bathroom that is overlooked by neighbouring houses.

In the bathroom featured here, architect Thomas Tow of Tow Francis Architecture+ Urban Design has made full use of the natural light that shines through the window. Behind the glass is a custom- built planter box enclosed in a wooden trellis. The trellis is placed upside down so that its stats are positioned upwards. This means anyone using the shower can view the sky but not be seen from the outside, says Tow.

“The trellis screens out the neighbours without compromising the natural light. When the window is open, it makes the bathroom appears much larger than it actually.”

To ensure this small bathroom didn’t seem claustrophobic or appear cluttered, a limited palette of natural materials has been used.

“The client wanted the look and atmosphere of a mountain spa. We chose stone tiling for the walls and floor, complemented by wooden framing around the mirrors,” Tow says.

The quartzite stone tiles were cut to a size of 300 x 300m. Although stone is a heavy material, the tiles have adds to the feeling of being in a tropical resort, says Tow.

By placing a mirror above the basin and mirrors along the wall opposite the window, the bathroom appears to double in size. Behind these mirrors are his and her cabinets. A shelf buit into the stone tiled wall below the cabinets houses the towels.

The basin is a single, sculptural piece that has been mounted onto the wall. The mirrored cabinets and the linen cupboard above the toilet eliminate the need for vanity cabinets below the basin.

“To keep the design simple, every fitting and piece of furniture has a purpose,” says Tow.

Separating the shower and toilet is a glass screen, stretching halfway across the shower area.

“No door has been installed because none was required- the glass screen is enough to contain the water inside the shower,” he says.

The sunken shower floor is reminiscent of Japanese design and adds a certain exotic appeal.

“Lowering the floor heightens the shower experience. The person using the shower feels utterly enclosed in the space,” says Tow.