Master Magic
Case Study: Rowville Reno - Master Suite
The renovation of the master suite was one of the most important spaces for us. After all, we do spend a third of our lives in the bedroom!
The master bedroom suite was actually one of the first spaces we tackled in this renovation. We wanted a moody ensuite to replace the existing outdated (and leaky) one.
During our first inspection of the home pre-purchase, we noted there was a decent sized WIR and ensuite to the master bedroom. Both were underutilized spatially - the WIR had cupboard doors sitting within walls limiting storage potential and the ensuite had the toilet partitioned off as a separate room. There was definitely potential!
The aim of the design for the master suite was to create an intimate, cozy and most importantly comfortable space.
We knew we didn’t require a large set of rooms - but rather prioritized ambience and comfort. The depth of the bedroom was actually reduced to include a set of cupboards facing the entry, maximizing the storage capacity of the house.
Pre reno - Existing ensuite
Post reno - Ensuite
Pre Reno - Walk in robe looking towards ensuite
Post Reno - Walk in robe looking towards ensuite
Pre Reno - Existing Master bedroom
Post Reno - Master bedroom
CLICK BELOW TO OUR ROOM BY ROOM POSTS FOR BEFORE & AFTER SHOTS
Layout
The existing master suite had good bones, it was a matter of tweaking some internal walls to maximize storage and practicality.
Some space was borrowed from the bedroom to add a wall of storage cupboards opening onto the hallway. This allowed for shoe and linen storage aswell as a built in hall table.
Previously, the WIR was closed off on each side by a wall and shelves were accessed by double doors. As the room was quite deep on both sides, this resulted in a tight, dark space beyond the doors. The redesigned WIR saw a reduction in depth and removal of the enclosing walls and doors on each side. One full length joinery unit was added to each wall forming a walk through robe to the ensuite.
The additional space created by reducing the depth of the WIR allowed a niche to be introduced in the ensuite to house the toilet suite. This extra space also permitted a freestanding bathtub to be installed where the shower area was previously. The existing highlight window was replaced with a larger picture window to frame a view of landscaping outside.
Pre Reno - Existing plan of master bedroom, walk-in-robe, powder & ensuite
Post Reno - Reconfigured layout of master bedroom, walk-through-robe & ensuite
Design, Finishes & Specifications
The ambience we wanted for the master bed and ensuite was a relaxing, private space. We did this through the use of dark moody tones in the tiles and feature walls. Warm pendant and lamp lighting offset the dark walls creating an overall intimate feel and complimenting the modest room sizes. This was further emphasized by the warm timber laminate selection for the WIR cabinets and vanity unit.
Larger format tiles were used in the ensuite on the walls and floors to give an impression of a homogeneous surface. Some interest is added by the penny round feature wall tiles to the shower wall and toilet niche. Black accents feature throughout and round vanities to match the circular theme throughout the rest of the house.
Ensuite Moodboard
Ensuite Design 3D Sketch
Post Reno - master ensuite
Specifications
| Item | Finish | Color/Brand | Design Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet | Wool Loop Pile | Cavalier Bremworth Levante "Felucca" | A cool grey wool carpet chosen for its texture and hard wearing loop pile |
| Walls/Ceiling | Low Sheen Paint | British Paints Star White | A budget choice, British Paints is roughly 30% cheaper then Dulux and Taubmans but still had a good range of whites to choose from |
| Feature Wall | Low Sheen Paint | Dulux Blue Rhapsody | We couldn't resist the huge range of blues Dulux stocks, so for a feature wall you can always splash out as it is only a small area |
| WIR Cabinet Handles | Lip Pulls | Black | Black cabinet handles to match the black accents in the ensuite |
| WIR Cabinets | Laminate | Polytec Prime Oak Woodmatt | |
| Ensuite Vanity Unit | Laminate | Polytec Prime Oak Woodmatt | A warm timber look compliments the warm grey tiles and cold surfaces, lifting the space |
| Ensuite Wall/Floor Tiles | Porcelain 600x600 | National Tiles Mexicana Grey Natural | A warm grey stone look tile. Often using the same tile for your walls and floor can help a small room look larger |
| Ensuite Feature Wall Tiles | Porcelain Tiles 305x288 | National Tiles Pietra Grey Penny Round | We chose a mosaic tile to a small section of the ensuite to reduce costs and maximize impact |
| Ensuite Tap | Bench Mount, Brass | Highgrove Bathrooms Spin Nero Gooseneck Matte Black | We chose this gooseneck mixer to soften the angles of the ensuite and match the round basin |
| Ensuite Vanity Basin | Above Bench, Vitreous China | Highgrove Bathrooms Eden Matt White | When choosing a basin type, consider the depth and height of your vanity bench aswell as the amount of space available in your wetroom |
| PEnsuite Vanity Benchtop | Quartz Stone | YDL Stone Arctic White | To keep within budget, we went with the same stone as the kitchen benchtops in order to minimize wastage on slabs |
| Ensuite Pendant Lights | LED | Beacon Lighting Lunar 1 in Black/Smoke | We chose black pendants to go with the other black accents in the ensuite |
| Ensuite WC Unit | Wall Faced Suite | Caroma Luna | |
| Ensuite Shower System | ABS | Methven Krome 100 Twin Shower System Matte Black | We love this shower system with a good sized rain and separate hand shower - easy for cleaning |
| Ensuite Bath Mixer | Wall Mount, Brass | Highgrove Bathrooms Spin Nero Half Turn Set Matt Black | Again, this wall assembly set was chosen for its form and color to match the other fittings & fixtures |
| Ensuite Bath Spout | Floor Mount, Brass | Highgrove Bathrooms, Spin Nero Freestanding Matte Black | We chose this spout for the convenience of having a floor mounted outlet to a freestanding bath. This allows the knob set to be mounted on a convenient wall location independently |
| Ensuite Bathtub | Freestanding, Acrylic | Highgrove Bathrooms, Lucini Freestanding Bath | The width of the ensuite only allowed for a compact bath so we chose a 1500mm wide model. Acrylic, although the cheaper option is easy to clean and does not stain easily when compared to solid surface units. |
Demolition, Framing & Plasterboard
During the demolition works in the ensuite, we discovered incorrect waterproofing underneath the shower area which resulted in water leakage through to the subfloor.
This was an unforeseen cost as a few joists had to be reinforced or replaced. Always ensure on your renovations that you have budgeted for a healthy contingency amount (15-20% min) as unknown issues will always pop up during the course of the renovation.
Re-plastering the walls presented a perfect opportunity to upgrade the existing insulation. We replaced these with a product that had better thermal and sound insulation properties.
During Reno - Demolition of existing walk-in-robes and ensuite
During Reno - Framing to new walk-through-robe and ensuite
During Reno - Ensuite plasterboard and joinery installed - waiting on waterproofing
Painting, Joinery & Flooring
The main joinery in the master suite was the vanity bench and the cabinets in the walk in robe. Once the base carcasses were in and waterproofing was down, the tiler could start on his work.
Although the penny rounds came in tiles, they were fiddly to match and was the most time consuming part of the tiling. Generally your tiler will charge a higher rate for installing mosaic tiles due to the additional time required and extra grout.
We painted a feature wall in the bedroom a dark color to match the mood of the ensuite. A neutral loop pile wool carpet was installed to compliment any decor scheme within the space.
During Reno - Tiles in!
During Reno - Master bedroom feature wall
Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Ensuite Wall/Floor Tiles (Supply only) | $2,200 |
| Ensuite Feature Wall Tiles (Supply only) | $2,940 |
| Ensuite Tap (Supply Only) | $170 |
| Ensuite Vanity Basin (Supply only) | $270 |
| Ensuite Pendant Lights (Supply only) | $270 |
| Ensuite WC Unit | $530 |
| Ensuite Shower System (Supply Only) | $400 |
| Ensuite Bath Mixer | $120 |
| Ensuite Bath Spout | $290 |
| Ensuite Bathtub | $1,100 |
| Cabinet Handles | $50 |
| Bedroom Curtains | $950 |
Get the Look (Click on the links)
Walls, Ceiling Paint: BRITISH PAINTS “STAR WHITE”
Bedroom Feature Wall Paint: DULUX “BLUE RHAPSODY”
Carpet: CAVALIER BREMWORTH LEVANTE “FELUCCA”
Joinery: WOODTEC
Armchair: AMART - DISCONTINUED
Side Lamps: BEACON LIGHTING BELLE SQUAT 2 LIGHT LAMP
Curtains: ISEEKBLINDS WEYLANDS “TRANQUIL” BLOCKOUT
Side Tables: BEDSHED ZANDER BEDSIDE
Windows: ACCENT WINDOWS
Ensuite Wall/Floor Tiles: NATIONAL TILES MEXICANA GREY NATURAL
Ensuite Feature Wall Tiles: NATIONAL TILES PIETRA GREY PENNY ROUNDS
Ensuite Tap: HIGHGROVE BATHROOMS SPIN NERO GOOSENECK MATTE BLACK
Ensuite Vanity Basin: HIGHGROVE BATHROOMS EDEN BENCH MOUNT BASIN MATT WHITE
Ensuite Pendant Lights: BEACON LIGHTING LUNAR 1 CYLINDER/ROUND PENDANT IN BLACK/SMOKE
Ensuite WC Unit: CAROMA LUNA WALL FACED TOILET SUITE
Coming up next week: Living & Dining!
Dream Home Design
Our full design & guided permitting services for single homes delve deep into the lifestyle values behind the checklist. Ditch the project overwhelm and let us improve the wellbeing and quality of life of your family with designs that align with your true needs
Layout Explorer
Feeling uncertain about starting your new home project? Don’t want to commit to tens of thousands in fees without some initial advice and guidance? Or not sure you want to commit to a project at all because of cost uncertainty?
Our low investment Layout Explorer Package will cut through the fluff, equipping you with what you need to make an informed decision and move forward with confidence.