A touch of drama and LED lighting create ambience-plus.

With Jeanette passionate about interior design and Roger an engineer, they were the right couple to purchase the property and immediately saw its possibilities.

The location was superb with views scanning the Motuihe Channel to the left and Whitford and Shelley Beach to the right. And the couple’s three children loved the place. 

Over several years they made small changes to the original design, but realised there was only so much tinkering they could do. When the family decided they wanted to stay for a few years more, they began planning a major renovation.

A freestanding tap for the freestanding bath.

The original 2800 sqm house eventually became a 3500sqm contemporary, yet comfortable, home with the extra space allowing easier living for a busy, close family. 

Involved in the design process throughout the project, the couple worked with architect Kim Veltman, renovation specialists Finesse Residential and creative designer Anthony Paulsen of Fineline Kitchens in Onehunga. Anthony also assisted with the bathroom designs.

With such a high-powered creative team working on the job, there was every chance the end result would be visually stunning and perform smoothly as well. And it does.

Jeanette and Roger focused on the main bathroom first. A three-quarter dividing wall in maroon glass mosaics from Arte Domus is visible from the foyer and adds a shot of shimmering texture to the space, with a shower tucked discreetly behind.

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Mirror image basins free up space in a small room.

Marbled-effect tiles in chocolate and black – Viva Uptown Tokyo – cover the floor and rectangular and Jasmine White matt stacker tiles line the walls to give a contrasting and sophisticated effect. (All tiles came from Jacobsen Creative Surfaces.)

A rectangular white porcelain basin sits atop customised Wenge cabinetry forming clean lines in this small space. A 500mm Wenge strip also runs between the tiles from floor to ceiling, breaking the starkness and allowing for discreet rear storage. This panel was Roger’s inspiration and has been repeated in the subsequent bathrooms either in Wenge or tiles. Suspended lights above the mirror add a soft glow to the room.

Two other bathrooms on the ground level are a variation on the original design but the piece de resistance has to be Jeanette and Roger’s en suite upstairs. Located off the master bedroom, through the dressing room, it’s a private haven for the owners.  

A black Italian polyethylene freestandingbath by Jan Puylaert, the only one of its kind in the country, sits elegantly by the windows. Light enters through several long picture windows, with one overlooking Shelley Bay. Venetian blinds provide privacy when required and three LED lights, placed in the floor, glow delicately and mysteriously at night.

The same maroon tile from the bathroom downstairs has been used here too – this time covering the dividing support for the back-to-back basins and cabinetry. A suspended double-sided mirror separates the two basins and again hanging lights have been used to great effect. A reasonably small room, the Grices are delighted with the ingenious use of space. 

Masculine tones and accessories for a male domain.

The Tokyo and Jasmine tiles were also selected for the en suite, with the black bath picking up the black tones of the dark tile. There’s a stereo system in place and even wiring for a television but Jeanette has so far delayed its intrusion into this peaceful room.   

A further bathroom belonging to the young man of the house also features Tokyo tiles on the floor and Jasmine on the walls, with a wider band of Tokyo – 1200mm – forming the darker feature on the main wall. Bold leopard-skin print towels add individuality to this male domain and the addition of an antique wooden stool is an original touch.

Not surprisingly, Jeanette and Roger are delighted with the rooms. They all demonstrate clever, economical use of space and in the en suite the angled walls are features in themselves.

“We’ve used similar products and carried through with the visual themes. However, each room still looks individual, and that’s exactly what we wanted.”

Designer: Fineline Kitchens & Bathrooms, Onehunga
Tiles: Jacobsen Creative Surfaces, Orakei
Builder: Finesse Residential, Botany
Bath: Milano Agencies