A retro bathroom and ensuite renovation

When the time came for homeowner Julie to renovate her bathroom and ensuite, she contacted Refresh Renovations and, at the recommendation of a friend, asked to work with Melbourne renovation specialist Paul Cree. She wanted to improve the layout and functionality of her bathroom and ensuite, while maintaining the much-loved retro style of her home.
“The bathroom was dated with an old corner bath that really restricted the space, making it feel smaller than it was”, tells Paul. “There was also a glass brick window which meant the room did not have any natural ventilation available. The ensuite had a small shower and the vanity was located under the window which meant the mirror was not useable as it was too low. The layout just had not been thought through, originally.”
In an initial consultation, Paul asked Julie about her ideas and priorities.

Bathroom renovation

“In the bathroom, the aim was to keep a bath while creating a design that would be suitable for the regular use of a shower over the bath - a more spacious layout with a modern design”, explains Paul.
Julie adds that it was important to her to:
“modernise my two bathrooms, respecting the retro style of the house. I wanted to maximise the use of the space in each room and gain functional storage. I was after a stylish and elegant look that included a touch of my favourite style - I love dots/circles within a retro look.”

Bathroom renovation

With this in mind, Paul worked with his highly qualified team to create an initial design and cost estimate for Julie. From there, they were able to make adjustments until the layout, product selections and costs all suited Julie’s style and budget.
“We looked at different layout configurations and found that, with relatively minor adjustments to the layout combined with the clever selection of fixtures, we were able to create a more modern and spacious layout with the functionality required by the owner”, says Paul.

I love my new bathrooms, they have a wow factor but respect the retro style of the house
“It was hard to design and choose the right cabinets, fixtures, and tiles for the renovation”, notes Julie. “However, Paul had access to many options to assist me in my choice. His patience and advice was excellent.”
In designing the ensuite, Paul says a little more consideration was needed to achieve an ideal layout.
“We reconfigured the room by moving the location of the toilet and vanity. The result was a much more practical layout, allowing a large mirror cabinet over the vanity for essential bathroom storage. As part of the works, we also replaced the ensuite window with an aluminium framed window from Bradnams. Julie had a great eye for the selection of tiles and chose some great feature tiles for the splashback and the niche, which created a fantastic effect.”
“The team headed by Paul (who managed the entirety of the project) and Tas (who managed construction) were great to work with. Paul let me take my time to select the colours, materials and styles I wanted but he also recommended quality products that were within my budget. Tas communicated well through the renovation and was good at ensuring it was a quality finish.” 
With the support of Tas, Paul ensured his team of specialists carried out both renovations according to the detailed designs, while keeping within a set budget and timeframe. Each was completed in less than four weeks. 

The final result

“Both rooms were an amazing transformation and look fantastic!”, concludes Paul.
Julie says her favourite features include the penny round splashback tiles in the main bathroom, as well as the retro patterned tiles, which create a wall feature in the ensuite.  
“I love my new bathrooms, they have a wow factor but respect the retro style of the house. The selection of the right tiles made a big difference. The space in each room now works really well and I gained an abundance of storage space, achieving my objectives.”

Contact Refresh

With Refresh, you can sit back, relax and watch your home renovation happen - knowing that everything is being taken care of for you. Sounds good? Get in touch to book a free consultation.

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