The first of many: a bathroom and laundry renovation in Heidelberg, Melbourne

Working to move in 

The most exciting aspect of becoming a homeowner — second only to procuring your home — is shaping it to match your personality and lifestyle. After closing on her property, Heidelberg homeowner Clare was ready to start making her mark on her 1970s brick-faced villa. 
She hadn’t yet moved in and wanted to execute some work before then. Clare intended to renovate the entire property over time but to keep within budget, she planned to stagger the makeover. First up were the bathroom and laundry.
To help her on her renovation journey, Clare reached out to Refresh Renovations Melbourne. Local Renovation Consultant, Paul Cree, got in touch.

Making decisions

When Clare and Paul met, she showed him the loose plans of what the future of her home looked like so the two could keep that in mind throughout their conversations and planning. Clare’s main concern at the time was the poorly laid out bathroom and laundry. She explained that she wanted to adopt a European-style laundry (one in which the laundry is concealed within a closet or designated room) and combine the toilet and main bathroom, which were currently separated. 
Paul worked closely with both Clare and his in-house interior designer to come up with a plan that brought his client’s vision to life. Once they finalised the details, and Clare approved the $39,000 estimate, Paul got to work organising the build phase. The crew had a tight turnaround as Clare was waiting until the project was finished to move in. 

Well built and fantastically designed

Coordinating and timing the many trades for the project proved to be challenging. However, thanks to Paul’s spot-on project management and excellent relationships with contractors and suppliers, they were able to deliver the project within one month. 
The team’s hard work resulted in a beautiful, airy design that is true to Clare’s taste. Vertically mounted stack bond tiles in powder blue supply a modern yet calming feel, perfect for a bathroom sanctuary. Combining the separate toilet and main bathroom freed up valuable floor space and allowed for the spacious new layout including a wetroom-style walk-in shower and accompanying soaker tub. Modern finishings such as the backless toilet, circular basin, and floating backlit mirror contribute to the contemporary design Clare was after.

Looking ahead

Despite the compact footprint of the bathroom, Paul and the team delivered a fantastic design that takes advantage of every free corner, resulting in a stylish and functional space. Every thoughtful detail is reflective of Clare’s personal style and will be the cornerstone for her home’s subsequent renovations. 
While this project focused mainly on the bathroom and laundry, Paul also took the time to offer advice for what Clare had planned moving forward. They talked about the next stages, which could include reconfiguring the interior layout in favour of open-plan, updating the exterior and hardscaping with a new deck, and encouraging flow between the property’s living areas and al fresco spaces. 
Once Clare’s budget aligns with the projects, she plans to continue the renovation in stages as her and Paul discussed — an exciting outlook for the brick villa.

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