Bathrooms: a Wellington bathroom with an ocean view

A Wellington bathroom by Parsonson Architects takes its cues from an amazing view. The palette of the sea and bush is brought inside by the blue and green tiles. Here, Sam Donald explains what they were trying to achieve with the design.

Wellington Parsonson Architects bathroom. Photograph by Paul McCredie.
This Wellington bathroom takes its cues from the view. The plinth defines a relaxation zone, with timber selected to tie in with the Victorian Ash of the living spaces. Photograph by Paul McCredie.

 

HOME What were you aiming to achieve with this bathroom, and how did you go about doing so with your design?
Sam Donald, Parsonson Architects The aim was to create a comfortable and highly personalised space as a retreat from the public parts of the house. The tiling and cabinetry pick up on the geometries of the house and the raised bath plinth defines a zone of relaxation, with a view.

HOME How does your choice of bathroom materials relate to the rest of the house?
Sam Donald The timber plinth for the bath echoes the Victorian Ash flooring used throughout the living spaces and in the cabinetry. The blue and green glass tiles relate to the palette of sea, sky and bush that the house perches above.

HOME What makes a good bathroom, in general design terms?
Sam Donald A good bathroom is firstly functional but also unique to its situation and should make the most of the available space, light and view while maintaining privacy.

Design details

Bath ‘Centro Duo Oval’ bath by Kaldewei from Metrix, Plumbing World.
Vanity Designed by Parsonson Architects with Victorian Ash drawer fronts, and a Brazilian Superwhite Quartz top from Bramco. Fabricated by Renalls Joinery.
Tapware ‘Quadro’ stainless steel tapware from Shipwright Agencies/Plumbing World.
Wall tiles Glass mosaics from European Ceramics.
Floor tiles ‘Inox Lappato’ by Casalgrande Padana from SpazioCasa.
Timber flooring Victorian Ash.
Lighting Wall lights designed by Parsonson Architects, ‘Strange 50’ uplights by Wevre & Ducre from Concept Lighting, LED strip lighting included in cabinetry by Renalls Joinery.

Related articles

Natural clarity

Designed to merge into its coastal environs, this island home utilises board and batten cedar cladding to create a gentle visual rhythm that moves gracefully between indoors and out.

Al fresco connection

Utilising the existing design language of a mid-century modern home in Remuera, Johnston Architects and Bespoke Interior Design set about redesigning a pool house and creating an outdoor room, resulting in a trio of interconnected areas spanning indoors and out.

Angle grinder

During a visit to Waiheke a decade or so ago, an architect was struck by a simple, refined sculpture and the way that its ad hoc form, created from a roll of corrugated iron, twisted down a hillside, creating and enclosing spaces.

A minimalist Herne Bay ‘city base’

On a prominent street corner in Grey Lynn bordering the heritage zone, this rectilinear addition presents a new and mostly closed face — a bold architectural statement that gives way to refined interior spaces.