The clients for this coastal Narrow Neck home wanted their bathroom to take full advantage of the views of Rangitoto
Clever design helps to keep this exposed bathroom completely private
This outdoor bathroom overlooks the ocean and Rangitoto Island and although the balcony is exposed to the wide blue yonder it remains completely private. Here, Sue Hillery discusses the surprising challenge of supporting a bath on a cantilevered balcony.
This bathroom overlooks the ocean. What were the challenges of creating this space?
The aspect from the home across to Rangitoto is just breathtaking, so it was essential to work out how to capture and frame this view while attending to issues of privacy.
The sliding vertical hardwood louvres allow the filtering of light, and seclusion from the neighbours without obscuring the vista over the water. A more hidden challenge was the calculation of the bath weight filled with water and two people loaded on a cantilevered balcony: as much as 790kg. The engineer was surprised!
When do the owners use this space?
Mostly at dusk or in the evening. Once the day is complete, all you want to do is sit back, soak and relax.
What elements do you think make an ideal bathroom?
Proportion and accurate tiling. You also need to listen to the client describe their wish-list, then create a composition that’s both functional and harmonious with the selected materials. Everyone has different interpretations of how you bathe, the ideal water pressure and even how the towels are folded. You could say that designing bathrooms is like architectural therapy.
Design details
Decking Purple Heart hardwood timber with Sikkens clear polish.
Ceiling Western red cedar with Dryden Wood Oil finish.
Bath ‘Haven’ stone composite bath by Apaiser from Metrix.
Tapware By Vola from Metrix.
Shelving unit White tinted lacquer on western red cedar, designed by Sue Hillery, fabricated by David White Cabinets.
Image by: Simon Devitt.
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