Designing a bathroom that feels luxurious, minimal, and practical for a young family is no easy feat — but that’s exactly what Nina Di Marco from YDM Design Studio achieved in this thoughtful renovation. What makes this bathroom makeover particularly unique is that instead of knocking down walls to open up the space, she did the opposite: transforming a large, under-utilised bathroom into two highly functional zones.
We chat with the designer to find out more about this project and to get her top tips for creating a bathroom that will stand the test of time.
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This timeless bathroom features a beautiful balance of form and function.
“With this renovation, our clients had collected some inspiration images of what they wanted their new bathroom to be. The images all had the same theme of looking clean, minimal and luxurious,” Nina explains.
“From here, we selected materials and finishes that would give this same feeling, keeping in mind the size and layout of the space we had to work with. And also remembering that ultimately, this would be the kids bathroom.
“A timeless bathroom need to feel balanced. It can have different types of tiles, benchtops and tapware finishes, but the thing they all have in common is a sense of balance.
I love the Swedish word ‘lagom’ to describe this. It means, ‘Just the right amount.’ Thinking about this space like this allowed us to make considered selections to achieve a space that has just the right amount of contrast and textures.
The hero feature of this bathroom is certainly the stone benchtop.
“For the bathroom benchtop and splashback, we selected Ascot Dolomite from CDK,” Nina tell us.
“The main criteria when it came to selecting the right stone was that the client needed to fall in love with it. We visited CDK together and browsed a few options. Ultimately, they settled on Ascot Dolomite.
“We wanted to make sure we selected a stone that would last well in a main bathroom, was durable and more resistant to stains than marble. With proper care, it can be fairly low maintenance too.
“Although it is the hero of the space, it wasn’t actually the first thing we selected for the bathroom. Before we locked in the stone selection, we’d already chosen the cabinetry and tapware.
“Ascot Dolomite is beautiful, and a really easy stone to work in with the other bathroom elements. It exudes the feeling of clean, minimal and luxury that we were chasing.”
Most bathrooms are looking for more space, whereas this renovation project saw the original all-in-one large bathroom turn into 2 spaces.
“When we first started talking about the project, we were really just looking at updating the space while leaving the layout mostly untouched,” Nina says.
“The client happened to mention how frustrating it was having the bathroom next to the baby’s room. Guests using the bathroom would sometimes wake the baby, so we knew the renovation needed to address this.
“The existing bathroom was large and poorly utilised. It was clear that creating a separate powder room within the space wouldn’t be too much of a compromise.
“The renovation was designed so that no windows or doors had to be moved. Just a new door added in for the powder room. We worked hard to utilise the space as best we could.
“The result is a much more functional space. The bathroom has a large bath, shower and double vanity. The new, separate powder room has a vanity with storage and a deep storage cupboard above the toilet.”
Creating a timeless bathroom doesn’t just happen by accident.
Focus on functionality
“First and foremost, a timeless bathroom needs to be functional. Pay attention to how you plan to use it. Make sure it will actually be comfortable to use and travel through,” Nina suggests.
“Does it have enough storage and bench space? All these details are important, no matter how small they seem. Ask yourself things like where will you hang the bathmat? Where will you charge your toothbrush? Where will the dirty clothes go?”
Quality = timeless
“Timeless design needs to be long lasting,” Nina says. “It’s important to prioritise materials and finishes that are durable and built to last. Also, take the time to think about materials that are healthy for you. Avoid paints with VOCs (volatile organic compounds).”
Add a touch of nature
“Natural materials are always timeless and add a beautiful texture to the space,” Nina says. “Whether it’s a natural stone, terrazzo or timber, even a small amount of natural materials can really take the space to the next level.”
Say no to trends
“This one seems pretty obvious but is worth repeating,” says Nina. “Don’t just select things because you’ve seen them everywhere! Instead, choose finishes, materials and colours that speak to you and that you know you will still enjoy in years to come.”
Thank you so much to Nina for showing us around this gorgeous bathroom renovation project. We especially loved her tips on creating a timeless bathroom – did you find her suggestions helpful? For more design projects from YDM Design Studio, be sure to visit their website or explore their Instagram feed.
