After completing a kitchen renovation for this family of four, I was asked to assist them with their bathroom renovation.

This space functions as both the family and guest bathroom and the owners’ brief was to create a ‘showstopper’ space that would wow their guests but still function well on a daily basis.

The owner had seen large format tiles in a friend’s bathroom so this was the inspiration behind using such tiles.

They wanted something dark and moody that would also reference their proximity to beautiful Milford Beach and after a lot of searching, we found the perfect tile – The Room, in Black Dahlia.

The dramatic patterning is reminiscent of our sandy shorelines and they provide so much interest in the different patterns on each tile.

The large format tiles measure 260mcm x 120cm and we ultimately used six of them to line three walls.

The room has a ceiling height of 291cm, so we decided to keep the scotia and use the smaller 120x60cm Black Dahlia tile to create a ‘skirting’ that matches the height of the skirtings throughout the rest of the house.

The coordinating mosaic was perfect for the floor – it continues the dramatic colour scheme but breaks up the pattern to add further interest and texture.

The original bathroom had a bath, however as the owners’ children have grown up and no longer use it, they chose to get rid of it, in favour of a larger vanity and shower.

This bathroom only has one person using it as a time, so they favoured a single, statement basin and more bench space over squeezing two basins onto a 120cm-wide vanity.

There was already a large storage cupboard in the bathroom, so a recessed mirror cabinet was not required for storage.

This also helped to reduce the number of cuts required in the large format tiles – the cutting and installation of these was not easy, however the tilers did an incredible job!

The rest of the fittings and fixtures were chosen to complement the colouring in the tiles – the beautiful, coordinating Flaminia basin and toilet in Argilla soften the space, while the gun metal tapware and accessories and timber-look vanity drawers add texture.

The solid surface vanity benchtop has a lovely swirling pattern and provides a highly functional material for the bathroom.

The finishing touches were the amber glass pendants that add warmth and mood lighting – particularly beautiful at night – and the choice in paint colour.

The owners and I looked at many colour options, but ultimately felt that the dark tones of Resene Coffee Bean best complemented the Black Dahlia tiles and really let them shine.

This paint was used on all painted surfaces throughout the bathroom, including one wall, doors, trims, window framing and the ceiling.

The result is a show-stopping space that functions brilliantly as both a family and guest bathroom.