Dream bathroom features that won't cost you the world

Contemporary Bathroom by Архитектурное бюро SL PROJECT
Author: Sophie Seeger

With $20,000 in your budget, you can easily turn a run-of-the-mill bathroom into the stellar space you’ve always dreamed it could be. By adding a key feature – from a sunken bath to a floor-to-ceiling glass wall – your bathroom can become your home’s most popular room.

Some features and fittings in the collection of ideas listed below, like the encaustic tiles and marble floors, are easily accessible but are of a high quality. Others are features that have been created structurally, and therefore need to be considered at the start of your new build or renovation process. Pick up on one structural idea as the focal point of your bathroom, or select two or three other options, so your design ideas will still fit into your $20,000 bathroom budget.

If $20,000 exceeds your budget, take a look at our bathroom renovations for under $10,000.

WALLS

Tiles
Let your tiles do the talking in your bathroom, but in an understated and elegant fashion. Encaustic cement tiles, where the pattern is made with the use of different coloured cements rather than a glaze, are perfect for a sophisticated look that will display an appreciation for craftsmanship. With the matt finish and slight imperfections of each handmade tile, a feature wall like this becomes an individual work of art. This can be the focal point of the bathroom, with your other surfaces remaining neutral and uncluttered for an exotic yet elegant space.

DESIGN TIP: Give your bathroom the Marrakesh touch with a range of designs in the same colour, or a range of colours with the same design to create an eclectic and stylish look that is still cohesive.

COST: Expect to pay between $165 and $240 per square metre for a range of vintage, Tuscan, Spanish or Moroccan-inspired designs.

How to make a statement with patterned tiles

Stone
You don’t have to come from the Stone Age to appreciate the beauty, practicality and quality of natural stone. No other material can match it. If you live in the country, you might be lucky enough to be able to harvest the stone from your own property – but luckily for us urban types, there are also many cladding alternatives available, from sandstone and limestone to bluestone.

For a bathroom feature wall, choose free-form or dry-stone wall cladding for a rustic, natural look, without the weight or expense of full stones. This look can evoke the face of a waterfall, a cave, an English stone manor, or an urban, industrial home with a touch of the natural world aesthetic. Whether you opt for a rugged or smooth finish, a natural stone or stone-clad wall adds depth and texture to your bathroom.

DESIGN TIP: Continue your stone wall onto the outside, visible through a picture window, to help blur the lines between inside and out. This will also create the illusion of a larger open space.

COST: Expect to pay from $90 per square metre for a range of natural stone and design options.

Clay plaster
For a natural look that offers character and an interesting play of light and shadow, while also being inviting in an industrial or contemporary pad, it’s hard to go past the appeal of an earthen-look plaster finish. Made from fine clay and built-in marble dust, this finish is not restricted to grey. Natural oxides can be added to create a palette of warm to cool neutrals and earth tones. This finish is cool – not just in regards to how it looks in trendy designer circles – but from a practical point of view, it also maintains a cool temperature inside.

The plaster wall featured in the Brisbane bathroom pictured here was installed by Wonder Wall. The polished finish adds a clean and contemporary look to a bathroom.

DESIGN TIP: Use an experienced plasterer and complete the finish yourself with two coats of Carnauba wax or palm wax.

COST: Expect to pay from $95 for 10 litres. The wax costs $36 for 500 grams.

FLOORS

Marble
For the royal treatment, marble can be the crowning glory in your bathroom. It’s quarried in large slabs which are then cut down into tiles, so no two tiles will ever be alike. Marble gives your bathroom variations in shade and design, for a beautifully unique look.

Apart from feeling smooth underfoot, marble reflects light making a grand bathroom look even grander. The material isn’t recommended for a family bathroom or for elderly parents, however, as marble can be slippery. Save it instead for a master ensuite or an adult’s retreat. Even then, it’s best to avoid bringing a glass of red wine into the bath with you, as marble is porous and will stain easily.

DESIGN TIP: Marble tiles are difficult to match, so ensure you employ an expert. It’s also good to have all the tiles laid out to get the right configuration, before committing to installation.

COST: Expect to pay from $180 to $260 per 600 x 300 x 13 millimetre tile.

Pebbles
Pebbles can be laid on top of any surface, but unless they’re pushed down into concrete they will move. Either way, this gives your bathroom an organic feel, with the look of a river bed or European pebble beach, while also offering a pleasant surface that will massage the soles of your feet when you walk on it. Pebbles offer a sculptural edge to your bathroom with a Zen-garden aesthetic. They are also available in a range of colours and sizes to suit your design scheme.

DESIGN TIP: If you love to collect a handful of pebbles every time you visit a new beach or cove, you can add these to the collection, but check out local council regulations before you do this – you might end up with an unexpected fine if a ranger sees you with them. However, if it’s permitted, your own collection will add a personal touch to your bathroom floor, making it a tribute to your memories.

COST: From $96 per tonne of river pebbles.

FIXTURES

Bath
Sunken baths, often considered the height of luxury, are not for an upstairs bathroom or a quick-fix renovation. Rather, they are to be considered at the start of the ground-floor planning process. Sunken baths are set beneath the bathroom floor, so they can be custom-built to any size or design.

DESIGN TIP: A bath that sits flush with the floor, or which has a slight lip above the surface, will make your bathroom look so much bigger.

COST: This varies on size, design and builder, but a 1.5 x 1 metre bath can start at $10,000, including excavation, pouring the concrete as well as buying and installing the bath fixture.

Take a tour of this bathroom

Vanity
As the ultimate in personalisation and functionality, a double-vanity unit such as this ensures your bathroom products will stay where you put them, and you never need to worry about finding someone else’s beard hair in your sink. Double vanities can be made to order or bought from a range of bathroom suppliers. They come in a range of finishes and colours to suit your taste.

COST: From $2,000.

Shower
Sticking with the double theme, a shower stall with dual shower heads makes for an interesting and intimate time in the bathroom. It’s also convenient if you and your partner both start work at the same time and need to share the same shower for purely practical reasons.

This option will need to be considered at the start of your renovation or new build, as you can’t retro-fit the plumbing here. It also means a wider shower recess is necessary, to provide for unrestricted movement while showering.

COST: For two shower rails, roses and mixers, expect to pay from $1,800.

Simple ways to inject a little luxury into your bathroom

LIGHTING

Natural – Glass wall
A glass wall must be considered during the planning process. Take into account whether or not you are trying to replace a load-bearing wall with glass, otherwise it could literally come crashing down. Once you have the structural requirements addressed, there is no better way to let in light than a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. If you use multiple panes, as seen here, you can give your bathroom a classic aesthetic while saving a fortune on your electricity bills.

COST: This is dependent on the rest of the room’s structure, but expect to pay anything from $12,000 for a metal-framed multi-paned glass wall.

Natural – Outdoor
An outdoor bathroom is a luxury reminiscent of tropical getaways – imagine showering in the summer sun or relaxing in the bath under a star-filled sky. While privacy and cleanliness are two things you will have to carefully consider if you desire an outdoor bathroom, the experience of having such a fantasy-inspired space could well be worth the extra cost and possible inconvenience.

DESIGN TIP: An outdoor bathroom can be separated from the house by means of an external walkway, situated on a deck off the ensuite, or be placed under a retractable louvered roof.

COST: This will eat up the bulk of your $20,000, but if your bathroom is going to be your fantasy space, you might not care about other elements or features.

Get the most out of your bathroom renovation with the help of a professional