City Living Phase 2 │ re-vision

The brief

An Initial Consultation with these clients, revealed a desire to find a way for the family home to reflect their bohemian tastes, have striking elements and remain elegant.

We began a process of spatial planning and provided both 2d & 3d images for 3 bathrooms and a laundry room.

The Master Ensuite has a unique and stunning view from the shower of the ocean and Rangitoto Island. The natural inclination would be to have nothing detract from the view
and work with a neutral palette. My proposal was to create a dramatic shower area, that encased and enveloped while framing the spectacular view.

There was also a tall order to respect. No marble or stone tiles. How to create texture and interest without these classics?

After carefully designing the layout and selecting the furniture for the entire apartment, the client trusted Cathryn and engaged her to help with the next phase of curation.

First on the wish list was a desk to fit the study and the obvious nook for the placement. After much searching Cathryn found the beautifully crafted “Covet” desk sourced from Simon James. The deceptively simple and elegant design finished in walnut by Japanese designer Shin Azumi, fulfils the name, as this is certainly a piece to covet and will stand the test of time.

Adding a simple round rug in a soft tone, dealt with the odd shape and helped with the acoustics. The artwork adds whimsy to this 'work-from-home' space.

The apartment is transformed at night time with the city lights and the sky tower view emphasised. The layered lighting, outdoor styling and a new “bar cart” by Kayu Studio, create an atmosphere that is both moody and peaceful.

The method

The design process is a case of getting the layout right, then allowing space for things to change and evolve when looking at the materials and these clients fully invested in the discussions and there were many visits to the tile shops and palettes put together.

The front runner for the shower tile became this dramatic dark emerald green with subtle copper tones. Now that we had the “hero” piece, we could get to work on resolving the rest of the scheme.

Putting together 4 tiles in one bathroom, is not for the feint hearted and these clients challenged the thinking and crucially, also listened. Scale of tile, grout colour, the vanity finishes, lighting and tapware are selected as a whole.

The result

Connecting this client with our bathroom renovation specialist meant that they got the right professionals and trusted trades, who were also grateful that all tiles and overall scheme was selected before work began.

The result is magical.