bathrooms by real people

I found the most fabulous pics from a competition Reece ran - for the best bathrooms from REAL people! Its easy to imagine how all these products can transform your bathroom, but to see it...priceless!

I love them all so I will have to blog them in sections. I'll start with the competition winner. Swoon over this...

1st place 2009

Tell me, is anyone else concerned that the neighbour's house pokes up over the fence, and the bedrooms look upon the bathroom? The bathroom is beautiful, but getting out of the bath may prove to be a struggle - on you and on other people's eyes!

2nd place winner

A winner

                                      

                                     

                                                        

This bathroom didn't immediately grab me, but on closer inspection, this is great use of a small room. I mentioned before how I am not a fan of the average shower - the glass tomb. I love the look of glass, but I hate cleaning it (who does?) I've seen something like this before - instead on installing a shower, a wall is built to surround the shower and is long enough so it doesn't spray out. The owner has cleverly used this wall to seperate the bathroom in two - the shower is to the right and the toilet is to the left. The wall itself has been used to mount the sink and mirror. Great use of space!

Also, the toilet with the hidden cistern. I keep seeing it over and over again. It looks so sleek. I'll need to find out how it works!

Although I dream of a large bathroom - its not going to happen within our current budget, so ideas like these make me sigh with relief - I can have a small bathroom that still looks amazing!

2008

What courage with pattern and colour! The long window above the bath is the perfect height to let some light into the room. I would imagine you could do that anywhere - on an external wall or internal wall...as long as the glass was frosted - no onlookers please!

1st place 2007

Glass splashbacks are interesting although they would have to be costantly wiped down. Lots of storage space is excellent! I think people don't think enough about storage. Sure, you may not have that much to store now, but the longer you live in one place, the more it adds up! I would rather hide things away than have shampoo and conditioner bottles, medicine, skin care and toothbrushes laying about. Everything looks so clean.

1st place 2006

 Love love the contrast between dark brown and cream/white. Not much storage in here, but they used timber so they are fogiven!! I love long window that runs along the side of the bath! It is a great idea to let light in and give you something to look at while soaking in the bath. I love that its low enough so the neighbours cannot spy on you. What a great idea! Until now, I envisioned windows as being only higher up on the wall. This is a great idea for the modern house as houses are so close together, windows just look in on each other. Would also motivate you to keep the side of the house tidy!

Winner

I am not usually attracted to small tiles, but these are growing on me. I love how they have used the wall to put the shower behind, although the room is quite large so I think it has more of a feel of a football bathroom/changeroom. The more I look at the pics, the more I feel I am about to get towel-whipped! Love the painted wall around the toilet. Who says you have to tile the whole bathroom?! This may also be a good way to save money, or to help fund a more expensive element of the bathroom - cut out on tiles that aren't necessary?

bathroom - be inspired!

Oh, look! A bathroom that isn't stark white, or covered in pictures of seashells or one with outdated tiles the colour of tacky lavender, orange or baby poo yellow!!

That reminds me - you can use different tones in your bathroom to compliment without being too matchy matchy. Example - when I was a little girl I came across a woman's bathroom that was lavender - ALL LAVENDER! I am talking the toilet, the toilet seat cover, the sink, the bath, the tiles - EVERYTHING! I am sure that no plumber/tiler would allow for such a crime to happen today, but none the less - they are out there! Take a moment to think if you are searching for a home on one of the real estate websites and they put pictures up of every room, except the bathroom... will the lavender bathroom be waiting for you?

Its like people get to the bathroom and say: toilet - check, shower - check, bath - check, sink - check - and THAT'S IT! Where's the creativity people!?

I think we all know people (we may even be one of those people) that complain about their bathroom. Maybe the size of it is not something we can easily change, but if its not functional - its no good! How much time do we spend in the bathroom? It's worthwhile to have what you want!

Image courtesy of Tradelink

This one reminds me of a modern japanese bath house. I wonder if that was the look they were going for? I love the look of wooden elements in the bathroom. I am not sure how practical it would be - you would imagine there would be issues with water and steam rotting the timber prematurely? But if you can seal timber homes against the elements, it must be ok?! I mean, you can get some pretty good exhaust fans for the bathroom now...

Image courtesy of Tradelink

                         

Image courtesy of Reece

                           

Image courtesy of Reece

 I have died, gone to heaven and woken up in an earthy, warm room with shades of timber and stone. I LOVE this bathroom! Is it so wrong of me to lust after such a gorgeous room? Makes our current bathroom look c.r.a.p! How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

1. stone on walls...mmm...
2. timber floors? WOW - how can I make this happen?
3. dark timber - so different to your average bathroom. No ho-hum!
4. bath not attached to wall - space is your friend
5. couple sinks - I bet the guy that invented those had a long and happy marriage!
6. sinks - look like bowls sitting on a bench - how classy!
7. Shower not surrounded by a glass tomb - thank you! Nobody likes cleaning the streaks, but everyone gets glass...whats with that?!
8. The accent colours - a green wash in the shower, a metallic bronze in the toilet. Who would have thought!?

Image courtesy of Reece

Don't be afraid of a splash of colour! The towels don't have to be white to match the walls! Match the colour against the same shade somewhere else in the room! The cheapest way to update that stark white bathroom? It looks very modern, young and fresh.

 

Image courtesy of Reece

Its like the outside is inside. Pity you couldn't open slats on the side in the modern house - not enough space between you and the neighbours! That would give them quite a shock! Don't know how practical this one is - pebbles are beautiful but maybe the most you would be able to do with those is pile them up in a vase?