Sapphire's Ideas
To ensure costs were kept to a minimum, most structural changes were contained to the new extension. As a result, the original house is connected to the extension via a low-level link, which sits beneath the original house’s gutter. This ensures the new extension is structurally independent and doesn’t impede the original house.
Design with cleaning in mind Ergonomics come into play when we clean our homes as well as when we use them on a daily basis. In this striking black and white bathroom, every centimetre of floor is easy to mop when wet and vacuum when dry, by virtue of the wall-hung vanity and the freestanding claw-foot bath. Sinks and toilets are available in wall-hung designs too. By regularly swiping your floor with a mop doused in no-nonsense cleaning products, you will save yourself hours spent on your hands and knees scrubbing mouldy grout with an aching back.
Swap deep cupboards for drawers Remember when deep storage drawers began to replace cupboards in the kitchen, causing home cooks throughout the world to rejoice? This clever trend has taken longer to catch on in the bathroom, but it’s just as relevant. Ergonomically, it is easier to simply open a drawer and see the contents at a glance instead of groping in the back of a dark cupboard. Drawers are available in many different designs and depths to house all your toiletries. Tip: Be sure your cabinet maker uses a material that can withstand high humidity levels.
. Allow room between your sink rim and tap If you have ever leant forward to splash water on your face and knocked your forehead on the tap, you’ll understand why the dimensions between sink and spout matter. Avoid pairing a long tap with a short sink and aim to have at least one head-length between the rim of your sink and the spout of your tap. This will also reduce any splash back when you turn on the bathroom tap, and ensure you don’t wear the water. This Webert Opera tap in on-trend pink gold stylishly sidesteps this ergonomic design blunder with its short spout, which directs the flow of water towards you.
Rethink the position of your bath and shower taps Have you ever turned on the shower taps and had to duck to one side to avoid getting splashed by a stream of water? This common design flaw usually results from the shower taps being positioned too close to the shower head – sometimes even directly beneath it. To evade standing in the line of fire, so to speak, try placing your taps on a facing wall, which this double walk-in shower does to great effect in a Sydney bathroom. If you need to combine a shower and bath to save space, avoid placing your shower taps behind a fixed glass screen. This ergonomic faux pas forces you to reach awkwardly behind the screen to grasp the taps while leaning precariously over the tub. In the long term your back will thank you for it.
4. Recess wall-mounted vanities above your sink Likewise, many wall-mounted cupboards above bathroom sinks have been the culprits of similar bumps to the head, particularly if they are opened while someone is leaning over the sink. The mirrored vanities in this Toorak home are cleverly recessed, setting them flush with the wall, which ensures plenty of clearance even when the cupboard doors are open. Tip: If you are short on space, consider using sliding doors on your vanity if it’s above the bathroom sink.
space saver basin/vanity. drawers to the floor on one side.
Drawer storage Consider installing a vanity with drawer storage rather than doors. Drawers are easier to access and easier to organise. They can be cut out around the plumbing, and can be extra large to accommodate bigger items.
Medicine cabinets Do you have the space to recess your medicine cabinet? Oftentimes this is a great way to save a few centimetres of space over a shallow vanity, and the additional framing typically isn’t going to break the budget. If that’s not an option, ensure that you have enough room at your vanity to have your medicine cabinet protrude by 10 to 12 centimetres.
bench seat/nook
love the island nook shelf to store laptops books etc
Open shelves give you a place to stash items you may want to grab easily, without any doors in the way that need to be swung open, which makes them a perfect option for tighter kitchens or busy spaces with multiple chefs. Tip: Open shelves can be shallow, deep or can even continue the entire way from one side of your kitchen island to the other.
In this example, the seating is tucked between storage cabinets at each end. This offers the benchtop lots of sturdy support and gives a tidier look from the side with the stools more fully tucked away. Just be sure in this case to give each stool a bit of breathing room (about 60 centimetres of width per seat) so people have space to tuck their legs in as well.
onsider getting the best of both worlds by putting seating and deep cabinets next to each other. This kitchen (the same one as the previous image) has just enough seats for a small group to gather around and chat with the chef, while the rest of the island is devoted to easily accessed storage.
Half doors, half seating Some islands don’t have enough depth to include two-sided storage cabinets with seating in front like the past few examples do. Also, in many open-layout kitchens, it isn’t really necessary to include a large number of seats at the island when a larger dining area is available just steps away.
laundry cupboard
extn with widows wrapped around
sky lights would be cool
Open ended. Esbjerg, Denmark Designer: Kubik Indretning Aps
kitchen living dining
Take a seat. London, UK Designer: Thomas Davies Kitchens
Draw me in. Victoria, BC, Canada Designer: South Shore Cabinetry
Gather ‘round. Tauranga, NZ Designer: Shannon Pepper Design
storage/plugs
nice
beer/wine fridge
simple wood top
Trade services included the below Total amount: $17,830 Demolition: $2,100 Waterproofing: $1,400 Tiling: $4,800 Plumbing: $4,200 Electrical: $2,000 Carpentry: $2,680 Plastering: $650Materials: Total $13,485 Tiling: $2,000 Tapware: $1,900 Bath: $1,700 Basin: $1,000 Vanity: $2,645 Toilet: $1,700 Frameless shower screen: $980 Custom mirror cabinets: $1,500 Light fittings: purchased by clients from Space Furniture. Hooks: client’s own Toilet roll holder: $60.
cute small bathroom with tub.
barstool end of island. fit one on ends to accomodate 5 of us.
Bin it Similar to sink inserts, pull-out working zones that fit over your bin provide concealed bench space as well. Some come with a handy hole so you can scrape food scraps directly into the bin without touching it, while other designs fit bowl inserts or are made purely as chopping boards. Like every feature in your kitchen, these designs are best factored in before you build, although some bin inserts can be retrofitted. Tip: Don’t limit yourself to an insert over just your bin – almost any drawer with enough room can accommodate concealed pull-out bench space.
Removeable sink inserts miraculously magic up extra work surfaces by fitting snugly over your kitchen sink. Some models slide back and forth while others sit over your basin recess. These changeable designs cater to different tasks and often offer specially fitted chopping boards, mixing bowls, strainers, drying racks, dip bowls and more. Think about which you need the most… or get a combination of the above.
Ditch double-bowl sinks If you rarely use the second bowl in your double-bowl kitchen sink, you may be able to ditch it altogether. Single-bowl sinks can take up less precious bench space than many double-bowl designs, while allowing enough room to fit large pots, pans and dishes without having them tilted at an awkward angle. Tip: Sinks without integrated draining racks also free up extra bench space adjacent to your sink.
A half-height, pull-out pantry right beneath the prep area is the perfect spot for oils and spices.
Including open storage in the form of a shelf for cups and a rail for serving spoons ups the charm factor. sgelf for mugs.
…And here’s a view of that kitchen from the chef’s side.
A forgiving colour scheme, plenty of bench space for prep and a pair of ovens at an accessible height concealed behind the timber section. A great kitchen arrangement for a keen cook…
cute! A fold-down kitchen table is a practical choice in a family kitchen; open it up when you’re dining or if you need extra prep space, and fold down the sides when it’s not in use. This one even includes handy drawers to store cutlery and napkins.
Including an overhang in your kitchen island design, which the owners have done here, allows you to tuck bar stools neatly away when they’re not in use for an uncluttered look.
…Note how the blonde timber shelves contrast with the graphite cabinetry and turn the owners’ simple collection of jars into an eye-catching feaure. in built shelving for tea coffee etc.
all succulents on the wall
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