3 MUST-HAVES IN THE BLUEJAY’S MAIN ENSUITE

A lot of people tend to forget how much and how frequently we use a bathroom. And if your family is anything like mine, it doesn’t matter how many bathrooms you include in your floor plan – there’s always one that everyone gravitates to most often. For us, it’s the main bedroom ensuite.

As a young family of six, there were three must-haves I had in mind when designing the master ensuite in The Bluejay:

1. It needs to inspire an instant sense of calm.
2. It has to have an abundance of built-in storage.
3. It needs to be easy to clean.

CALMING QUALITIES

For me, calmness comes visually with the ideal layout, a mindful colour palette and the use of texture. When choosing a colour palette, I keep hard finishes relatively neutral by choosing tones I won’t get sick of and then I add pops of colour and texture in the accessories. I almost always put a timber stool or stump in my bathrooms (they have 1 million uses, no exaggeration) and they offer a bit of warmth amongst the hard finishes that come with any bathroom design including the bathtub, tiles and tap ware. In The Bluejay, I created additional calm by styling the space with plants, luxe soaps and plush towels to make it feel like an oasis.

SORTING STORAGE

2 adults + 4 kids = lots of stuff. So when it comes to bathroom storage, I have some non-negotiables. The vanity needs built in draws, not cupboards, drawers. If possible, these draws, need draws or at least some internal organisers. Make-up, brushes, and those bits and bobs that don’t need a deep draw can still be accessible and insanely easy to keep organised when they have their own shallow spot! Behind mirror storage is a bonus and, if thought about early enough, can be recessed into the wall so the mirrors sit flush for a seamless finish. Ensure you have a tall (can be slim) cupboard somewhere in your space for towels, floor mats and bath toys, so it can all be hidden away within easy reach.

KEEPIN’ IT CLEAN

When it comes to cleaning a bathroom, my most dreaded chore is trying to get the shower screens sparkling. So, I left them out of the main bathroom in The Bluejay all together! Instead, I introduced a nib-wall cladded in the same tile used throughout the rest of bathroom for consistency. You do need to be mindful of this option in a smaller bathroom as glass often helps open up a small space, and so it may be the better option if you’re working with a more limited floor plan. The second wall finish we purposefully chose for it’s “easy to clean” convenience was polished render. The earthy gloss-finish product was “the new kid on the block” at the time of building, and boy was it a game changer! It offers the same waterproof product as a tile, but with no grout lines to clean (say what!?).

Creating a functional and beautiful bathroom is always a top priority of mine – it certainly was in the design of The Bluejay. Bathrooms are used so privately that we often don’t invest much time, thought, or money into them as we think “no-one but our family will ever really see this room”. But creating a space that is tranquil and practical can change the flow of your entire day by ensuring it starts and finishes in a space that feels like an escape.