Belle Coco Republic interior design awards: Bathroom finalists

The shortlist for the 2017 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards was announced recently and it’s teeming with amazing work from Australia’s best and brightest interior architects and designers.

In its seventh year, the awards recognise design achievement across several categories and today we bring you the competition’s residential bathroom finalists. Marble, brass and black abound in what can only be described as an extraordinarily sophisticated bunch of bathing spaces.

We’re big fans of Arent&Pyke and it’s no wonder they were shortlisted for their ‘Barcom Terrace’ project. Not only does the bathroom meld seamlessly with the understated grandeur of the 1800’s heritage listed property that houses it, but the luxurious materials made us gasp.

“Rich in materiality, with painted walls, timber floors, tiles and a freestanding sculptural bath, the deliberately strong and masculine language of steel framing is balanced by the romance of floor to ceiling curtains in soft white linen, while a large black timber door visually ties this suite to the whole,” says Arent&Pyke.

The bathroom at B.E. Architecture’s ‘Hamden Road Residence’ uses granite to spectacular effect and we were particularly taken with its adjacent outdoor shower. “The curved bath and basins were custom designed to be engineered into solid pieces of stone. The baths and basins are textured by hand on the outside face and honed internally. The inspiration for these came from a baptismal font in Rome,” says B.E Architecture.

The outdoor shower at B.E. Architecture’s ‘Hamden Road Residence’

Handelsmann + Khaw’s ‘Hunters Hill bathroom’ features a neutral palette of natural materials that create a unique yet timeless design that has a rustic, high-end farmhouse vibe.

“A balance of rough and smooth textures creates a union of formality and sensuality, light and shade. In the bathroom, we created an open plan with the bathtub beneath the window as the focal point, centred on the glazed steel framed doors joining the master bedroom. The shower and WC are concealed within freestanding stone clad enclosures, their separation from the ceiling emphasises the pitched form that gives the bathroom a quality of openness that goes beyond conventional ideas.”

Finalist Smart Design Studio’s ‘Indigo Slam’ bathroom, aside from its standout bespoke bath tub, boasts eco-credentials too. “The project aspires to an exemplary level of environmentally sustainable design with natural lighting, cross-ventilation, rainwater harvesting and adherence to passive solar design principles reducing the energy and water load of the building. Geothermal heating and cooling have also been incorporated into the design and solar hot water and photovoltaic cells populate the roof,” they say.