By Du Bois Design Ltd
The existing en-suite was dated and felt severely cramped – plus a major negative was the toilet, which was clearly visible from the bed and not ideal. My clients asked me to modernise this bathroom and make it feel more spacious. The small 4.03sqm room was re-configured, making the access through the walk-in wardrobe, instead of directly from the bedroom, which made the toilet a lot more private and less conspicuous.
The re-positioning of the entry door also allowed us to install a generous shower sized (1300mm x 900mm), along with a large, custom-designed vanity, which included wide drawers for storage. The vanity drawer closest to the toilet was carefully planned to give optimum storage, without interfering with the adjacent toilet, when opening. Storage was further maximised by a tall, recessed cabinet behind a mirrored door above the vanity that protruded only slightly – just enough to allow a neatly scalloped timber handle to the side for opening. Walls were kept light – a mixture of matte-white, marble-look tiles for wet areas, and a soft grey paint for the remaining walls. The small-scale, chevron-mosaic tiles that were specified for the floor give the room a modern look and an unusual point of difference.
NKBA Awards
2020 Winner - Small space Bathroom
2020 Winner - Auckland Region Best Bathroom 2020 Runner-up - Certified Designer Bathroom
Multi award-winning designer, Natalie Du Bois, founded Du Bois Design in 2007. Her bespoke design practice is founded and focussed on creating kitchens, bathrooms and interiors that are completely ‘in tune’ with her clients. Each of her designs is unique – aesthetically, practically and ergonomically aligned to the individual and the space it occupies.
“My clients may not know what they want when they first meet me. My job is to ask questions and to understand exactly what they are asking for and what will make them happy. This is why I make every job different, created specifically for the individual.”
Qualifications & Experience
• Over 20 years work experience in kitchen, bathroom and interior design
• Qualified Interior Designer
• A member of the National Kitchens and Bathroom Association (NKBA), with five years volunteering on the Auckland committee
• A member of the Certified Designers Society (CDS)
• International design experience working for several leading interior and kitchen design companies in South Africa, England and New Zealand • A member of The Designers Institute of New Zealand (DINZ)
Recognition & Exposure
• Winner of over 25 kitchen, bathroom and interior design awards, both here in New Zealand and in Europe
• Front covers features on local and international interior design magazines
• Contributing writer for many magazines and news outlets, offering advice, tips and trends on kitchen and bathroom design
• Educational speaker at the NKBA Conference in New Zealand
• Specialist design tutor to Unitec interior design students on the fundamentals of kitchen design
Forefront of Design
• Active member of the local interior design Industry, with regular attendance of industry product launches and educational seminars
• International interior product supplier factory tours. Recent tours of hardware supplier Blum and Hafele showrooms in Austria
• International tradeshow visits. Recent visits to Eurocucina in Italy, DesignEX and InDesign in Australia, and The Ideal Home Show in the UK
• International supplier launches. Recent visit to the Gessi bathroom showroom opening and product launch in Singapore
• Educational visit to Apaiser and Gessi showroom launches in Singapore