September 17th 2020

It was the quirky, pared-back 1920s styling touches that made Harry and Tash’s master ensuite delightful and created a really emotional pull for the buyer – the terrazzo tile, the stunning bath ‘Delilah’, the mirrored cabinet, and the copy of Great Gatsby, and they used touches of colour – the rose pink of the towels and flowers – and space perfectly. Harry and Tash had so many problems with the tiles not meeting and having to make decisions under pressure, but you really wouldn’t know walking into the room. In the end, the full wall of green tiles worked far better. Their ensuite was also functional with ample base-level storage, and the wet room style configuration of the bath and shower. The shower screens fell short of the tile line – again – and the position of the sconce lighting was odd, but the consistency they’re created from their master bedroom to walk-in ‘robe to ensuite makes it all feel very luxurious.

While Sarah and George had a tough week on the family front, their trades really stepped up to help them get their ensuite across the line, and they revealed a tranquil master ensuite, beautifully laid out with strong architectural features including a soaring skylight. The biggest surprise in the room was their use of tiles. We always say four styles of tiles is too many, but Sarah and George broke the rule, and nailed it! They used four different tiles of four different colours and shapes, but because they were low-contrast in terms of colours and lines, the they created a textural effect rather than being confronting. That’s confident design, and not an easy thing to pull off.

Daniel and Jade’s fish scale tiles are perfect for the ‘30s, and their choice of high-gloss black marble tiles can be polarising, but in combination with the fish scale tiles, floating vanity and skylight, the room felt balanced and edgy. Subtle touches like the curve of their bath softened some of the harder lines of the tiles and marble. Their shower layout, with its screens and double drains was functional, minimising splashing, but their vanity was on the small side. The plant they used to fill the space was pretty, but a bigger vanity would have been a selling point for their bathroom. Their mood lighting was excellent, but the ensuite lacked functional lighting. All in all their execution was beautiful.

Luke and Jasmine revealed a show-stopper of a room. That curved wall was totally unexpected, the black bath was a delightful contrast point, and the circular skylight was the cherry on top. These features make the bathroom stand-out in potential buyers’ memories. Their finger tiles emulate the VJ panelling throughout their house nicely and the softness created by the addition of a rug gives the room a sense of home. On the minus side, their floorpan wasn’t as good as some of the other ensuite this week with the shower screen jammed elbow space at the right hand basin, and the toilet roll holder was in an impractical spot as well.

Jimmy and Tam took our advice and created a wall between their ensuite and walk in robe this week, presenting a small but perfectly formed ensuite. The continuity between the master bedroom and ensuite is a stand-out. Their colour palette was divine, picking out the pinks of the bedroom with their impactful tiles and concrete basins and I loved the terrazzo and the connection between the cabinetry in the two rooms. Once again Jimmy and Tam nailed their ‘50s brief in a fun, edgy way.