Meet our two new Bathroom Designers
We interviewed two of our new in-house bathroom designers – Nishani and Meegan - about their approach to renovating bathrooms and what makes a bathroom a liveable, functional and attractive space.
Bathrooms are often the first stop in the morning and the last stop at night. We’re either winding up or winding down for the day and a relaxing space helps us transition with more ease. If you’re about to begin your bathroom renovation journey, you’ll want to know you’ve considered all your options to create a visually appealing and peaceful space that allows you to move freely regardless of the room size.
We interviewed two of our new in-house bathroom designers – Nishani and Meegan - about their approach to renovating bathrooms. They share their thoughts on what makes a bathroom a liveable, functional and attractive space.
Nishani Senaviratne, Bathroom Designer & Creator, Bachelor of Interior Architecture
What made you choose interior design?
“I’ve always loved creative expression. From a very young age I’ve enjoyed the free-spirited approach art and design allows you to explore. Growing up I also saw the work my uncle created as an architect, so I was always intrigued by the level of detail required to create beautiful spaces.”
What do you love about the bathroom renovation process?
“For me, what’s truly rewarding is working closely with my clients to create something they love. Renovating can be a lengthy process at times, so seeing the before and after result as a bathroom designer is also a very rewarding experience. The process essentially includes the following steps:
- Discussing design options
- Working with practical limitations
- Coming up with creative solutions
- Watching it all come to life
The options are endless, so these elements are what make it all so interesting!
From a design perspective, I try and pick one strong element to base the entire room design around. Whether it be a feature tile, a unique vanity unit, a feature light, accessories etc. Once this is established everything else is chosen to complement the feature rather than compete against it. This creates a hero piece which makes the space intriguing but balances out the space at the same time by not having too many strong elements that try and grab your attention.”
What style trends are in what would you recommend to clients?
“Terrazzo is making a comeback, and it pretty much works with everything! You can create something completely modern and/or something a little more traditional. Timber is also a very popular choice that’s both on-trend and timeless. It can easily inject a bit of warmth to an otherwise dull space.
Bathrooms are usually your getaway room to relax and unwind from a busy day. Opting for a neutral colour palette that’s cool and comfortable or incorporating soothing, earthy tones that are inspired by nature are the way to go. This approach works particularly well when it comes to selling your home as well. Bathrooms and kitchens sell homes so it’s important that you do it right and market your property as best as you can. You don’t want anything too dramatic or personal because when it comes to reselling it may deter some buyers.
Last but not least, greenery! bathrooms can very easily feel clinical, adding in a bit of greenery or coloured accessories such as towels can completely change the look and feel of the space.”
How do you work with clients to design a bathroom they will ultimately be happy with? Especially if they don’t know exactly what they want?
If clients don’t know what they want yet, I start with the most important element for a client and revolve the rest of the design around it. Even if the biggest thing is budget, it’s important to know, so that we can narrow down the choices early on. Narrowing down choices based on preferences enables me to put together a bathroom that speaks to the client’s needs and expectations.
We have a list of questions that we also go through to establish the basics, but the fun part is really going through inspirational images and samples to get a gage on what the client is drawn to. Being a bathroom designer, I will always have creative ideas. But it’s not about what I like, it’s about my clients. I always like to get my clients involved in the design process. I recommend jumping on platforms like Pinterest to get the creative juices flowing. Being able to visualise concepts and seeing materials in person are a lot more effective than a theoretical approach. From this process you often find recurring elements that you are drawn to which is great to establish clarity and direction."
Meegan Spaeth, Bathroom Designer & Creator, Diploma of Interior Design & Decoration
What made you choose interior design?
“I have always had a passion for building and design. The combination of the architectural elements of building with the diversity and interior design styles makes it very interesting to be a designer. I have always had a strong creative mind and I definitely knew that this was the avenue I wanted to pursue from an early age.
One of the first magazines I bought growing up was the HOME magazine. I found myself drawn to the content. I then continued to only buy magazines related to architecture and design.”
What do you love about the bathroom renovation process?
“No day is the same, no clients brief is the same and no design is the same. Every day brings excitement with design and every day you learn something new. Design trends change regularly and it’s always exciting to see when new products and styles hit the market. I am loving the diversity of working with Australian homes and periodic styles. This pushes the creativity in me to achieve great results for my clients.”
What style trends are in what would you recommend to clients?
“Raw natural elements throughout the home are in and have been for a while. This seems to be a timeless feature and works for a majority of homes.
The combination of gun metal/pewter plumbing and accessories with stone and natural elements, complimented with neutral pallets will definitely achieve a beautiful design. Your bathroom will be on trend for years to come.
These well executed bathrooms are taken to the next level with the combination of textural elements like tiles. Touch and feel are just as important as the visual result. Being able to combine and achieve a sense of luxury by bringing all these aspects together is extremely important in design.”
How do you work with clients to design a bathroom they will ultimately be happy with? Especially if they don’t know exactly what they want?
“For those clients that need some guidance I always find that visuals are a great help to finding out their likes and dislikes. Using photos of previous bathrooms that we have designed helps give clients a strong indication of what can be achieved in a similar bathroom layout to theirs.
The client visualises what their bathroom could be transformed into, but most importantly, I try to find out their own unique style. Bathrooms should reflect your personality and style. This is essentially the first space where you start and end your day and the need to achieve the balance between peacefulness and personality is vital.
The questions I might ask are:
- What colours and tones are you drawn to?
- Are you open to a combination of natural elements like the inclusion of timber or stone?
- Do you prefer the simplicity of a clean or white foundation and bring in the colours and textures by the towels and décor?
It’s very important to give clients a range of different ideas for their bathroom. Some they may have thought of before but others might be new ideas they hadn’t known could be achieved. Giving clients a variety of ideas can help them pick and choose how they want to make their bathroom feel special to them.
A lot is involved with bathrooms and there’s definitely more to it than meets the eye. Giving a good indication as to what could be achieved in the space with the client’s budget in mind helps guide the clients in the right direction.”
Book a free in-home consultation with our bathroom designers!
Book your free, no obligation, in-home consultation with Nishani or Meegan, our qualified and experienced bathroom designers. They’ll inspire with bathroom ideas that you never knew you had!
The Ken Hall Bathroom designers create perspective illustrations of your new bathroom layout and source samples to help you visualise the space. We pride ourselves on bathroom renovations that exceed customer expectations and are done with quality trades, both behind the walls and out in the open.
“Love your new bathroom’. For a free, no obligation, in-home measure and quote, call 8364 5855 or book a free in-home quote here.
