‘It's a tropical URBAN OASIS'

Resorting to drastic measures, Gina borrowed bedroom space to double the size of her bathroom, creating a longed-for retreat her whole family could enjoy

- EMMA FISHMAN

Having lived in this house for a year, I couldn’t stand the cramped bathroom a minute longer,’ says Gina. ‘It was so tiny, and I didn’t know how to improve the space. After getting a builder to come over, I was given some interesting options.

The first was to keep the space as it was, and simply revamp it with a new suite. The second was to knock down a wall and take two metres off the adjacent bedroom to create a much bigger space in here. I was happy to make that sacrifice, because the bedroom would still be quite large. As my children, Maisie, Florence and Albert, were getting older, they needed a larger bathroom, so it was a priority for all of us.

Dream scheme

The builder explained that, by moving the wall, the bathroom could double in size, allowing enough space for a walk-in shower. He also suggested adding another window to let in more light. We decided to position the bath at one end, and use the other end for the shower.