7 Breathtaking Bathrooms

From classic design choices to unique artworks, these homeowners have put their stamp on these spaces with great success.

- Shane Barnard

1 Just beachy

When Jacoline van Zyl and Alexander Penman were itching to do a renovation project, Jacoline’s mom and dad’s beach house in Struisbaai presented the ideal opportunity.

“My parents, Japie and Mayne van Zyl, have owned the house for 10 years and it had become slightly run-down. Alexander and I literally lived in the dust for eight months during the renovation,” says Jacoline. The main bedroom’s en suite was part of this project. Where there were once four small, dark rooms crammed next to each other, Jacoline and Alexander have created a spacious open-plan bedroom and bathroom. “We wanted to give the room a luxurious feel with lots of natural light – but it had to retain the holiday vibe,” says Jacoline.

EXPERT ADVICE

Henk Louwrens, owner of Water Boys Plumbing, offers these tips for showers:

Open showers are currently popular but they require a floor space of at least 1.5 x 1m. And to ensure that water does not accumulate in the shower, the floor must have a 30–40mm slope towards the drain.

If possible, invest in a drainage system that can collect water over a larger area; this will help the water to drain faster. Don’t install the taps directly under the shower head; this way, you can turn on the taps and get the perfect temperature without standing directly under the water.

To prevent the grout between tiles from discolouring due to minerals in the water, replace the water component in the grout mixture with a bonding liquid such as Tylon Bond-it. It makes the grout waterproof so it won’t discolour.

CONTACT 023 347 8833, waterboys.co.za