An ensuit for luxury

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 11

An ensuit for luxury

Is there a queue outside your bathroom door every morning? If so, your house is one of thousands with a common problem — a shortage of toilet and bathroom facilities.

The majority of houses in New Zealand are built by young couples with a tight budget and very often with either very young children or no family. It is not until the children grow older that the daily problem of the bathroom queue becomes apparent. A second bathroom will cut your queue in half. An ensuite will do the same and give you privacy in your own home. It will create an area where you can sleep, rest, exercise, and freshen-up in complete privacy at your own convenience and comfort.

It offers independence from the children, pets and guests, and is a particular boon for those coping with invalids or elderly people.

An ensuite is a self-con-tained bathroom opening directly off a bedroom. It should include a shower or bath, a hand basin, toilet, and storage area. Hundreds of design and layout options are possible depending on the space you have available. Basically, it depends on what space can be utilised in the master bedroom and adjoining rooms, and your budget. Although an ensuite can be fitted into a relatively

tiny space, there may not be any spare space for such remodelling. The only way it can be done is by adding space, that is, putting on a small extension. Gaining additional space like this offers many exciting possibilities. You can create a luxurious master suite by increasing the bedroom area as well as adding a bathroom. It is a chance to enlarge the wardrobes, create a dressing area, or provide for a couple of easy chairs and a small table for reading your favourite magazines or books.

You are providing the comforts of a hotel room in your own home. Also, by extending for an ensuite, you are not restricting your choice of fittings to those that will suit a limited space.

The other way of adding an ensuite to the master bedroom is to convert part of the room or extend into an adjoining room. In a tiny space, 2m by 0.9 m, you can provide a workable ensuite. At one end is the shower, a toilet at the other end, and a handbasin facing the central entrance — a compact solution that can be fitted into a wall length wardrobe. There is room for a towel rail and shelving also. Another alternative, if space is limited, is to put a vanity unit in the dressing room of the bedroom and

conceal the shower and toilet only. Design is important for ensuites because of their small size generally. However, spaciousness can be achieved by the right choice of fittings and accessories and the total decor.

Large mirrors create the illusion of bigger space, as does a big window. Clear rather than opaque glass in the shower door screen visually extends the room.

A concealed toilet cistern saves wall space and a wall hung toilet pan maintains a sweep of floor space and projects a little less than a pedestal pan. Carpeting continuously with the bedroom makes the floor space flow from one room to the other. If you need a door, use a sliding or bi-fold one. Use pastel colours, es-

pecially on the walls - pink, almond, ivory, peach, and apricot are ideal. Avoid busy wall papers. A subtle use of accent colours is best — bring it out in your linen, accessories, or decorator touches (vases, ornaments, planters). Before taking your planning too far, consult a master plumber. The cost of plumbing will comprise a significant part of the total cost and you should seek advice on the most economical options. The ensuite is your room. It is the one place in the home where your needs are uppermost. You do not need to use “utility” wall coverings for example. Spoil yourself and design your ensuite for tops in comfort and convenience for the household heads.