06 — LEVEL — BENCH · WET AREA
Bathroom Design Sydney
A bathroom is the smallest room with the most fixed decisions. Drains, waterproofing, vanity height and tile set-out are locked in early, so the design is resolved at bench level before a single tile is chosen.
LEVEL — BENCH · OVERVIEW
Designed around what cannot move easily
Bathroom Design covers main bathrooms and ensuites in Sydney houses and apartments: the layout, vanity and storage, shower and bath, tile and material palette, tapware and fixtures, and the lighting that makes the room usable at 6am and calm at night.
Every wet area works within a few general constraints. Floors need falls to the waste. Waterproofing is carried out by qualified trades before any finish goes down. Moving a toilet or shower depends on the floor structure and where the drainage runs, and in an apartment it usually needs strata approval as well. We check these early so the design doesn’t depend on something the building won’t allow.
WHO IT IS FOR
Homeowners replacing a dated bathroom or ensuite who want the layout questioned, not just the tiles swapped.
Households adding an ensuite as part of a wider Renovation Interior Design project.
Apartment owners working within strata by-laws, fixed risers and limited space. See also Apartment Interior Design.
SECTION C–C | LEVEL: BENCH | DOUBLE VANITY AND STONE TOP | REFERENCE IMAGE
LEVEL — BENCH · OPTIONS
Design options, element by element
Each element carries a trade-off between what it costs to change and how much difference it makes. Tiles and stone are chosen together with the rest of the house through Colour & Material Selection.
LEVEL: BENCH | STONE AND FINISH SAMPLES
A — LAYOUT
Keep the plumbing, or move it
Keeping fixtures where they are keeps the scope tight. Moving them can free up a walk-in shower or a longer vanity, but it adds building work and needs clear drawings. Layout decisions draw on Space Planning.
B — VANITY AND STORAGE
Wall-hung, floor-standing or built in
A wall-hung vanity shows more floor and makes the room feel bigger. Floor-standing joinery holds more. Recessed shaving cabinets and wall niches add storage without taking up space. Built-in pieces are detailed through Custom Joinery Design.
C — SHOWER AND BATH
Open shower, bath, or both
A frameless or walk-in shower keeps sightlines open. A freestanding bath needs space around it, while a built-in bath fits into tighter rooms. The choice affects screens, falls and where the waste goes.
D — TILE AND MATERIAL PALETTE
Fewer materials, set out carefully
Tile size, grout colour and where the tiles start all shape how calm a small room feels. Stone, large-format porcelain, textured finishes and timber are balanced against slip resistance and how much cleaning you’re willing to do.
E — FIXTURES AND LIGHT
Tapware, mirrors and a light for the face
Tapware finish carries through to accessories and the mirror frame. Side lighting at the mirror is kinder than a single downlight overhead. Layered bathroom lighting is part of Lighting & Finishes.
LEVEL — BENCH · PROCESS
From the drain up
SCHEDULE — FOUR STAGES
Read top to bottom, in the order the room is built: drainage first, then set-out, then what is fixed to the walls.
01 — FLOOR AND DRAINAGE
Drainage and falls review
We start at the floor: where the existing waste and drainage run, how the floor is built and where falls to the waste can realistically go. In an apartment, strata requirements are checked at the same time. This review decides whether the shower or toilet can move before any layout is drawn.
02 — POSITIONS
Set-out
With the drainage understood, the shower, vanity, toilet and bath are positioned, and tile starting points are chosen so cuts fall at edges rather than across the middle of a wall. Where it helps, 3D Interior Visualisation shows the vanity wall and shower before anything is ordered.
03 — WHAT IS FIXED
Fixture schedule
Tapware, wastes, basins, toilet, screens, mirror, lights and accessories are listed with their finish and position, so in-wall items are known before the walls are lined.
04 — HANDOVER TO TRADES
Drawings for the waterproofer and tiler
Elevations, tile set-out and the fixture schedule are issued to your builder, waterproofer and tiler as one reference. Waterproofing is carried out by qualified trades; the drawings show them what sits on top. See Design Documentation and the full Design Process.
Can the shower or toilet move?
Often, yes. It depends on the floor construction, how far the fixture is from the existing drainage and, in apartments, what strata will approve. We look at this at the start of the layout stage.
Can a bathroom be designed on its own?
Yes. A single bathroom or ensuite can be its own project, or it can sit inside a larger renovation alongside Kitchen Design, so the finishes carry through the house.
What affects the cost?
Mainly whether plumbing moves, how much tiling there is, the materials and fixtures you choose, and how much documentation the builder needs. See What Affects Interior Design Costs in Sydney.
What should I have ready?
Bring plans or rough measurements, photos of the room from each wall, and a list of what stays and what goes. Early decisions are covered in Bathroom Design Decisions to Make Early.
LEVEL — NEXT
Book a Consultation
RELATED SERVICES
02 Renovation Interior Design: when the bathroom is one part of a larger change to the house.
11 Colour & Material Selection: tiles, stone and finishes chosen alongside the rest of the house.
13 Design Documentation: drawings and schedules your trades can price and build from.
08 Custom Joinery Design: vanities, linen cupboards and recessed storage.