Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 33 No 1 New Zealand | Page 11

always looking to use products and materials in creative ways ,” Ireland says .
In the case of this five-bedroom home , he opted for three bathrooms – a large family bathroom , complete with bathtub , plus two smaller bathrooms , one of which is an ensuite – and themed them all around marble and copper .
“ I think it ’ s important to visually connect bathrooms in the same house ,” he says . “ Here , I chose a very limited material palette – marble for its luxury , and the copper to link through to the retro-style Tom Dixon pendants we ’ d specified in the kitchen and dining room .”
Genuine marble was not an option because of its porosity , but Ireland wanted as realistic an effect as possible . He also wanted to get away from the tiled effect .
“ I discovered this fantastic thin porcelain slab , imported from Italy that comes in large 1.6m by 3.2m sheets . It was the perfect solution – giving me the look of marble , without the downsides .”
Reproducing the natural , random veining that makes marble such an interesting material to look at has always been difficult . The patterns on these panels are about as authentic as you
Previous pages : One of three bathrooms in a house by designer Cameron Ireland that share a distinctive emphasis on marble and copper .
Above : The upmarket aesthetic is achieved with a low-upkeep porcelain in a marble finish . Each of the large-format porcelain sheets measures an expansive 1.6m x 3.2m .
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