Modernising a 70s Bathroom, Powder Room, and Laundry in Wellington, New Zealand

Saying Goodbye to The 70s

Before their renovation, the bathroom, powder room, and laundry room of this 1970s home were quite dated in design, featuring characteristics from their original era that are less loved today. These attributes included caramel benchtops and splashbacks, a yellow sliding shower door, and tired linoleum flooring. The rooms had also been built with impractical layouts; the bathroom’s shower unit was tucked behind a wall within the same room, and the laundry’s wall-mounted dryer completely blocked access to the laundry tub.

Kirsty, the homeowner, sought to modernise the interiors by reconfiguring the layouts, adding another toilet to the main bathroom, and finishing the spaces with a fresh look. These improvements would be beneficial to her family and make the home more appealing to future buyers.

To get the renovation started, she approached local Renovation Partner Mark Morrison. In their initial consultation, she looked at different opportunities to achieve her goals before moving ahead with the concept creation phase. And from that point onwards, Mark’s Project Manager organised the entire project.

The Concept and Timeline

Kirsty focused on modernising the interiors to improve their layout and design style. Ultimately, they needed to feel more spacious, appear brighter, and become much more practical for use. Once she was happy with the final designs, the Project Manager scheduled the construction phase, which was set to take eight weeks. 

Sure enough, after eight weeks of hard work from a handful of experts, including builders, electricians, plumbers, and flooring specialists, the transformation was complete.

A Modern Bathroom and Powder Room

White subway tiling is a prominent design element in Kirsty’s renovated bathroom, used across splashbacks and the built-in bathtub. Instead of linoleum floors, warm-toned hardwood flooring provides a beautiful natural feature that deservedly takes all attention.

A wall-mounted storage unit and floating vanity, both with recessed handles, make significant practical improvements and look sleek with their minimalist design. The shower is no longer tucked behind a wall. Rather, a large curved cubicle takes its place, leaving room for the new toilet.

An oblong mirror makes a great, modern finishing touch – as do the matte black fittings, adding a dash of dark contrast to the otherwise white room.

The powder room received a matching design, featuring the same white subway tiling, black fittings, and hardwood flooring, which was also used throughout the laundry. And to enlarge the floor space, the powder room was extended to the width of the laundry room and re-built with a sliding door for access.

A Brighter, More Practical Laundry Room

The laundry has been entirely brightened up with crisp white walls and recessed lighting. Ultimately, the room feels more spacious – and that’s also thanks to the removal of unnecessary appliances, including the wall-mounted dryer. 

White subway tiling features behind the laundry tub and, to complete the space, matte black wall art in the shape of New Zealand makes a statement. These finer details make all the difference in creating a cohesive design throughout the renovated rooms.

Fantastic Results

The bathroom, powder room, and laundry room of this 1970s property are now fit for modern-day living. Together, they’ve been transformed with smarter layouts, a fresh colour scheme, and warm-toned hardwood flooring. Kirsty is thrilled with the results, which have indeed brought the rooms into the 21st century. 

Would you like to discuss your home renovation ideas?

Get in touch for a free consultation with your local Renovation Partner.