Warm, timeless, and built to last.
Remuera Bungalow Ensuite 2025
A retired couple who wanted an ensuite built to last.
The owners, Jann and David, are a lovely retired couple who’d lived with the same ensuite for years. They wanted something warm, timeless, and — most of all — built to last.
The room felt dark and dated. But there was plenty they loved about it too, starting with the layout. So the brief wasn’t “rip it all out.” It was: keep what works, fix what doesn’t, and make it beautiful enough to enjoy every single day.
And there was a deadline. They were heading to Europe — the goal was to have it finished before they got home.
25 Questions to Ask Your Builder Before You Sign Anything.
The questions that separate reliable builders from costly mistakes — the same ones we wish every homeowner asked us before signing. Free, plain English, built from 200+ AVR jobs.
Get the Free Guide →We kept what they loved. Then we fixed the dark.
The first thing we did was listen. They liked their original layout — one vanity, centred, with a bank of drawers on each side so each of them has their own. We kept exactly that. What they wanted to improve was the feeling: the old ensuite was dark. And because it was dated, they were also a little worried about how watertight it still was.
So we rebuilt it around light and longevity. Ardex welded waterproofing went in first — the part you never see, but the part that keeps the room watertight for the long haul. Then a custom veneer vanity and matching mirror cabinet for that soft, classic charm they love, a Delie light from Lightco for a touch of modern elegance, and two wall lights flanking the mirror cabinet to lift the whole room.
We kept the palette calm and inviting with Caesar Bianco tiles from Quantum, then gave the shower wall character with a Fez White feature tile. A ceiling-mounted strip light in the shower washes straight down that feature wall — it almost feels like a skylight pouring over the tile.
Finished before the plane landed.
The ensuite they don’t want to leave.
It’s warm, it’s timeless, and every detail earns its place. The room that used to feel dark is full of light now — the ceiling strip light over the shower washes down the Fez White feature wall like a skylight, and the two wall lights beside the mirror cabinet lift the whole space.
They were open to wall-mounted taps, on one condition: no big splash. We designed the spout and basin together with an experienced plumber so the water lands soft and quiet. A dark drawer carcass adds a layer of understated luxury, the top drawers wear a 45° bevelled handle detail, and the lower drawers run on Blum tip-on push-open runners — no handles, just a clean push.
Before & After
The vanity as we found it — a tiled top, laminate cabinetry and a tired drop-in basin.
A floating veneer vanity with a stone top, centred basin and a custom mirror cabinet.
The old shower — tired tiling and ageing grout the owners worried about.
A walk-in shower in fresh tiling, a Fez White feature wall, and a fully watertight Ardex base.
Wondering what a renovation like this actually costs?
We’ve published our full Auckland renovation cost guide — real ranges by project type, what sits inside each investment level, and where the money actually goes. It’s how we open every client conversation.
- Realistic Auckland cost ranges by project type
- What sits inside good, better, best investment levels
- Where the money goes — room by room
- How design-and-build keeps your number fixed
Inside the finished ensuite.
The vanity wall
Symmetry, centred
Brushed tapware
Walk-in shower
Into the showerCalm and warm
Fez White detailFive steps. Same process, every job.
The detail.
An ensuite remodel built around the two things this couple cared about most — lasting quality and good light. Here’s what went in.
Waterproofing
Ardex welded waterproofing through the wet area — the layer you never see, and the reason a once-dated room is now watertight for the long haul.
Custom Vanity + Mirror Cabinet
A custom veneer floating vanity and matching mirror cabinet for that soft, classic charm — centred basin, with a bank of drawers each side so each person has their own.
Lighting, Reimagined
A Delie light from Lightco, two wall lights beside the mirror cabinet, and a ceiling strip light over the shower that washes the feature wall like a skylight. The old, dark ensuite is gone.
Wall-Mounted Tapware
Wall-mounted basin tapware, designed alongside an experienced plumber so the flow lands soft and splash-free over the basin.
Tiles + Feature Wall
Caesar Bianco tiles from Quantum for a calm, inviting base, with a Fez White feature wall in the shower for character and texture.
Drawer Detailing
A dark drawer carcass for understated luxury, a 45° bevelled handle on the top drawers, and Blum tip-on push-open runners on the lower drawers — handle-free and purposeful.
Get an instant estimate for your renovation.
Answer a few quick questions about your project — rooms, scope, and size — and we’ll give you a realistic Auckland cost range in under two minutes. No phone call needed.
Get My Instant Estimate →Your Estimate
Simon and Joanna of Add Value Renovations planned and completed our en-suite upgrade. We are entirely satisfied with the planning, consulting, excellent workmanship and absolutely first class communication. I have recommended Add Value Renovations to all my friends and will be asking them to do further work for us.
Get an instant estimate for your ensuite.
Answer a few quick questions about your bathroom — scope, size and finish — and we’ll give you a realistic Auckland cost range in under two minutes. No phone call needed.
