EMPIRE STATE

Residential Design

Client: Private

Location: Woodlands, Western Australia

Photography: Dion Robeson

Media: Belle Magazine April '19, Inside Out Magazine 2019

 

Empire State is a meticulous bathroom reimagining—transforming a tired 1990s renovation into a hotel-like suite inspired by New York’s Art Deco architecture and grand hotels. Nickolas Gurtler Office was engaged to elevate the room’s daily rituals, pairing disciplined geometry with generous materiality so the space feels composed, sensual and enduring.

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The palette is unapologetically Deco. Arabescato Vagli marble brings a graphic, long-veined anchor across vanity, ledges and thresholds; fluted glass introduces a soft veil that shifts privacy and light; black-stained timber adds depth and cabinetry presence; polished chrome details deliver a crisp, metropolitan gleam.

Storage is fully integrated to keep the visual field calm: a custom timber vanity with concealed compartments, mirrored cabinets that sit flush within a marble surround, and a discreet shower niche that reads as part of the stonework.

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Light favours glow over glare. Concealed illumination washes stone and timber, while polished chrome accents catch highlights like jewellery. Task lighting at the mirror is calibrated for grooming; ambient layers shift the room from morning clarity to evening softness—more suite than utilitarian washroom.