RILUXA CLIENT PROJECTS

Step Inside a Scandi-Style Bathroom in the Mediterranean

Creating a successful blend of Scandinavian minimalism and Mediterranean warmth was no easy task. But by introducing just the right amount of colour and focusing on natural materials, this Spanish bathroom is warm and inviting, while staying true to the minimalism our client Jason dreamt of.

The impetus behind the project was to create a happy uplifting space that would invigorate its owners for the day ahead. Earthy tones, such as terracotta, umber and ochre are ideal for recalling the warmth of the earth in the surrounding region. Here, a beautifully saturated yellow ochre is combined with a gold-specked terrazzo tile, to generate a warm and inviting glow.

The beautifully fluted oak bathroom cabinet was central to this bathroom’s design – honouring both nature and craftsmanship. It’s also a wonderful example of the bespoke production we’re passionate about offering here at Riluxa. Jason approached us with his heart set on a specific façade for his bathroom cabinet. We agreed on the plans for the bespoke piece, and we believe the result speaks for itself!

Read on to discover how Jason approached this bathroom renovation project and how he feels about the end result.

First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself. Are you a homeowner or a design professional, and where do you live? 

I work in a marketing department for a large firm in Spain. I settled here in Spain with my wife and two kids in an apartment rented from a family member that had 1980s bathrooms. I love ‘80s music but the style can gag me with a spoon. My wife couldn’t remodel fast enough and I reluctantly went along for the journey. Despite significant resistance from me, I am very happy with the outcome she envisioned!

Tell us about your bathroom project—was it a renovation or did you start from scratch? How long did it take and did everything go as planned, or were there any unpleasant surprises along the way?  

Having had a not-so-pleasant experience renovating our first bathroom, we knew which pitfalls to avoid. My wife wanted something brighter and more modern, she wanted to have different materials and an overall better feel. As the second most visited location in the morning, we wanted a positive place that makes us feel happy. A space that really sets the tone for the rest of the day.

We started the project by contacting an architect to ensure the floor was strictly sound. Meanwhile, my wife fell in love with a terrazzo floor tile and used that as the foundation for the aesthetics of the entire bathroom. After getting the green light, and using the tiles as a focal point, we set out to find complementing colours. Our goal was to create a timeless and functional bathroom. In Spain, you normally find bathrooms with all four walls tiled, as well as the floor. We knew that wasn’t for us, because we were sure we wanted to tile only three walls and leave half of the fourth available to create an accent wall with paint. I come from a rural area with lots of trees, and I knew I wanted to incorporate raw, wood materials in the design. We wanted to have a large, comfortable shower tray for our growing kids.

Above: A full view of the inviting bathroom. Below left: A saturated yellow ochre feature wall pays homage to the Mediterranean region in which the owners have settled. Below right: The terrazzo tile that anchors the whole scheme. 

My wife loves clean, uncluttered countertops. So, we wanted a vanity unit with maximum storage that could house our cosmetic products keeping a tidy space. We had the remodelling team install a beautiful Corian® washbasin with a solid oak furniture created by Riluxa for the products we use daily. We created an incredible space using both Corian and wood, thanks to Riluxa.

It took us nearly 3 weeks of labour and a then couple of months to get the final touches in place (towel racks, toilet paper hanger…). When we finally installed the backlit mirror, one of the light strips didn’t work, but I identified the problem and in less than 48h we received a notice that everything was taken care of and that they would send us a replacement. Being a bit of a handyman, I was able to replace it easily, with the help of my wife, and now it looks perfect in our bathroom.

Tell us the story of your Riluxa relationship—how you found us and what your experience has been? 

A friend from Spain tagged us in an Instagram Client Project that Riluxa had posted to provide us a bit of inspiration. Afterwards, we started following you, read a lot of your blogs and really became inspired to create the bathroom we have now.

I have worked with wood before. So I understand the frustrations of cutting something just to get it wrong. That is why they always say, “measure twice and cut once”. After my wife told me she was going to order our cabinetry from an online company, I clearly had my apprehensions. As usual, she proved me wrong...well, Riluxa proved me wrong. The pinpoint accuracy is astonishing, the cabinets, shower tray, and washbasin arrived perfectly cut and assembled. Bravo, Riluxa, Bravo!

Riluxa was the perfect fit for our needs and busy schedules, every item was delivered on time and in perfect condition. We received courteous, quick, and extremely professional help when needed.

What Riluxa pieces did you use in your project?  

In the end, our bathroom is built, minus the toilet and tiles, with Riluxa products:

Shower Tray: for our shower tray, we decided on the Orion. The idea that it can be made-to-measure was a perfect fit for us since our shower location was not a standard size. We were looking for a shower tray that was simple, yet elegant and the Corian® Glacier White with its matte finish was exactly what we needed. Again, we wanted the tiles to be the focal point and everything else complementary. Corian® and the Orion design allowed us to achieve that goal. We discovered through your website and Fatima from the Sales Department that Corian® is slip-resistant. We both have ageing parents that like to visit, so slip-resistance was also a priority.

Featuring a custom-made Orion Shower Tray in Corian® Glacier White.

Washbasin: we chose the Lyra washbasin for its curvaceous shape and complete lack of joints. We saw on your YouTube channel how your thermoformed basins were made and immediately became excited about sinks. Sounds weird, I know. But so far, it has been awesome. Same as the shower tray, we love the matte finish. Also with two kids, I keep thinking “this time that’s going to be a stain that won’t come out”, but no, I use my eco-friendly multi-surface cleaner and poof, gone!

Riluxa products used: a Lyra Washbasin in Corian® Glacier White atop a custom-made cabinet.

Vanity Unit: I love the natural beauty and simplicity of wood, especially oak. So, our choice for the bathroom vanity was a no-brainer. It had to be the Gaia cabinet in solid oak. The Sales Team told us about a fluted finish that was available made-to-measure, and it looked amazing. We picked two drawers side-by-side and went with two inner drawers even though your sales team advised against an inner draw on the sink side (because it implied a height restriction for the inner drawers). Despite that, we thought it would be useful for my wife’s nail polish and it is working out great. We also chose the push-to-open system and my kids love it.

The heart of the bathroom is most definitely the bespoke fluted wood cabinet, made at the client's request, based on our Gaia Wood Wall-Mounted Solid Oak Vanity Base, finished in "Pure".

Mirror: let us say Halo to our mirror choice. Sorry, cheesy marketing background. We went with the Halo mirror from Riluxa again, with anti-fog and top and bottom lights. I have to say the lights are a wonderful added touch. They’re perfect for a little ambient light or a late-night visit.

The bathroom also features Riluxa's Halo Backlit Mirror.

Sink and Shower Taps: We wanted to add personality and finishing touches to the bathroom, so we went with a matte black finish on all our water fixtures. Chrome is a great choice, but it didn’t fit ours. We were also hesitating on black because of the hard water in Spain but so far, we’re pleased.

All shower and tapware used were sourced from Riluxa, including the Twins Rainfall Shower Head and Hand Shower and a Twins Single Lever Deck-Mounted Tap.

And which would you say is your favourite piece out of all the Riluxa products you used?

I love the oak vanity. As I said, I love wood, it makes me happy to see it when living in a city surrounded by concrete buildings. It’s the true accent piece of our bathroom. I wasn’t sure I would like the pleated drawer face, but it is really elegant. It is a furniture piece that will never become dated.

What design style were you going for – and where did you look to for inspiration? 

My wife was going for a Scandi design with Mediterranean colours. We wanted very pure and simple lines but also wanted warm, vibrant colours. Using social media, Riluxa’s blogs and your client projects, and just walking around different villages in Spain, we were able to draw inspiration for a bathroom we love. The colours from the terrazzo tile reminded us of Italian islands and Spanish coasts like Altea, which is why we used it as a focal point.

Tell us how you feel about your project now that it's finished:

I am genuinely excited about the end results. I am a very form follows function kind of person, but my wife did an excellent job at creating a beautiful, functional space. Even our kids want to use our bathroom just for the waterfall showerhead. By creating an accent wall, we have given ourselves the opportunity to reinvigorate the bathroom one day by merely painting the wall a different colour. Something I didn’t realise until my wife pointed it out.

Although the room is finished for now, we might be reaching out to Riluxa in the future to add some Corian® shelves to make room for my wife’s ever-growing nail polish collection!

A view of the concealed interior drawers of the custom-designed Gaia Wood Wall-Mounted Solid Oak Vanity Base.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? Do you have any advice for future Riluxa customers wanting to create their dream bathroom?

Start by thinking about what will make you happy: remember, the bathroom’s normally the second room you see as you wake up every day. Envision the space, layout, and functionality of the bathroom. Then chose the colours that best fit your lifestyle. Using the terrazzo tiles as a focal point helped us immensely. From there, Riluxa can help you with anything you need. The sales team was also full of ideas, especially when it came to functionality. They really understood their product, a must for any business.

If you would like your bathroom project to be featured on Riluxa's Client Projects Showcase, tag #riluxa @riluxa on Instagram or upload your images directly by clicking here. We love nothing more than seeing how our customers have used Riluxa products to create their dream bathrooms!