Brisbane interior designer Renee Popovic has won the Victoria + Albert’s 2018 international design awards for her boutique hotel bathroom.
Renee faced competition from more than 140 interior designers and architects from around the world. Her design was exhibited at the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Renee said the boutique hotel bathroom is inspired by natural beauty and is planned to lead guests on a journey to tranquillity. The pure materiality of the QUARRYCAST® Vetralla 2 freestanding bath and Drayton 40 basins are complemented with honed marble, seamless lime wash render, Terrazzo and brushed brass accents. Clever “pods” contained a water closet and shower. The judges commended the original layout and use of curves within a square space. They considered the design “retro-future” and perfectly fitting for a boutique hotel.
“My design approach is based on formal principles, but with a modern twist,” Renee said of her interior design ethos. “I was faced with a relatively compact space, so felt it was important to utilise symmetry to create a coherent bathroom. I also chose to mix modern and traditional elements in the bathroom, opting for a modern bath with more traditional basins. Adding the Stone Grey exterior paint finish to the products was also an important detail. I was particularly inspired by the brief for boutique hotel design as it gives the designer the chance to create something truly unique that the guest wouldn’t usually experience at home. I’m absolutely delighted to see my design come to life at Salone del Mobile.”
Renee completed her master of architecture at Queensland University of Technology in 2009. She is now a freelance architect and interior designer, working on residential and commercial projects across Queensland.
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