Louise Liu founded her eponymous Sydney-based studio, Studio Liu, shortly after returning from overseas. With more than 15 years of experience working for and collaborating with prestigious Australian and Hong Kong-based designers, Liu’s international perspective is reflected in her work. 

Each project becomes an ode to the unique stories and symbiotic relationship between client and space. With an unwavering dedication to beauty and a penchant for the unconventional, Liu’s work is both contemporary and enduring. Here, Liu shares insights into how she approaches bathroom design through the lens of intimacy, individuality and craftsmanship.

Australian Design Review: Bathrooms were once considered purely functional wet rooms. Any sense of the personality of the homeowner was absent. Now that this has shifted, how do you approach creating a bathroom design that reflects a client’s unique personality and lifestyle?

Louise Liu: On a deeper level, I like bathrooms to reflect how the clients want to feel when they’re in the space and the experiences they want. Some may be an unexpected, fun space that activates energy for guests while others may be calm spaces to unwind and escape. These emotions come into play when designing the space. 

I think we increasingly view bathrooms in a home as more than just a wet space. There is more awareness of health and wellness and I can see this has increased our respect for spaces where we care for ourselves. Bathrooms are beautiful spaces that celebrate a big part of our daily routine. I see them as having evolved into very considered spaces that still hold the same functionalities but are expressed more poetically. 

ADR: Can you share more about the ways you incorporate personalised elements into the bathrooms you design?

LL: The innate nature of bathrooms is that they’re very personal spaces even before design elements are implemented. I think it’s important to understand how the client wants to use the space. What brand of products they use can guide the storage solutions or their daily rituals could dictate the spatial flow, ensuring it’s most efficient for them.

ADR: What role do colour schemes and materials play in expressing individuality in a bathroom?

LL: I value longevity in our industry so I always push for long-lasting palettes and tones. I often guide my clients to utilise natural stones for their colours and patterns. The colour and boldness of a stone can contribute to the overall character of the space, while something more subdued can create a sense of calm.

ADR: Can you explain how you add layers of customisation to your bathroom designs?

LL: Sometimes a bathroom needs to work quite hard. There may be window openings needed to allow natural light in, which takes up wall space. We once designed integrated hand towel rails to vanities to allow for a discreet and efficient way of storing towels while leaving walls mostly bare.

ADR: How do you balance the functional needs of a bathroom with creating a space that reflects the personality of the client? Is there a place in bathroom design for personal items that reflect a client’s hobbies or interests, the way there is in living spaces?

LL: For all my projects, I begin with a unique concept which focuses on expressing something that is personal to the client. This sets the design narrative throughout all the spaces, including the bathroom. For me, functionality is something that cannot be sacrificed but the concept is often informative in terms of the final outcome. There is a strong relationship between the two and both are important.

For some clients, there are daily rituals that are meditative on a personal level, such as the bathing experience or self-care in front of the mirror. These experiences are what make a home unique to a person so they should be celebrated. For CKR Residence, we wanted the bathing experience to be almost monastic so we placed the bath under a full-width skylight, clad in stone and removed from the surrounding walls so it became almost a sculpture. The heightened experience of bathing is a way to celebrate the client’s normal activities.

ADR: Storage is a big factor in a bathroom. Can you talk to us about storage solutions that can cater to the varying needs of multiple people who might be using a bathroom? 

LL: I personally advocate for storage that is accessible, as I feel inaccessible storage just becomes space for hoarding. The type of products, equipment and how often they are used can set the requirements for where we place storage. Hidden layered drawers of different depths that pull out so you can access both tiers at the same time have been useful to some of my clients who want to use different sized products at the same time.

ADR: Fixtures and fittings can make or break a bathroom, from both functional and stylistic perspectives. What is your approach to selecting fixtures and fittings that stand out yet complement the overall design?

LL: I believe in opting for timeless fittings that can stand the test of time, including finishes and functionality. They should relate to the overarching concept and be something that can age alongside the bathroom. 

ADR: We touched earlier on lighting. What role does lighting play in creating a personalised bathroom atmosphere?

LL: I think we naturally gravitate towards well-lit areas in a bathroom, so it’s important to place the correct elements with the right light sources. I always try to locate vanities or showers where there is a light source. This also ensures we utilise natural light over artificial light as much as possible. Different levels of ambient lighting are something I always aim to include such as cove lighting or wall lights, as they provide a softer experience in bathrooms.

ADR: Can you recommend any specific design features that can be customised for a more personal touch?

LL: Bespoke cabinetry and mirrors are playful elements that I always include in my bathrooms, as they are not only functional but can add to the experience of a space. In FY Residence we looked at customising a vanity that felt like a piece of furniture with a custom mirror above. We wanted to set the tone of this bathroom being a beautiful room as opposed to a wet area.

ADR: Turning our thoughts to the future, what technological innovations do you expect to see more of in bathroom design? 

LL: Through my past experiences working in hotel design, I am familiar with specifying technology in bathrooms. However, recently I have seen an increase in residential clients wanting to integrate smart home systems within their bathrooms. These can include smart home automated systems integrating speakers into bathrooms, automatic window coverings, automatic lighting systems, smart shower systems, smart toilets and even sensor tapware.

Smart toilets are not a necessity in Australia but I can see them becoming more popular. Another is the development of integrated experiential showers that are also sustainable in terms of water usage. 

I also see seamless finishes such as micro-cement and tadelakt as something that is becoming very popular. I think the bathing traditions of cultures such as the Japanese and Turkish people will also begin to have an impact on the design of Australian bathrooms in the future.   

ADR: Wellness has become a buzz topic that has infiltrated the architecture and interior design realm recently. How are you seeing this play out in the bathrooms you design?

LL: I see a rise in celebrating the cleansing experience in residential bathrooms and I feel this is something that promotes wellness. Some cultures hold the process of cleansing as very sacred. I believe our awareness of health and wellness can be seen in the way our designs value the everyday self-care moments, such as brushing our teeth at the vanity or bathing after a long day at work. 

Personal comfort is key to relaxation. Everyone unwinds differently and the bathroom should be designed to encapsulate your way of unwinding. Opportunities for meditative experiences, such as bath areas or luxurious vanity areas for getting ready, can enhance comfort, while materiality and tones can affect how someone feels within the space. 

ADR:  Aside from items such as saunas or ice plunge baths, which can’t necessarily be accommodated into every bathroom that aspires to be a space for wellness and relaxation, how can these goals be achieved?

LL: Natural light and ventilation are critical to a bathroom for health as they help reduce moisture and subsequently mould or bacteria. Custom-designed homes are no rarity in today’s landscape and it’s important to factor in the natural light sources during the initial planning stages. I am a big fan of skylights in bathrooms as they allow an incredible amount of natural light into areas you’d not normally want a window.

I always promote natural materials, such as marble for bathrooms, as I think there’s a connection between natural materials and the human touch. Our bodies have a natural sense of familiarity with them. 

Photography by Timothy Kaye.

This month, we turn our attention to one of the most important rooms in any building designed for people to live, work, play or learn in: the bathroom. Once a purely functional wet room devoid of style, the bathrooms of today are anything but basic. We spoke with a select group of Australia’s leading and emerging interior designers to reveal what’s next in bathroom design.