Kitchens and baths
The two rooms where construction and finish meet — stone, cabinetry, services and waterproofing all landing in the same few square metres.
Why these two rooms are the hardest
A kitchen and a bath are the only rooms where structure, plumbing, ventilation, electrical, cabinetry and stone all have to resolve in the same space, to millimetre tolerances, in an order that cannot be changed later. Everything is either right before the stone templates or expensive afterwards.
Stone
Slabs are selected, not ordered. A book-matched run, a waterfall return or a slab backsplash carried behind a range all depend on the veining in the specific block — which is why the slab is chosen before the layout is finalised, not after.
Wet-over-dry and waterproofing
Most buildings restrict putting a wet room over a neighbour's dry room, and the ones that permit it require a specified waterproofing build-up and often an inspection before it is covered. This is the single most common reason a bathroom relocation is refused at board review.
Ventilation
Range hoods in apartment buildings frequently cannot be vented externally. Whether the hood recirculates or ducts changes the cabinetry above it, the ceiling build-up and sometimes the position of the range. It is worth resolving before the joinery is drawn.
Common questions
Can I move my kitchen or bathroom to a different room?
Sometimes. It depends on the waste stack positions, the fall available to reach them, and whether the building permits wet-over-dry. It is the first thing to establish, because the answer determines whether the rest of the plan is possible.
How is stone selected?
At the yard, slab by slab. For a book-matched or waterfall detail the specific slabs are reserved and the layout drawn to the veining. Choosing from a sample chip and hoping is how people end up with a seam through the middle of a feature.
Should appliances be picked before or during construction?
Before. Cabinetry, services and ventilation are all drawn around specific model dimensions. A late appliance change is a joinery change.
Related work
Upper Floor Residence
A white inset kitchen in marble with a contrasting island, a black-railed stair through the plan, and a dining room over the skyline.
Penthouse
An open penthouse floor — dark lacquered kitchen on a long stone island, mirrored wall treatments and full-height glazing on two exposures.
Classic Six
Beamed ceilings and built-in cabinetry to the fireplace wall, a panelled dining room with a concealed bar, and a white inset kitchen in honed marble.