The heritage-listed Royce Hotel, a five star boutique establishment on Melbourne’s St Kilda Road, has recently undergone a transformation, with the opulent redesign harking back to its past life with a subtle nod to Art Deco. The Royce Hotel takes its name – and its style – from the fact it was originally a Rolls Royce showroom (in the 1920s) that was recognised as the most glamorous in the world.
The famous Royce Hotel stands proud in the heart of Melbourne on St Kilda Road.
In 2000 the building was converted into a luxury hotel with SJB Interiors commissioned to design the interiors. Now, 15 years later, the same firm has just completed six prototype rooms that will form the footprint for the hotel’s ongoing refurbishment strategy. SJB Interior’s vision for this work took inspiration from the building’s history and then enhanced this with a luxurious Art Deco style.
The Presidential Suite is a stunning nod to the 1920s Art Deco era.
SJB developed a base palette of oyster and metallic tones layered with black detailing and royal blue accents. In addition, the subtle texture of knurled chrome detailing referenced the magnificent Rolls Royce vehicles that once called the building home.
Each luxurious bathroom features hand-made vanities to showcase the new Components tapware range by Kohler.
Sophistication, glamour and opulence are all key words for the ambience of the Royce and nowhere are these more evident than in the bathrooms of the guest suites and rooms.
The Presidential Suite bathroom features double-sized walk in shower with Katalyst showering, minimalist accessories, paired with the modern Evora wall hung toilet suite (Englefield by Kohler).
“It was imperative for the tapware, for example, to reflect the aspiration of the hotel,” said Andrew Parr, director interior design, SJB Interiors.
The stunning Components tapware set features the Tube spout and knurled handles – Oyl.
“Kohler’s Components provided the perfect balance between Classic and Modern Deco, while its choice of decorative elements meant the same range could run throughout the hotel in its various designs. The fittings are beautifully proportioned and the knurled detailing of the Oyl tap handles provides an elevated level of tactility and prestige,” he said.
The moodiness of this Signature Suite is reminiscent of the 1920s style featured throughout the hotel.
Signature Suite bathroom.
The new bathrooms feature spouts and handles from the highly innovative Kohler Components, a collection of interchangeable tapware elements – handle, spout and finish – that can be used to create a unique and bespoke look.
Other bathroom details of note are the marble wall tiles whose shell shape is taken from a motif found elsewhere in the original Royce building, while the chrome detailing on the marble vanity units is subtly redolent of Le Corbusier’s Grand Confort armchair, a classic design of 1928, the year the Rolls Royce showroom opened.
The shell motif marble tiles and deco inspired sconces set the scene for the modern bathroom fixtures including the Evora Wall Hung toilet suite and Katalyst air infused showerheads.
Kohler’s Katalyst showerheads deliver a highly indulgent, luxury showering experience courtesy of a clever water-saving technology whereby 2.2 litres of air is introduced into every 9.4 litres of water to create a deluge of larger, fuller water droplets.
The Kohler Katalyst air infused showerhead matched with Components Oyl top assembly handles.
In lock-step with the design brief of elegant, classic design are the Purist tapware fixtures including freestanding Purist bath filler. A piece of perfectly proportioned, classic design exuding clean, timeless lines Purist is the perfect fit with the marble and chrome finishes and textures of the 5 star Royce Hotel.
A true Melbourne view from the bathroom in the Presidential Suite including the Purist Freestanding Bath Filler.
Interiors: SJB Interiors – Andrew Parr and Léo Terrando
Referencing vintage hand pumps PURIST, the latest bathroom tapware collection from Kohler, is the essence of simplicity and authenticity.
Hero of the range is the single lever mixer in both standard and tall – a single column topped with a slender cylindrical lever it is the epitome of intuitive functionality.
The Purist Tall Basin Mixer with Petaline Cast Iron Basin
Simply lift and turn the lever to adjust flow and temperature. The design taps into our ever-growing love for unadorned simplicity and effortless use, without the obsessive need to over-design and innovate.
The Purist Basin Mixer with Briolette Glass Basin.
Other models within the range are the three-piece basin mixer sets with lever control in both wall mount and hob mount. There is also a wall-mounted three-piece lever design available, all maintaining the same mantra of purism and integrity.
Purist 3 piece Hob Mount Basin Set
Purist Wall Mount Basin Set with Botticelli Marble Basin
All basin taps are five star WELS rated using only six litres of water a minute. There are also bath spouts, bath/shower mixers with and without diverter plus a matching freestanding bath filler with handshower.
Purist Floor Mount Bath Filler with Abrazo Lithocast bath.
Purist Floor Mount Bath Filler
The kitchen also benefits from the Purist mantra of simplicity and authenticity.
The polished chrome, 5-star WELS Purist kitchen mixer features the same clean, simple lines as the bathroom models with a single lever handle, ¼ turn ceramic disc cartridges and tarnish and corrosion-resistant finish.
Purist Kitchen Mixer
Coming soon is the Purist tapware range in a range of finishes including Rose Gold, Polished Gold, Vibrant Bronze and Brushed Nickel.
A simple, graceful bathing space – a retreat from the modern world – is at the heart of a new tapware design called AVID that has won the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award (2015).
The Sensuous Side of Simple … KOHLER’s new Avid tapware range.
Avid, by Kohler, delivers sensuous simplicity to everyday bathroom tapware – and transforms it into a purposeful exercise in purity of form. The Avid tap is an inspired concept. Reminiscent of liquid metal its gentle, fluid form rises from the benchtop and is stretched to a slender, tapered spout. The lever control is an extension of the body of the tap – no harsh edges, sharp angles or unnecessary embellishment.
The Avid two-piece wall mount basin set.
The collection of Avid bathroom tapware includes Standard, Tall and Super Tall basin mixers as well as a three-piece widespread model, a wall mount basin mixer and shower mixers. The basin tapware has a 5 star WELS rating, using six litres of water a minute.
The Avid single lever basin mixer range includes Standard, Tall and Super Tall.
Kohler has a reputation for durability and longevity – as with all other tapware its Avid model is finished in a corrosion and tarnish-resistant polished chrome and superior ceramic disc technology.
The basin mixers also feature an integrated aerator with angle adjustment to ensure optimum performance for all installations.
Simple flow is all part of the Avid tapware design intent.
A full range of matching accessories will be released shortly.
Available on order. Contact a showroom near you for more details.
Interested in hearing more about Avid’s design? See below the video of KOHLER’s Director of New Product Development talking about the design imperative set for Avid.
Check out the latest from our Global Bathroom Design Trends series, this time an exclusive interview with Darren Genner – design director and founder of Minosa Design based in Sydney.
For more videos in the series, as well as a video on the Kohler Design Forum, please see below:
