Constructing an Icon – Icon Bathware

Words by James Lyall Smith
Photography by Lillie Thompson
Constructing an Icon – Icon Bathware Issue 03 Feature The Local Project

On a lively street in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Coburg, between a coffee shop and a residential building, you will find Icon Bathware, a boutique retailer supplying the Melbourne market with designer bathroom, kitchen and laundry fittings at affordable prices.

For Ahmet Aydemir and Ali Senbay, founders of Icon Bathware, the business began in 2017 with the simple concept of making designer products accessible toall budgets. Having both previously worked in construction, Ahmet and Ali had developed a vast knowledge of the industry as well an inherent appreciation for beautiful design.

Today, you will find the Icon Bathware showroom proudly adorning the Moreland Road streetscape with well thought out window displays beckoning curious passers-by inside.

After spending a significant amount of time researching and selecting the quality products that would provide the business with a contemporary appeal, Ahmet and Ali stumbled across the space Icon Bathware would eventually call home. Previously utilised as a mechanic’s workshop,the boys immediately set about transforming the red brick shell into a place from which they would be able to proudly build their business.

However, the striking façade and impressive windows were not the only factors that first attracted Ahmet and Ali to the building. Having both grown up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, they wanted a location with a distinct connection to the social fabric of their upbringing. Countering the absence of quality designer products in a blue collar neighbourhood, Icon Bathware’s showroom and business focus were both developed to fill a gap in the market whilst emphasising quality design and dispelling the common misconception that designer products are only accessible to those with high budgets.

For Ahmet Aydemir and Ali Senbay, founders of Icon Bathware, the business began in 2017 with the simple concept of making designer products accessible to all budgets.

Constructing an Icon – Icon Bathware Issue 03 Feature The Local Project
As Icon Bathware grows as a business and the showroom adapts around it, both Ahmet and Ali continue to stay true to themselves by never losing sight of the values on which Icon was originally founded.

Today, you will find the Icon Bathware showroom proudly adorning the Moreland Road streetscape with well thought out window displays beckoning curious passers-by inside.Gone is the original unkempt feel, replaced bya welcoming vibe, however, the duo worked hard to maintain the heritage features and ensure the showroom pays homage to the industrial past of the building.

As Icon Bathware grows as a business and the showroom adapts around it, both Ahmet and Ali continue to stay true to themselves by never losing sight of the values on which Icon was originally founded. They welcome customers into their showroom, offering a friendly service and customised experience, whilst placing a strong emphasis on quality bathroom, kitchen and laundry design.

Constructing an Icon – Icon Bathware Issue 03 Feature The Local Project

Having both previously worked in construction, Ahmet and Ali had developed a vast knowledge of the industry as well an inherent appreciation for beautiful design.