Plumbline Melbourne showroom
Designed by Nickolas Gurtler Office, the Plumbline Melbourne showroom introduces the New Zealand bathware brand to the Australian design community.
“It’s a big step, expanding a brand beyond its home country,” says Nickolas Gurtler, principal at Nickolas Gurtler Office. “We were thrilled that Plumbline chose us to design their Melbourne showroom, especially since we were already using their products on a daily basis.” Given the close cultural relationship between New Zealand and Australia, the brand’s move to the latter was natural. “We felt that Melbourne in particular was the right place to go,” says Benjamin Gullaci, head of architectural and design sales at Plumbline. “It’s home to a vibrant design community and we aimed to provide them with a space where they could bring clients, experiment with products and envision their next project.” The brief also involved accurately reflecting the Plumbline brand through a premium, design-led interior with references to its New Zealand heritage.
“We chose to work with Nickolas Gurtler because we wanted to be brought out of our comfort zone,” explains Joshua Gullaci, head of Plumbline’s growth and partnerships in Australia. “We knew that they had a strong background in luxury retail and we were interested to see what that would look like when applied to a bathware space.” The resulting showroom evokes a premium shopping experience – taps and basins are presented like handbags and shoes with distinctive cabinetry and thoughtful spacing. This elevated display style complements the precision-made nature of the products while establishing a visual rhythm that carries throughout the interior.
“When we researched New Zealand, we were struck by the quality of its raw materials,” Gurtler says. “There are large sections of untouched landscape and we decided to bring some of that rawness into the design as a counterpoint to the carefully machined products.” The Plumbline Buddy tapware range, with its six designs and twelve colours, sits comfortably in an environment of travertine, walnut, limewash and bronze. Each material has a visual softness that moves beyond aesthetic trends, echoing the timelessness of the bathware on display. Outside, the building’s exterior is also primed to endure. Painted light blue, it gently solidifies Plumbline’s presence on Church Street.
The Plumbline Buddy tapware range, with its six designs and twelve colours, sits comfortably in an environment of travertine, walnut, limewash and bronze.
“Since the showroom doors have opened, there’s been a strong and positive response to the space,” Benjamin says. “After the initial launch people have been coming in, curious about the ranges on offer, and we’ve also hosted multiple events. We’re excited to see what’s to come.”
