bathroom
Grohe towel bar
A separate toilet and bathroom were knocked through to form one room with two windows, making space for a freestanding bath, a separate shower enclosure and double basins. The vanity unit is made from reclaimed scaffold boards. “Everything else is crisp and modern, so it adds a more tactile surface,” Bianca says. Vero basins, Duravit. Mike Pro taps, Crosswater. Black hexagon floor tiles, Original Style.
Try a bathing cubicle The latest trend for generous-sized bathrooms? Enclosing the bath within the shower area behind a frameless glass screen, and installing the sink, loo, bidet and storage on the other side. Visually, it works best if the bath is the focal point of the space and if the whole shower area is tanked as a wet room so that the floor looks streamlined – shop for slip-resistant tiles for the whole room. Find bathroom designers and fitters on Houzz.
Opt for barely there In a family bathroom with lots going on, a shower area that blends into the background can help to make the room feel bigger and more streamlined. The understated elegance of this double shower space is achieved simply: with frameless shower screens, concealed shower fittings, continuous use of the polished marble flooring and light-reflecting mosaic wall tiles.
Wow with a walk-through cubicle A walk-through shower space can work wonders for an en suite that you want to feel integral to the bedroom –simply divide the shower area off from the rest of the room with two walls, which can be closed off with doors, as here. Different tiles on the facing walls make the space look more interesting, while the rainfall shower is pure luxury. Invest in good ventilation for a combined space.
The chimney breast previously housed a tropical fish tank. “That had to go,” Jessica laughs. “I added the fireplace as a nod to the fact that this is a Victorian house, despite the modern bathroom fittings.”
Jessica chose matching, midcentury-style sconces for either side of the mirror. “I love the lighting from that era and that’s always my go-to,” she says. Brassware, Perrin & Rowe. Mirror, Laura Ashley. Browse all styles of bathroom wall light from less than £20 in the Houzz Shop
“The inspiration for the brass cabinets came from kitchens,” Jessica says. “I’d seen lots of images of brass kitchen cabinets and marble surfaces, and I didn’t want to wait until we did our kitchen to use those materials in a scheme. “The brass cabinets will patinate naturally over time, which will give them lots of character,” she adds. Jessica chose encaustic tiles for the floor, which don’t feel cold underfoot and don’t need constant polishing. “It’s a happy coincidence that the star pattern reflects in the brass cabinet and looks marvellous,” she adds. “I hadn’t considered that when I chose them, but I’m really glad it does.” Brass cabinet doors, Custom Fronts. Pembroke basin, Victoria + Albert. Arabescato marble worktop, Marble Building Products. Pradena floor tiles, Bert & May. Wall lights, eBay.
The dark walls were another clever trick for making the room seem larger. “I knew that going all black would make the room look bigger, as the ceiling disappears,” Jessica says. “It’s actually fairly narrow, but you can’t tell.” The wall colour was also influenced by the choice of materials in the room. “I knew I wanted statement marble and brass hardware, and that I didn’t want anything else to be fighting for attention,” she explains. “Black brought out the beauty of those natural textures and kept it looking elegant rather than shouty.”
She also installed a freestanding bath. “The previous tub was built in and almost two metres long,” she says. “Replacing it with a freestanding one added floor space and made the room seem much bigger.” The existing spotlights worked well with the unusual pitched roof, as a pendant would have been difficult to fit. “We just switched the spots to brass-plated LEDs,” Jessica says. Walls painted in Off-Black, Farrow & Ball. York bath, Victoria + Albert Baths. Arabescato marble wall tiles, Topps Tiles.
Dual bathroom and sauna
Black, white and grey bathroom
Bathroom with sauna
Small loft bathroom. Great use of space
Whole mirror wall to make a tiny bathroom seem larger
Allow for midnight visits When you’re planning your bathroom lighting scheme, think about those nighttime trips to the loo, especially if you’re designing an en suite. “As an en suite is a room that’s placed next to the bedroom, you don’t want bright lights flashing on in the middle of the night,” says Joanne. “It’s not comfortable for the person taking a trip to the bathroom, or for the person asleep in the attached bedroom. “Consider different levels of lighting,” she adds, “so when you take a late-night trip to the bathroom, you can turn on low-level lights. Some could be operated by a PIR, which detects movement, so there’s no fumbling around for a light switch.” “In the last few years, presence-detector lighting with floor washes have become more and more popular,” agrees Misha. “A small, low-level recessed light in the wall or skirting board will skim light across the floor, creating a soft glow,” adds Jo. “Linked to a PIR, this can provide enough light to use the loo during the night. And if you position the light fitting below a towel rail, under the vanity or by a bath, it also allows the effect to be enjoyed as a calm evening light setting.” Tell us… Are you planning to ...
Great walk in shower with towel hangers at dry end, and lit, recessed toiletries shelf
Highlight a feature As well as being functional, lighting can be used to showcase key areas. “We usually start with a feature when planning a bathroom design, such as an object, sculpture, statement wall or even floor tiles,” says Misha. “Elegant lighting helps to draw attention to certain parts of the room.” “Lighting in niches and recessed shelving is a fantastic way to highlight features in your bathroom,” adds Joanne Sangster, “and it also lets you add a different colour or texture.” Plus wall hung drawer
Great lighting
Black heated towel rail. Black grouting around tiles.
Mad Cow Interiors design. Love the surround grey colour
Exposed brick on the left and on the chimney contrasts with two walls of microcement in a slightly darker colour than that used downstairs. A concrete basin sits above a hardwood vanity unit, which is painted in a high gloss. On the floor, honed Carrara marble tiles add another layer of interest, while brass fittings and a copper pipe towel radiator bring warmth to the space. Towel radiator, Plank & Pipe. Mirror, AYTM. Basin, White Wolf. Brassware, Bert & May.
The couple also fitted a skylight, which helps to fill this lofty room with plenty of daylight. “It’s quite a small room, but we wanted a separate shower,” Stephen says. “So we tanked the whole space to turn it into a watertight wetroom.” A screen protects the toilet, but the rest of the room contains water-resistant materials that can get wet.
Shape of bath to fit low, awkward space
Amazing built in basin u it, mirrored cabinets above, free standing bath with built in shelf
Another view of 2 tone bathroom
Very simple 2 tone bathroom
Clean lines, walk in shower, twin basins, loo behind partial wall
Floor lights, off set bath, wall hung basin and drawers, lit recessed shelves
Floor lights, metallic heated towel rail, off set bath
Walk through shower
Clear shower enclosure, wall hung drawers, thin mirror cabinets
Floor lights, hanging basin unit, deep Japanese style tub
Designed for an oddly shaped room.
It’s really nice to have a mix of lighting options in a bathroom. You might like an atmospheric glow for when you’re relaxing in the tub, for example, and functional lighting for when you’re putting on make-up or shaving. So a mix of overhead lights and under-cabinet spots or wall lights on separate circuits works really well.
Small bathroom basin and shelf storage
“I originally wanted to find an old piece of furniture for the basin and customise it,” Emily says. “However, we ended up buying a cheap new vanity unit. We painted it to match the bath and changed the knobs, and now it looks just as nice.” Vanity unit and basin, Soak.com.
Tiny bathroom with great storage
Tiny bathroom with shower
Great storage in tiny attic bathroom
Ensuite bathroom with glass divider, and curtain for privacy.
Bathroom in tiny attic space
Washed timber-effect flooring, white metro tiles and grey accents create a sophisticated look. “The owners had recently moved into the property and were redecorating other areas, so I took my prompt from these,” Chris says. “The feel had to be fresh, neutral, but interesting and comfortable.” The porcelain timber-effect floor tiles have a warm, grey finish that blends in with the neutral décor. They’re practical, too, and extend seamlessly to form the shower floor.
The neat, wall-hung toilet is tucked out of sight beside the door, so only the basin, shower and bath are visible when entering the room. Kartell wall-hung WC and soft-close seat, Laufen.
The metro-tiled wall leads the eye directly from the door, past the basin to the shower and bath beyond, in one continuous sweep. “It gives the appearance of continuity through the different areas and makes the space feel larger and less segregated,”
Designer Chris Payne, senior designer at Ripples Bristol The bathroom, located on the first floor, was originally destined to be the ‘main bathroom’, but the owners decided to use it for their eldest son instead. “The space is long and thin with windows occupying much of one wall,” says Chris Payne. “It was also misshapen, having at some point been two separate rooms. “The bathroom fittings were dotted around the room: the basin was perched between the two windows, with the bath and shower pushed into opposite corners. It was a good example of a bathroom having being fitted, not designed.” The key to the improved layout was designing a large, walk-in shower directly beside the bath, with both functions blending seamlessly thanks to careful planning and a neutral colour scheme. Olga polished stainless steel towel warmer, Bisque. All fixtures and fittings listed throughout are available from Ripples.
The left wall of the room was built out to conceal supply and waste pipes for the basin and shower. This has also allowed niches to be recessed for shower storage and an inset mirror above the basin. The mirror helps to maximise the light from the windows opposite. “As with most
The frameless glass shower screen keeps the space as open as possible. Underfloor heating quickly dries any splashed water. Curium 19H walk-in shower enclosure with 800mm fixed panel and 300mm hinged panel, theshowerlab.
Burgbad Eqio cabinetry, Ripples.
Good placement of shower at end of narrow room
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