Room of the Week: A Brighton Bathroom With Warm Gold Accents
Regency meets contemporary in this luxurious space that definitely has the wow factor
Jessica and Johnny Stephens were certain of one thing when it came to transforming their bathroom – it had to include plenty of gold. This didn’t mean traditional gilt taps and old-fashioned fixtures, but a considered mix of shiny, warm gold finishes with a contemporary, utilitarian vibe. ‘We loved delivering the pared-back yet opulent style of this project,’ says Chris Burton, director of The Brighton Bathroom Company.
‘The main focus was definitely gold and it had to be the main feature of the bathroom,’ explains Georgie McLeod, architectural designer at The Brighton Bathroom Company. ’The clients also liked the utilitarian look, so it was ultimately up to me to merge the two ideas, which was quite a challenge, particularly in a small-ish space.’
‘The main focus was definitely gold and it had to be the main feature of the bathroom,’ explains Georgie McLeod, architectural designer at The Brighton Bathroom Company. ’The clients also liked the utilitarian look, so it was ultimately up to me to merge the two ideas, which was quite a challenge, particularly in a small-ish space.’
The key to the success of this bathroom was zoning, given its fairly small size. So before McLeod could start styling it, her main priority was figuring out how to ensure that everything the clients wanted would fit in without it feeling cramped.
‘I needed to fit in a walk-in shower, bath, basin and loo and think about the plumbing before anything else,’ she says. ‘The couple were very keen on having a slipper-style bath and, because the spatial layout was quite challenging, we had to go with a slightly smaller version of what they wanted.’ The bath is more compact than a standard size and measures 1540mm x 760mm x 750mm.
Athena freestanding bath, Ashton & Bentley. Starck 3 series toilet, Duravit.
Check out how to get a luxe look for less
‘I needed to fit in a walk-in shower, bath, basin and loo and think about the plumbing before anything else,’ she says. ‘The couple were very keen on having a slipper-style bath and, because the spatial layout was quite challenging, we had to go with a slightly smaller version of what they wanted.’ The bath is more compact than a standard size and measures 1540mm x 760mm x 750mm.
Athena freestanding bath, Ashton & Bentley. Starck 3 series toilet, Duravit.
Check out how to get a luxe look for less
Sourcing the gold finishes was a major challenge. As well as main fixtures such as taps and the showerhead, every last detail needed to be finished in gold, such as the shower arm and hinges, basin trap and flush button.
‘Anything that wasn’t standard and had a special finish came at a premium,’ says McLeod. ‘There was a lot of research and time spent going back and forth getting hold of samples and quotes. From a project management point of view, we needed to know that items were available before going ahead, and had to allow enough time for products to be sent off and dipped.’
The glamorous toilet flush, basin fixings and shower panels are bespoke pieces electroplated in gold by a local company.
Starck 3 Series basin, Duravit. Taps; sink waste; bottle trap, all Cifial.
‘Anything that wasn’t standard and had a special finish came at a premium,’ says McLeod. ‘There was a lot of research and time spent going back and forth getting hold of samples and quotes. From a project management point of view, we needed to know that items were available before going ahead, and had to allow enough time for products to be sent off and dipped.’
The glamorous toilet flush, basin fixings and shower panels are bespoke pieces electroplated in gold by a local company.
Starck 3 Series basin, Duravit. Taps; sink waste; bottle trap, all Cifial.
Johnny and Jessica wanted a clean, continuous wet room floor rather than a shower tray, so they opted for concrete-effect porcelain floor tiles laid right across the room, with a drain in the middle of the shower.
‘The tiles have an almost unfinished look against the beautiful gold features and are really easy to clean,’ says McLeod.
Shower, Cifial. Shower panel, theshowerlab.
‘The tiles have an almost unfinished look against the beautiful gold features and are really easy to clean,’ says McLeod.
Shower, Cifial. Shower panel, theshowerlab.
‘I knew Jessica liked metro tiles, so it was a real find when we discovered this special metallic range in gold,’ says McLeod. ‘She wanted to keep the gold fixtures as the main feature, so she chose white tiles so as not to draw attention away from the luxurious metallic finishes.’
The white metro tiles also bring a utilitarian feel to the space, while their bevelled edges and dark grey grouting add texture and tie in with the grey floor.
Metro tiles in Gold, Walls and Floors.
The white metro tiles also bring a utilitarian feel to the space, while their bevelled edges and dark grey grouting add texture and tie in with the grey floor.
Metro tiles in Gold, Walls and Floors.
A small recess in the shower wall has been clad in gold metro tiles for a tasteful touch of shine. It’s the perfect nook for stashing toiletries to keep the floor clear.
‘The fixtures and fittings weren’t all from the same supplier,’ says McLeod, ‘so we knew that all the gold finishes wouldn’t match completely and would look slightly different, depending on the way the light was shining. But we agreed that this would add another dimension to the design, and to the untrained eye, it all simply looks like gold.’
Wall-mounted Techno taps, Cifial.
Wall-mounted Techno taps, Cifial.
‘I’m a huge fan of this basin,’ says McLeod. ‘It was the first design that came to mind. I’ve never seen it with gold fixtures, which give it a whole new look.’
McLeod opted for ceramic floor tiles, ones with a rough and ready feel that look like concrete and make a nice contrast to the shiny gold fittings.
The original plan was to go for gold claw feet, but then Johnny and Jessica decided it might be overkill. ‘The gold is best kept at eye level, as a feature,’ explains McLeod. ‘It wouldn’t really work as a connection between the grey floor and white bath. Plus, Jessica liked the texture of the unpainted feet.’
Burghal tiles in Grey, Walls and Floors.
Torn between fitted and freestanding? Find the right bath tub for you
The original plan was to go for gold claw feet, but then Johnny and Jessica decided it might be overkill. ‘The gold is best kept at eye level, as a feature,’ explains McLeod. ‘It wouldn’t really work as a connection between the grey floor and white bath. Plus, Jessica liked the texture of the unpainted feet.’
Burghal tiles in Grey, Walls and Floors.
Torn between fitted and freestanding? Find the right bath tub for you
A wall-mounted bath mixer and shower set maintains the streamlined aesthetic and doesn’t eat into valuable floor and bath space.
Bath taps; shower, all Cifial.
Bath taps; shower, all Cifial.
A bespoke gold finish on the floor-mounted towel rail helps it tie in with the rest of the room.
Towel rail, Bard & Brazier.
Towel rail, Bard & Brazier.
Pale grey paint on the walls is offset with a contrasting darker grey ceiling, which echoes the tiled floor. ‘It adds a sense of drama to the room, making it almost theatre-like, and the clients really liked that idea,’ says McLeod. ‘We also replaced the traditional coving like for like with a new version, and the result is very polished and grand.’
A combination of energy-efficient downlights and a contemporary, almost industrial pendant light illuminates the space. ‘Jessica liked the idea of a gold feature dropping from the ceiling, so we found a company who would do a special finish on the light,’ says McLeod.
Walls painted in Cornforth White; ceiling painted in Railings, both Farrow & Ball. Pendant light, Urban Cottage Industries.
A combination of energy-efficient downlights and a contemporary, almost industrial pendant light illuminates the space. ‘Jessica liked the idea of a gold feature dropping from the ceiling, so we found a company who would do a special finish on the light,’ says McLeod.
Walls painted in Cornforth White; ceiling painted in Railings, both Farrow & Ball. Pendant light, Urban Cottage Industries.
‘Everything is tight and well considered, and it all works together,’ says McLeod.
TELL US…
What do you think of this bathroom? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this bathroom? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Jessica and Johnny Stephens
Location Brighton, East Sussex
Size 1.7m x 2.9m; part of a Victorian villa with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom
Architectural designers Georgie McLeod and Chris Burton at The Brighton Bathroom Company
‘Johnny and Jessica’s brief, with the main focus on gold, was slightly unusual. They called it electro-regency,’ explains Georgie McLeod. ‘They wanted something unique and bespoke that no one else had.’