Much-needed maintenance provided the ideal chance to transform this compact bathroom from cluttered and ordinary to spacious and striking
‘I would hardly describe my bathroom as generous, so every millimetre counted when it came to updating the space,’ says the owner. Measuring in at 1.65 x 1.93m, the small bathroom had appeared fairly serviceable when she first moved in. And initially, it wasn’t high on the list of priorities, although the lack of floor space did make bathing more of a chore than a pleasure.
When the owner discovered water seeping into the kitchen below, and with plumbing work inevitable, it was the ideal opportunity for a rethink. A quick examination of the old pipework soon revealed plenty of problems, so ripping everything out and starting again seemed the best plan of action.
Creating more space was vital and a shorter bath was the solution. At 160cm, it wasn’t much smaller than a full-size one, but it made all the difference to the scheme once the owner realised that she would be able to place it underneath the window, rather than in the position it had been before.
After that, the new layout fell into place easily, with the owner allocating maximum dimensions to each remaining item in order to free up as much room as possible. All-white space-saving fittings help to keep the compact bathroom feeling as roomy as possible. For example, the wall-hung vanity unit, with its extra storage, is a real bonus in such a confined space.
Although the house is a period property, the owner wanted to keep the look modern, and chose simple, clean lines and modular pieces to help up open up the space. ‘It makes cleaning easier, too,’ she says.
Despite choosing white fittings, when it came to the tiling, the owner loved the idea of having grey walls, but wasn’t sure how the look would work. She spent weeks poring over numerous tile samples and, in the end, settled on a soft grey, large-format tile. However, it’s the glittering green mosaic feature wall that the owner is most proud of. ‘It’s quite an adventurous colour choice,’ she says, ‘and although it wasn’t the cheapest option, it really does help bring the room to life and transform the grey and white palette into something special.’
With there being a window above the bath, privacy is a concern, so the owner sourced a waterproof, wood-effect blind that she spotted online. It’s the perfect solution, and the fact that it’s made out of PVC means it’s unaffected by steamy showers.
The large-format grey tiles on the walls have been continued onto the bath panel for a sleek, coordinated finish and teamed with tactile wood-effect vinyl. Not only does it look and feel like real wood, but it’s waterproof, too, so there’s no need to worry about water damage.
Shopping list
Vanity unit and basin, from £342, Hudson Reed
Bath, £188, loo, £331, and bath screen, from £87, all Premier Bathroom Collection
Shower, £277, Plumbworld
Laminate flooring, £19.99 per sq m, Quick-Step
Wall tiles, £35 per sq m, and mosaic tiles, £106 per sq m, House of British Ceramic Tile
Blind, £44, Sunwood
Bamboo ladder, £15, Blakemere Village
Stool, £7.99, Clas Ohlson
This bathroom originally appeared in Style at Home, January 2017
