Before and after: Palm-print wallpaper has turned this into a one-of-a-kind bathroom

Classic bathroom basics are given a punch of personality with an inspired choice of wallcovering

After buying their four-bed detached Edwardian house in Essex five years ago, the owners set about tackling its dated decor, room by room. ‘The bathroom was the last thing to be done – and on the smallest budget,’ admits the owner.

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‘It’s not a big space, so we couldn’t change the layout. The loo was the only thing that was reasonably new and in good condition, so we kept it, but everything else had to go.’

‘Once I had put in the basics – the sanitaryware, vanity unit and tiles – I felt that I had a base to build on,’ says the owner. ‘I wanted to add colour with wallpaper – so I designed some myself. I’m inspired by tropical greenery and just love the combination of 
pink and green. It’s more like a mural, really.’

‘I did think about hanging loads of 
real plants in here, but the wallpaper is actually more practical. You just need to varnish it after hanging – it’s easy to do it yourself.’

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Buy now: Straight 1600mm bath and screen, £159, Soak.com
Buy now: Palm wallpaper, £165 for 10m, Lucy Tiffney

‘I was pleased to find the vanity unit, which is much more streamlined than the old basin and we can fit so much into it,’ says the owner. Despite its ample storage, it doesn’t jut out too far into the narrow room, making it extremely practical.

‘I think the floor should be darker than the walls in a bathroom. 
I love flowers and nature, so searched online for floor tiles that form flower patterns,’ says the owner.

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Buy now: Atelier Geo floor tiles, 
£26.75 per sq m, Tile Devil
Buy now: Melbourne vanity unit, £159, Soak.com

The owner spent a long time choosing the shower. ‘Our old one had been so feeble,’ she explains, ‘so I was determined to get something more powerful. It’s been paired with a super-wide screen – an essential if you’re going for a shower with real oomph!

Her green metal caddy was a vintage find from eBay. ‘I’m not sure what it was originally 
used for, but it makes a great toilet-roll holder,’ says the owner.

Like the idea of wallpaper in the bathroom? Bathroom wallpaper ideas that will elevate your space to stylish new heights

‘I love a bargain and am a real scavenger,’ says the owner. ‘I salvaged the set of colourful hooks on the back of the door from 
a beach hut that was 
being torn down. I love 
the colours of the knobs.’

Get the look
Buy now: Similar hammam towels, from £25, Hammam Havlu

‘This bathroom really reflects me,’ the owner admits. 
‘I’m really pleased with the wallpaper, the way the plants echo it, and how additions such as charity-shop glass, pottery and colourful toiletries bring the whole look together.’