A clever layout turned this awkward-shaped room into a luxe hotel-style bathroom

When Peter and Pam came to update the bathroom in their house, they had a lot to think about. ‘This house has so much history, personality and all sorts of quirks. Anything new had to feel like it belonged,' Pam says.

The existing room felt tired and impractical. ‘The walls were clad in wood, and there was a double basin and a shower over the bath, which made the space feel cramped,' says Pam. ‘Lighting and heating were poor, so it never felt comfortable to use. The floor also had a rotten vinyl covering, which showed how outdated the room had become.'

Pam worked with BK Eleven on both the design and renovation. ‘We were looking for a studio that could take a thoughtful approach to the space,' she says. ‘BK Eleven guided the whole process from ideas to completion, coordinating trades and managing the ordering and delivery of all the products. The project felt very smooth and well organised.'

From the start, Pam had a clear vision. ‘We wanted a freestanding bath, some feature lighting, a basin unit with proper storage and a tile with a bit of character. We also wanted the room to feel calm and comfortable, rather than purely functional.'

The layout was tricky, due to the room's awkward shape. ‘The bath is slightly offset so it fits neatly into a corner, which made much better use of the available space,' Pam says. ‘We also added a bench seat in one of the dead areas of the room, which now doubles as storage. The washbasin unit has a gentle curve, which softens some of the tighter pinch points and makes movement through the room feel more natural.'

Pam's favourite feature is the tiles. ‘They immediately catch the eye and bring a slightly quirky character that suits the house well,' she says. ‘They give the room a sense of individuality without overwhelming the space.'

The result? ‘It feels a bit like a boutique hotel,' Pam says. ‘The overall palette is calm, but moments of character and pattern prevent it from feeling too restrained. It is quite reflective of the house, which is full of small details and unexpected elements.'

'The wall colour is softer than many pinks you find. That subtlety allows it to blend into the monochrome scheme rather than dominate it,' claims Pam. ‘We tried to make the bathroom feel like another room in the house, rather than a functional space. The delicate fluted glass wall lights with warm white bulbs help to give it a homely feel,' she continues.

Brass wall lights work well to create a gentle welcoming glow here. And in the rest of the space, brass continues to flow. ‘Brass felt like a natural choice for the taps. The house already has brass fittings and ornaments from its original period, so using the material here helps the bathroom feel like a natural extension rather than a separate space,' beams Pam.

Moving to the other side of the room, ‘A countertop washbasin offers more usable surface for items around it,' says Pam. And deep drawers offer ample space to hide essentials.

When discussing the statement tub, Pam tells us, 'Because of the room's awkward shape, a built-in bath wouldn't have worked. This freestanding stone bath allows flexible positioning and is also very durable.' And let's not overlook the fact that the contemporary silhouette of this bath makes a fresh statement in the corner of the room.

Onto the shower, ‘A sliding door helps to maximise space. With the room's layout, a hinged door would have opened into the walkway and made the room feel cramped,' she claims. What about storage? ‘Inside the shower, we added a recessed shelf for toiletries and backed it with the patterned tiles to unite with the rest of the scheme,' continues Pam.

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