4 style lessons to take away from this beautiful pink bathroom transformation

When the homeowner embarked on converting an original chicken shed, they had in mind that they would work with the exposed steels and columns to create an overall contemporary look. But when it came to decorating the bathroom, they had other bathroom ideas... 

They wanted the space to feel soft, and more embracing. At the top of their wishlist? A freestanding bath, so they designed the layout around this. Being a tight room of 2.6x2.1 metres, it made sense, as a small bathroom idea, to have the bath at the far end, creating a focal point. From there, they chose pink tiles and built up a scheme with contemporary black and white accents.

Before

From a once industrial chicken shed to a contemporary cocoon the homeowners created a sanctuary bathroom, that's cosy and calm. The installation formed part of an eight-month renovation project, of which the bathroom took around a month to fit. 

With help from their trusted plumber, John, from John Thompson Plumbing and tilers Ryan and Ian from R I Tiling Specialists, they were blessed with a bathroom of their dreams. 

1. Pink subway tiles

Opting for glazed finish wall tiles brought a playful warmth into the room, and layering them in a square herringbone, as opposed to a horizontal one, with a dark grey grout created added dimension and depth. To tone down what could have been 'too much pink', the homeowners opted for white tiles in the same design, for the other opposing walls to keep the room light and open. 

A great tip when deciding your bathroom colour scheme ideas, especially if your bathroom is windowless or gets little natural light. 

2. Wall-mounted taps 

The homeowners really wanted wall mounted taps, and liked the freshness of white against pink. The streamlined designs found at Lusso Stone are simple, yet stylish, and helped to create the contemporary finish they were looking for. 

Wall-mounted bathroom taps are an understated choice. If you’re designing your bathroom on a tight budget, installing them can give a luxury feel to an otherwise inexpensive bathroom suite. 

However, they can be more expensive to install and more expensive to buy. This is due to the fact that the concealed piping and washbasin drain have to be positioned in exactly the right spot for the plumbing to work correctly. It is almost always possible to install a wall-mounted tap unless, for example, you have a window directly behind the basin. 

Some conditions also require extra work – for example where you want to install the tap on an exterior-facing wall, which in a cold weather area, could lead to frozen pipes. It is recommended that wall-mounted taps are situated roughly 20 to 25cm above the basin in order to wash your hands comfortably

 3. Floating vanity unit and pocket doors

By not fixing a vanity unit to the floor, the gap underneath can create the illusion of more floor space in the room. Similarly, the pocket doors save on limited space, while the ribbed glass lets in valuable light to the dressing room beyond, which doesn't have any windows. These handy instalments look good and are perfectly practical. 

4. Black accents 

Using black accents helped the bathroom tie in with other industrial elements throughout the house. Choosing a contrasting black radiator for underneath the window, for example, added interest the space, while a contemporary wash basin alongside the classic bath fits in the overall aesthetic of the house. 

Additional words by Dilly Orme