BATHROOM TREND

RICH TEXTURES AND BESPOKE FURNISHINGS MEET METALS AND EXPOSED BRICKWORK FOR AN UPSCALE SPACE WITH A UTILITARIAN VIBE

Luxe it up – industrial style

Flanked by a striking de Gournay wallcovering, oversized pocket doors slide open theatrically to reveal this bathroom’s modern utilitarian style.

‘The owners wanted a standout scheme that incorporated the rich textures of industrial materials in a personal and unique way,’ says designer John Konings of Charlton Brown Architecture & Interiors.

Space was carved out from the attic to achieve the double-height ceiling the clients presented in their reference materials of New York warehouses. ‘The partially exposed structure helps rationalise the use of brick walls, but it made creating the walk-in shower area, which chicanes around a brick column, a challenge,’ says John. ‘Typically, shower waterproofing systems are designed to work with shallow tiles, but we wanted to use full bricks to give a sense of solidity.’ Exposed bricks by Daas Baksteen in a Flemish bond arrangement frame the mirrored cabinets by Charlton Brown Architects & Interiors.

The quarter-sawn oak parquet floor is the unsung hero here and the pattern has been designed so that it links to the other rooms in the master suite. ‘The copper bath was one thing the clients insisted on – the material palette that we developed was generally more understated but they were keen to include copper to link with the metallic textures in their bedroom wallpaper,’ says John.

Walnut bookcases complement the custom twin vanity, with the bespoke heated towel rail adding a distinctive element that helps unify the space. ‘the fabricators did a great job with the wall-climbing brass towel rail. It turned out even better than we had hoped at the stage where it was just a page in our sketchbook,’ says John. ‘This is a scheme with longevity. Brass, along with many of the other materials used, was chosen for its ability to age beautifully.’

Light floods the expansive double-height room, bouncing off the metal fittings and the dark parquet floor The space feels remarkably comfortable. Familiar materials are of the highest quality and are a joy to touch and use

Brass tubes have been moulded to form an unusual towel rail that curves up the wall

Pocket doors in the bedroom slide back to reveal the Catchpole and Rye copper bath