‘Now it feels modern & spacious’

Stylist at Home Karen, 40, gave her family bathroom a much-needed contemporary update to suit her style and budget

his house has been my home for almost 12 years and after getting divorced, I wanted to redecorate to give the interior a fresh new look that was more to my taste,’ says Karen. ‘I decided to start with the bathroom because it was most in need of attention – it was a daily struggle sharing such a small space with my three daughters. Knocking through into the toilet next door would give us more room.

Getting the layout right in such a tiny space proved difficult. I received three different quotes, but it was Matt Curle from MC Plumbing and Heating who came up with the best ideas. For instance, because I could only have a bath that was 1,500mm long rather than the standard 1,700mm, Matt suggested I choose a wider design to compensate for the shorter length.

TDeciding on a scheme

I knew I wanted a grey colour palette, but wasn’t sure how to balance this hue in a compact area, while still keeping it as bright and open as possible. I decided to start by researching the other elements in order to get an idea of the overall look.

Matt suggested a floating sink to free up floor space and help the room appear as large as possible, so I hunted around online. I came across a brilliant cabinet that had a huge drawer, which was perfect for storing all of our bits and bobs. I bought it in a lovely shade of grey and the rest of the scheme evolved from here.

We teamed the unit with a sleek Duravit basin, so I also chose a Duravit WC that mirrored the rounded corners. I found the Bette bath at local shop, JMG Bathrooms. The owner, Christina, was very helpful and suggested a folding shower screen, too, which can be pushed back against the wall, enabling me to bathe the girls more easily.

I took a sample of the vanity cabinet to local company Ashford Tiles, where they 97

‘if you’ve gone for neutral furnishings and a pale backdrop, dress it up with avibrant accent colour to make an impact’

helped me choose tiles that matched. i decided to continue the floor tiles onto the bath panel for a sleek, coordinated look. i then painted the walls white and fitted pale grey tiles around the bath, picking out the darker shade of the floor in a mosaic panel that defines the shower area.

Styling the room

Overall, the balance of grey and white has worked out perfectly and i couldn’t wait to find accessories to match. The mirror from Beautiful Butterflies helps pull everything together, and the Buddha head makes a dramatic statement. The great thing about having the large cabinet is that it helps keep clutter at bay, which meant i could look for other ornaments to display on the window ledge alongside the Buddha.

i discovered some great pieces from the George section at asda, including an aqua elephant tumbler and soap dispenser, and turquoise towels. as soon as i saw them, i decided to use this as my accent colour, and it’s brought the grey to life. i can’t believe it all came together while doing my food shop – i’m thrilled with the results.’