MY EXPERIENCE
We moved here four years ago from a few miles away, because we could get more for our money, although it meant taking on a project. We could totally change the footprint of the house, but it would be in two stages, saving up in between. Stage one was a big extension downstairs to form a kitchen-diner and living space. Stage two was the upstairs, converting the loft and doing something about our tiny family bathroom. It was very badly laid out and the whole thing lacked character.
We had planning permission to build over the extension, only a few feet, but it meant we were able to move the wall and window and fit a bath in that space. We used the same builders, which was a good move because we had lockdown in the middle of it all and builders were thin on the ground. We spent two months camping in the front room at one point as the whole of the upstairs was in absolute chaos.
The extra space meant we could make the layout work better for us. I could put in a lovely big vanity unit and move the toilet further away from the sink. Plus, I had room for a large vertical radiator on the opposite wall, which belts out heat. I chose three types of tiles in different sizes, finishes and colours for some contrast, and to add extra interest to the space. I looked for ages for a really dramatic wallpaper for my tropical theme. We’ve travelled a lot to places like Thailand and I wanted that exotic feel. Once I found it, everything else fell into place. Now, the bathroom is my happy place.