BATHROOM

By focusing on curves, the design of this elegant en suite pleases from every angle

Mirrored panels and sinuous curves evoke Twenties elegance.

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF PROJECT OUTLINE?

This Nottinghamshire home was built in the Eighties in a grand, mock-georgian style, and the bathroom was decorated similarly but had become rather tired over time. The owners’ two children had grown up, and they were ready for a change. The old-fashioned shower enclosure was a particular bugbear, and the layout didn’t do anything to negate the room’s long but comparatively narrow footprint.

HOW DID YOU CONCEIVE A NEW LOOK?

The owner had worked for The White Company and loved its quietly sophisticated style and muted colour palettes. The rest of the house is in this vein – very calm and neutral. I also took on board their preference for period styling and suggested we switch direction from the heavier influences of Georgian design to a more shapely Art Deco style.

DID YOU CHANGE THE LAYOUT?

My biggest alteration was to reposition the vanity unit to improve the view from the bedroom, so it doesn’t matter if the bathroom door is left open. Swapping the bulky shower enclosure for a long walk-in space has also improved the room’s flow, while affording the WC area more privacy. We used mirrors to bounce back the light and make the room look bigger – it is an age-old spatial trick that never fails.

HOW DID YOU CREATE THE CURVED SHOWER WALL?

We used a bespoke polystyrene panel that is really light. The sinuous shape has aesthetic appeal but it also provides essential structural strength that you couldn’t achieve with a straight wall. We used mosaics to tile the curved wall, as they mould to its shape. The shower floor is also mosaic because they offer excellent slip-resistance. We went for stone tiles on the straight internal wall as we felt that all-out mosaics would be too busy and overwhelming.

WHAT ROLE DID THE FURNITURE PLAY?

The furniture is really the focus of the entire room. The use of curves, tapered legs, polished metals and stepped details is synonymous with furniture of the Art Deco era. The taupe painted finish has the palest pink undertones that pick up on shades in the mosaic and natural stone. The result is a bathroom with plenty of style details to appreciate, and a soothing atmosphere that’s perfect for unwinding at the end of the day.

The mirrored panels, curved furniture and polished nickel finishes echo the elegance of the Twenties.

ABOVE The long shape of the walk-in shower space is offset by the gently curving wall.LEFT A beautiful bespoke vanity unit creates a striking focal point that is visible from the bedroom.