Bathroom case study
Bathrooms needn’t be white-tiled, clinical spaces. see how colour and shape create a fresh, unconventional look
Bold shades are the key to this vibrant family-friendly room
Inside story
THE PROPERTY A semi-detached, two-bedroom former convent in oxford.
THE PROJECT A guest bedroom has been transformed into a family bathroom with a living room feel and unusual pairings.
BATHROOM SIZE 3m x 3m.
THE DESIGNER Anne roberts, Day true. DESIGN BRIEF A blank canvas, which can make a designer’s heart sing or sink. for Anne it was mainly the former. ‘this space was originally a bedroom, so we had a clean slate to create something new,’ she says. ‘But we had to work around a fairly substantial structural beam, so it wasn’t all plain sailing.’ As this is the main family bathroom, the owners wanted it to be child friendly and to reflect the playful style of the rest of their home, which is filled with bold colour and modern design.
LAYOUT the window height and position dictated the location of key fittings, as did the steel beam. fortunately, the owners were willing to forgo the conventional ‘bath under the window’ set-up, allowing Anne to create a large walk-in shower space under the beam and position the vanity unit centre stage.
FURNITURE the vanity area features a beautiful handmade vessel basin and furniture supported on easel-style legs. ‘the mirror and light are off-centre to create a quirky vignette and the choice of black for both makes a strong contrast with the wood-effect tiles behind,’ says Anne.
SURFACES there were two ways to handle the steel beam: hide it or make something of it. the owners went for the latter and little Greene’s orange Aurora intelligent eggshell makes their point loud and clear. to ensure the orange truly pops, the walls were painted in deep blue juniper Ash, also by little Greene. ‘the overall look is modern, eclectic and strong, and we deliberately chose woodeffect porcelain tiles to help keep it from being too traditionally “bathroom”,’ says Anne.
FITTINGS ‘we chose a catalano wc, as that brand offers good value for great design, and we went for cea brassware in stainless steel for a slightly more luxurious, contemporary look,’ says Anne. the modern egg-shaped bath is made from composite stone, so it is easy to clean and also spacious enough for
bathing children, while a single clear shower screen provides protection from spray, without cluttering the space.
LIGHTING AND ACCESSORIES Being south-facing, the bathroom has very good levels of natural light, while spotlights in the ceiling take over when the sun fades. A distinctive black Anglepoise-style wall light enhances the all-important living room feel. the owners also added a vibrantly patterned blind with splashes of orange and blue, and colourful artwork to personalise the room.
STYLE TAKEAWAY Don’t be afraid of decorating a bathroom with colour and unusual patterns. As long as your materials are technically appropriate, you can treat it like any other room of the house.