INSIDE STORY
THE PROPERTY A seven-bedroom Grade
I-listed Georgian hall house in Lancashire.
THE PROJECT A bedroom was transformed into a showpiece master bathroom without permanently altering any original features.
BATHROOM SIZE 5x5m.
THE DESIGNER Kim Warburton of KW Interiors. DESIGN BRIEF The owners of this historic stately home wanted a timeless and elegant bathroom to suit the property’s Georgian proportions.
They had patiently waited several years for the house to come back on the market, after losing a previous attempt to buy it. ‘By the time they got the keys, the property had fallen into disrepair,’ says interior designer Kim Warburton, who worked alongside Mason Gillibrand Architects on the three-year restoration. ‘English Heritage stipulates that all alterations should be totally reversible, with minimal damage to the existing fabric of the building. In this bathroom, extra care was needed to protect the delicate plastered ceiling of the room below.’
LAYOUT In transforming this space from bedroom to bathroom, the bath and shower were positioned together nearest the windows that offered the best views. This also confined the new plumbing to one area and reduced disruption. An island unit with a combination of painted and walnut finishes was put in to separate the dressing and bathing zones.
Storage is split to house towels and toiletries on one side, with drawers for clothing on the other.
SURFACES Arabescato Corchia marble was chosen for its timeless elegance and the availability of large-format slabs that minimise the number of fixings to the wall. The bathing area was raised to conceal the plumbing and also a steel support that helps protect the ceiling below from the weight of the stone and fittings. ‘The owners like the softness of carpet in bathrooms, but is was also used here as it responds to the “total reversibility” edict. Carpet is much easier to remove than tiles,’ says Kim.
FITTINGS ‘We chose a range of fittings from Drummonds as they are slightly oversized, so work particularly well with the grand proportions of the space,’ say Kim.
ACCESSORIES Bold accent colours, supplied by framed prints of emerald-green succulents, were introduced to lift the otherwise pale palette. ‘Pillar wall lights lend an Art-deco touch that suits the ambience of the room,’ says Kim.
STYLE TAKEAWAY An original fireplace and a redundant doorway were concealed behind false panelling. ‘It wasn’t an easy decision to hide these, but paring back provided a calmer space and left more room for the built-in dressing area that the clients requested,’ explains Kim.