House style
DESIGN GURU MINNIE KEMP TALKS EXTRAORDINARY BATHROOMS AND MAKING A SPLASH IN YOUR OWN BATHING SPACE
I am passionate about baths; my bedtime ritual involves a bottle of Badedas and a long soak no matter what time of the night. The most romantic bathroom I have ever encountered was built by Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor of India. The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1648 for love, in the memory of Jahan’s favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child. The entire structure is made from white marble. At dusk , when the marmalade skies turn crimson, so does the façade, making it look like a sparkling cake of salt. Inside lies the Mecca of all bathrooms.
The Sheesh Mahal – meaning The Palace of Mirrors – has been designed so that if one stands at any corner of the room and lights up a candle, the reflection of the candle will be visible in a plethora of small mirrors fixed into intricate patterns on the ceiling, like an age-old disco ball. During her bath times, the Queen would have musicians playing around her, and built into the walls are drums that would be played by eunuchs. Of course the bathtub is completely made from white marble and in the centre is a fountain jet that would have created bubbles much like a modernday Jacuzzi. Ahh, a girl can dream…
Even without the ability to take this overly luxurious approach, there are a few tricks I’ve learned when it comes to creating the perfect bathroom. The shapes and colours you choose can make all the difference in turning a room into a place of rest and respite. The Wye free-standing bathtub from Drummonds is the perfect length to sprawl out or prop up and read. Accessories and fittings in a brushed nickel finish give a contemporary clean feel which I prefer. It’s fun to play around with the colour of your bath exterior. I had mine sprayed a dusty blue, just a shade darker than the Edward Bulmer Fair Blue on the walls.
For the bathroom floor and up to dado height on the walls, I have specified Verde Guatemala honed marble. A fantastic secret supplier is Francesca Di Cola.
Just look up The Marble Whisperer on Instagram for her luxe take on deep, deep veins. If possible, always have a decorative coffer ceiling and warm lighting. Andrew Martin do some lovely alabaster wall lights that can be fitted either side of a Patrick Ireland bespoke mirror. For cosiness, use linen fabric for Roman blinds. If you’re worried about peeping Toms, frost the windows , leaving a 5cm gap around the frame to let the clear light in.
It’s fun to play around with the colour of your bath exterior – I had mine sprayed a dusty blue