HAYLEY BLYTHE
DENTIST
‘The house had been rented for several years before we bought it. The downstairs toilet (and the whole house) was very tired and desperately needed livening up. We reconfigured the cumbersome boxing in behind the loo to make it less invasive. Then we looked at colours. My interiors style is generally very calm and neutral, but I wanted to go a little bolder in this room. We trawled endless paint charts before settling on De Nimes by Farrow & Ball – we just love the dark blue tones. I left the colour short of the ceiling to give the illusion of a picture rail and increased height. The blue tiles complement the walls, and they were also on sale at B&Q – always a bonus. My heart was set on a purpose-made bathroom vanity unit with integrated sink, but our budget didn’t stretch so we bought an under-the-sink unit from John Lewis’ Croft Collection, replaced its veneered top with solid oak work surface left from our kitchen reno and plumbed in a counter-mounted sink. The result is so effective and at a fraction of the price! I’d love a more stylish radiator but I’m pretty pleased with what we’ve achieved.’
Clear the clutter
Include storage provisions for toilet paper and some cleaning products/air fresheners. A slimline vanity unit with cupboard could provide it without taking up floorspace. If you’re building out stud walls, consider a mirror cabinet between the joists above the basin or toilet cistern. A wall-mounted soap dish or bottle will keep the basin clear.
Open up
For downstairs toilets opening to the hallway, a smart reno move is to build in a pocket door, which slides across rather than pivoting out into oncoming children. A barn-style sliding door, which fits above an existing door frame, is a simple retrofit solution. In period homes that don’t suit such modern mechanisms, consider bi-folding panelled doors or a pair of narrow doors that open centrally.