golden touch’

Rather than play it safe, Jessica luxed up her characterless, compact bathroom with a bit of sparkle

Buying an ex-rental property was my chance to work with a bathroom that was a blank canvas, but lacked personality,’ says Jessica, of the Regency-era flat she owns.

‘It was just a basic suite, with magnoliapainted walls, and a cheap lino floor that was ill fitting as well as difficult to keep clean. It lacked a window, as the room had been created in the first place by borrowing space from the sitting room. I wanted my new bathroom to look bigger, but without having to do any major structural work.

My must-haves

At the top of my wish list was a separate shower and bath. The main challenge was how to work these two large items into a small space because the central position of the doorway meant the room lacked spare wall space for additional sanitaryware. A low-profile walk-in shower was nonnegotiable, and I also wanted to install an enclosed shower screen, because the bathroom could feel chilly in the winter.

Another must-have for me was a freestanding roll-top bath. The issue was trying to find one that wouldn’t look overpowering in a compact room. I was aware that all the bathroom furniture had to work without appearing crammed in, and it took a lot of careful planning. But I eventually sketched out a floor plan that fitted in everything I wanted.

Raising the roof

I was advised to make the stud walls thinner, as well as removing the false ceiling to raise the height of the room, and these simple tweaks made the room feel so much bigger. Moving the door to the far side of the room gave me enough space to squeeze in a shower unit.

Underfloor heating ensured the oncechilly room felt cosy, and continuing the floor tiles at a slight angle towards the waste unit dispensed with the need for