‘Adding an en suite gave us the luxury feel we wanted’
After a layout re-think Laura Deller was able to add an en suite, then she gave the rest of her bedroom a revamp for a high-end, boho-chic look on a budget
Remembering the first time she viewed her home, Laura Deller admits, ‘I called this the “house of horrors”. The previous owners used to breed dogs and rabbits, so it was messy, and one of the bedrooms was painted black with a wall full of tanks of live lizards.’ She wasn’t put off, though. ‘It had large rooms and big windows, and felt like a great blank canvas to do with whatever we wanted,’ she explains. Laura and her husband,
Chris, knew the upstairs needed work. There was a narrow corridor leading to a small fifth bedroom, with a window looking straight into their neighbour’s room, and the airing cupboard and water tank were in the main bedroom so they had to be moved.
THE PROJECT
The couple started by working out how they could rejig the upstairs layout, and realised
they could enhance their main bedroom by joining it to another. ‘It was obvious from the floorplan that we could convert the fifth bedroom into an en suite,’ Laura recalls, ‘so I discussed it with a recommended builder, and after about two weeks of us moving in, he started the work.’ Laura got a fixed price for the cost of the build, the deal being that the couple would strip everything out themselves, including the carpet and wallpaper, and the builders would then leave them with the en suite installed and the bedroom plastered. ‘This really helped with budget management,’ explains Laura, ‘I put everything onto a spreadsheet and we knew exactly how much money we had left to play with.’
WHAT WE DID
‘Initially the builders re-configured the space by knocking the little corridor out, creating a large room directly off the main bedroom, and they put the water tank into the loft. After a complete re-wire, they bricked up the window in the fifth bedroom and took the connections from the family bathroom next door for the plumbing, which dictated where the toilet would go,’ recalls Laura. ‘But in terms of the rest of the design, we drew it out on paper and then I used chalk and tape on the floor and walls to try out different layouts.’ Laura explains that they tried every possible configuration, including with a bath, but finally decided on a big statement shower, as there’s a tub in the main bathroom and having two felt unnecessary. This also
allowed enough space to include a vanity with twin basins, and for the space to be used as a dressing room as well.
HIGHS & LOWS
‘Adding the panelling in the bedroom was completely spontaneous,’ says Laura. ‘The walls were painted in Chic Shadow by Dulux, but I thought they could have a bit more interest, so on my day off I went to B&Q , got the wood cut and started before Chris even got home from work. I did do a quick sketch and measured out the design first, and then it was a case of attaching it. I did all of the vertical batons and frame in one afternoon using No More Nails, and then I screwed the shelf into the supporting frame.’ Laura explains this was her first big DIY job, but seeing so many people do it on Instagram gave her a sense of confidence that she could herself, and she’s really pleased with it.
THE FINAL DETAILS
Laura’s final task was to install the mirrored Pax wardrobes from IKEA, which have black, aluminium frames to complement the Crittall-style shower screen. All that was left to do then was to make it feel like an ultra-snug, boho haven by layering cushions and blankets, and to style it up with bold, graphic patterns by propping framed artwork on the shelf along the top of the panelling. ‘Although there was a moment when we had no windows, there was a massive hole in the ceiling and the landing walls had been knocked about, I’ve never regretted doing the work, and I love the cosy, relaxing space that we’ve created,’ Laura enthuses.