Old meets new

Style advice Three simple tricks to try in your own home

LOOK TO THE PAST

Classic features, like the traditional-style toilet, give the bathroom instant character. ‘I love the highcistern toilet,’ says Caroline. ‘It’s a mock old style from Victorian Plumbing and it works well with the reclaimed cupboard doors. The builder constructed the new built-in cupboard around the old doors to ensure they fitted perfectly. There’s tons of storage for boxes of toiletries on the shelves inside, which is great for hiding things away.’ BE MONEY SAVVY

‘My original plan was for a made-to-measure Roman blind, but because of the thick window frosting and position of the shower, we didn’t need a functioning blind that went up and down. Instead, I bought a basic bamboo blind from B&Q and made a pelmet using MDF. I covered the board with wadding before adding fabric and stapled it together for an easy upholstery hack, then attached hooks for hanging. It covers the ugly fixings and softens the window.’

MAKE YOUR OWN

‘Vanity units can be extortionate and they’re often just plastic, so I had my own design made in keeping with the bathroom’s characterful look. I picked out the solid top from a marble yard and had it cut to size, then I found the tap and sink online. My joiner built the unit from MDF and added some vintage feet that I had found. Then it was painted in Green Smoke by Farrow & Ball to bring it all together. I also added antique handles to bring extra interest to the piece.’

‘A bright white shiny shower tray wouldn’t have worked with the cream of the floor tiles, so we picked a matt black alternative. The finish also provides an extra bit of grip’

‘Our bathroom includes my favourite interiors mix: old, new, high and low’

‘Our last bath took up too much space, so we opted for a smaller design. It was full of leaves in a garden when I saw it online, but the £600 price tag included re-enamelling and painting. I chose black to tie in with the floor tiles’

Style idea

Add a vintage feel with

Quick fix Bring a modern twist to a traditional tub by painting it a contemporary colour. For more painting inspo, head to bit.ly/ 3CNYDML

MY EXPERIENCE

After living in our London flat for over 10 years and with a second baby on the way, we decided to return to the North East in May 2019. After renovating the kitchen and loft, I decided to paint the bathroom walls just as a temporary measure until we could completely gut it and then reconfigure the layout.

I wanted the bathroom to work practically for family life but also be a luxurious space. The starting point was the statement salvaged bath. There’s a tendency to put things around the edge of the room, but the bath is such a focal point, so I wanted it in the middle, rather than shoved in a corner. We also moved the shower across the wall.

The floor tiles were my biggest splurge, and they really make a statement, so I didn’t want to go crazy with other patterns. We also incorporated reclaimed doors, bought a mix of new and old lighting fixtures, had a bespoke vanity unit made and replaced the window.

There was a slight delay when the bathroom fitter got Covid, and the floor tiling took longer than expected. Luckily, we have a separate en suite that we could use during the month-long project.

I love our bathroom as it includes my favourite interiors mix: old, new, high and low. From antique to high street, I’ve packed it all in there in a way that works cohesively and it makes me really happy.

My shopping list

● Stratford Classic Hexagon floor tiles in White, Black and Red, £169.42 per sq m, Original Style ● White marble-effect shower wall tiles, £33 per sq m, Wall and Floor Tiles Ltd ● Carlton high-level traditional toilet, £329.95; Chatsworth thermostatic shower, £319.95; for a similar shower tray, try the Ideal Standard Silk Black Ultraflat rectangular shower tray, £294.94; for a similar basin mixer tap, try the Trafalgar Traditional Mono basin mixer tap, £129.95; Bristan 1901 Globe bath taps, £210.52, all Victorian Plumbing ● RAK Laboratory ceramic sink, £178.08, Taps Empire ● Vanity marble top, £120, Brian Morris Marbleworks ● For a similar bath, try the Royce Morgan Chatsworth 1530 free-standing bath, £663.30, Showers to You ● For a similar wall light, try the Ripon bathroom wall light, £38, Dunelm ● For a similar stool, try the Hedvig small rustic stool, £98, Vaunt Design ● Walls painted in Lichen, £52 for 2.5L; vanity unit painted in Green Smoke, £52 for 2.5L, both Farrow & Ball ● For a similar radiator, try the Athens Matt Black radiator, £249.99, Bathroom Mountain ● Corded Light Brown roller blind, £8, B&Q ● For similar vases, try the terracotta vases, from £22.10, MediterraCo on Etsy. Turn to p128 for stockist details