EASTERN ESCAPE Sanctuary style with jade green and mono accents

IDEA TO STEAL

‘Use a small sideboard as an unusual vanity unit. You’ll need to shorten the top drawers to make room for pipework’

Buyit

Shop Tracey’s style

PAGE99 SHOPPING AROUND

‘The metal-framed shower panels remind me of the sliding screens in Japanese homes. I found this design online’

Tracey’s choice: MAKING SPACE WORK

Asavvyapproachtospatialplanningcan turntrickyfeaturesintogreatassets

Small spaces, sloping ceilings, uneven walls and unusual alcoves are common in bathrooms, particularly in period properties or when overall space is tight. But it’s not all bad news. Irregular architecture and imperfections can result in a compelling, character-filled place to bathe and unwind.

CanIimprovetheshape?

The more you spend on building work, the less you’ll have for fittings. Stealing space from an adjacent bedroom or relocating a water tank might provide extra inches but do get costings in advance. Moving an external window is usually far pricier than an internal doorway, for example.

HowdoIplanthelayout?

By prioritising. Compromise is often inevitable so start by listing your must-haves and work out the impact

BEST FOR…

VIRTUAL PLANNING

Villeroy & Boch’s augmentedreality app lets you view fittings in your bathroom so you can check the look and fit, and change size, shape and colour before you buy.

STRUCTURAL ADVICE

The Institute of Structural Engineers (istructe.org) has a database of qualified structural engineers, plus free homeowner advice and how to commission the right expert for your job.

SPECIALIST SOLUTIONS

Ideal Standard’s Concept Space range includes tapered baths, corner basins and short-projection loos, designed by Robin Levien, for awkwardly shaped rooms. awkward features will have on where they can go. Sloped walls may hinder where you can put a shower, for example. Could compact or spacesaving sanitaryware, such as a corner loo, allow for a more spacious tub?

CanImovetheloo?

If this is a solution to improving your bathroom’s layout, then taking professional plumbing advice is critical. Firstly, find out where the soil pipe enters the bathroom from outside – the less distance the waste needs to travel, then the better the performance. Soil pipes can often be extended behind stud walls and under the flooring, as long as the flow can be maintained.

Whataboutoddangles?

Experts use distraction techniques to draw the eye away from unsightly features. This can be a lovely vanity unit, a statement bath or boldly patterned tiles, used as a focal point. Visible immediately upon entering, this can help you overlook a multitude of sins. For a complete cover-up, consider commissioning fitted furniture and turn alcoves or corners into storage.

Whichcolourswork?

There are no firm rules but sticking to the same shade for the ceiling and walls is a great way to iron out any awkwardness.

Darker colours can look amazing but avoid on seriously sloping walls, or they may feel like they are closing in on you. ‘Soothing pastel shades or off-whites will ensure the room feels relaxing and spacious,’ adds

Helen Shaw, director, Benjamin Moore UK. ‘A SLIM-FRAME WALK-IN SHOWER IS LESS BULKY AND MORE SPACE-SAVING THAN A CUBICLE STYLE’

3ofthebest

WALL RADIATORS

STRAIGHTUP

Arcadia’s oval tubes are aligned in a vertical formation to deliver an aesthetically appealing designer style, £152, The Radiator Centre

CHROME APPEAL

A contemporary classic design, the Rhondi ladder radiator comes in gleaming chrome, £358, Bathrooms To Love

GREY TREND

The Seville Anthracite flat panel radiator is available in six sizes, making it super flexible, from £175, Bathroom Mountain