6 minute read
IT’S BOHO, BUT ON A BUDGET
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THE LOOK ‘My style is eclectic – I want people to have a laugh in my home and this is also evident in the bathroom space’
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‘ It’s boho, but on
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ABOUT ME I’m Melissa AsanteCrook, 40. I work in HR and office management and am a contemporary collage artist with an Etsy shop called Nook & Crook. I live with my husband Steven, 45, an engineer, daughter Mia, 22 and son Cooper, four. We bought our Tunbridge Wells home in 2018 and have slowly updated it. MY CHALLENGE The bathroom was big, however the walls were uneven – one didn’t even meet the ceiling – and the paintwork had seen better days. MY WISH LIST My dreams of a vaulted ceiling, walk-in shower and moving the basin to beneath the window had to be shelved when we saw the high quotes. Instead, our DIY scheme made the most of what we could do on a shoestring.
TOTA L £1,100
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t on A BUDGET’
COVER UP ‘The wallpaper was one of the first changes that I made in this space. It looked so good we decided to keep it’
IDEA TO STEAL ‘Use panelling to cover up unsightly pipework and to make your space seem grander’
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Melissa took a DIY approach to save money while redoing her bathroom with the vintage vibes she loves
lthough we’d looked
Aextensively, we had only put in offers on two of the 70 houses we’d viewed over a six-month period,’ says Melissa. ‘The day we arrived to view this house, it had a long queue of people waiting to view it, too. I loved it and we put in an offer the same day, and were thrilled when it was accepted.
At that first viewing it didn’t look like the house needed much work. We thought a lick of paint and a bit of personality would do. But, when we moved in five months later and all the furniture had been removed, it looked very different, and at that point we realised a second viewing would have been a good idea! Makeshift stopgap Like the rest of the house, the bathroom hadn’t been touched in years, and the work that had been done to it was definitely not by a professional tradesperson. As this was our only bathroom, it meant our guests would be using it, too, so within the first month of moving in, and with no money left after the house purchase, I dug out some wallpaper I had to hand, and did a really low-budget makeover, as a very temporary measure. Past mistakes revealed Soon though, the ugly mosaic tiles and peeling laminate floor were getting me down, so I persuaded Steven that simply changing the tiles would make a huge difference, until we could do the rest. We started removing them and soon realised they had been stuck directly onto plasterboard that wasn’t waterproof, and that water ingress had damaged the lath and plaster walls. We then had to remove the plasterboards with the tiles still attached, causing the lath and plaster to crumble, with the majority of it falling through a cavity and down into our kitchen. I was secretly happy though, as we now had to redo the entire room.
Scaling back plans The scheme I had originally planned included having the ceiling vaulted,
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as we have loft space above the bathroom. I also wanted a walk-in shower, and to re-position the basin under the window, making good use of the space and allowing for a large, vintage side unit. We were quoted between £6,000 and £8,000, so that idea was quickly parked. We had got married the same year, and had the most amazing honeymoon, so of course, that meant a smaller budget for doing up the house. Interior skills I was confident that my experience sourcing materials and furniture would mean that we could create a very nice bathroom on a tiny budget. Also, the knowledge I’ve gained studying interior design at KLC School of Design meant I’d be able to tweak the original plans. Rebuilding the vision We insulated the walls, added new laths, replastered and fitted new Aquadry waterproof plasterboard. We replaced the bath, which has always been too small for the space, and a friend helped us with the tiling. We kept the loo but changed the seat to match the scheme, and we also kept the basin, changing the waste pipe and removing the pedestal. I found a Singer sewing table on Gumtree for a fraction of the price of those I had seen
Choose a Victorian- or Edwardian-style washbasin on legs for an instant period look.
Fit fluted glass wall lamps that look classy and traditional, or a central chandelier to create some drama.
Go for aged brassware instead of shiny chrome; it will gain a lovely patina over time.
Hang an oversized wooden mirror with a decorative frame, or a collection of smaller ones in gold and bronze frames, to create a charming feature wall.
Black and white square tiles laid in a Victorian pattern are a timeless choice.
SCREEN TIME ‘The black framed bath screen was a bargain and it’s my favourite piece in the room’ Find more tips on creating a boho look bathroom at
idealhome.co.uk MAKE IT WORK ‘The fireplace initially felt a bit redundant, but it’s now been painted and styled with plants and some of my artwork’
SMALL DETAILS ‘The mirrored tiles bring a new layer of texture and a little bit of luxe to the space’
IDEA TO STEAL ‘A vintage Singer sewing table has been repurposed as a vanity unit’
DIY FIX ‘The pipes behind the sink and loo have been boxed in to close some gaps, but are still easily accessible should we ever need to get to them’
on eBay, and snapped it up. It is now a much more interesting pedestal. The tabletop was too big for the space, but not to be beaten, Steven removed a section from the middle, then put it back together. I’m so happy with how it turned out. It just shows what you can achieve with a bit of creativity, without breaking your budget.’
Where to buy Melissa’s style
Panelling and walls in Railings modern emulsion, £49.95 for 2.5ltr; fire surround in Sulking Room Pink modern emulsion, £49.95 for 2.5ltr, both Farrow & Ball at B&Q. Wall in Banana Leaf Mono, £17 a roll, I Love Wallpaper. Busca Silver flat mirror tiles, £110sq m, Topps Tiles. Underground White tiles, £11.99sq m, Tile Mountain. Rhino Classic Flanders Beige Brown vinyl flooring, £19.99sq m, CarpetRight. Square SE bath, £130, Homebase. Mode 8mm bath screen, £199, VictoriaPlum.com. Rozin bathroom shower in Antique Brass, £130, Amazon.co.uk. Vintage Singer table, £50, Gumtree. Reclaimed brass Beaufort London basin taps, £25, eBay. Butler & Rose Beatrice brushed brass pop-up bath waste and overflow, £39.99, Drench. Try medium PoppyField rug, £125, French Connection Home. Round rug, £19.99, H&M Home. Round mirror, £80, eBay. Rustic vintage old-style toilet roll holder, £18.95, eBay
