Before and after: from dark loft to hotel-style en suite

'We wanted a guest room, as we often have people to stay,' say the owners. 'But in order to find the space, we had to turn to the loft.'

The couple found a local company to help them plan the conversion. 'The space was really dark and we were worried it wouldn't have enough light,' they say. 'But going for the biggest Velux window we could afford has worked far better than we expected.'

The pair made a contemporary freestanding bath the focal point, with a big vanity unit on one side and the shower on the other. 'We splashed out on the silver tile border,' they say. 'It keeps the room bright and is the first thing people comment on.'

Lowering the floor here gave the owners the head height necessary for a walk-in shower, which can be tricky in a loft. In terms of decor, the couple love grey. 'Our scheme features a mixture of pale and dark greys with silver accents,' they say. 'And we've gone for four types of tile to add texture, rather than colour, which isn't our thing.'

Twin basins enhance the hotel-style feel and help with the morning rush to get to work. Drawers beneath offer a good amount of storage space, too, which helps to keep the room uncluttered. A hit of black in this corner adds depth to the neutral scheme.

Want more bathroom storage ideas? READ: Clear the clutter with clever bathroom storage solutions

'We didn't want to ruin our lovely silver tiles with wall-mounted fittings, so we've gone for bath taps coming up from the floor,' say the owners.

It may have been intended for guests but the couple have claimed the loft as their own quiet retreat. 'Now we have a hotel-standard bathroom without having to travel,' they say. 'It's a wonderful luxe space that's just for us grown-ups. '

Get the look

Buy now: Virginia bath, £1,607; floor-standing bath-shower mixer tap, £749.87; shower mixer, £824; loo, £612.50; Kalahari vanity unit, £1,389.01; and Kalahari double basin, £408.74, all Roca

Buy now: Aurora Borealis border tiles, £260 per sq m; and Erebos brickbond tiles, £190 per sq m, both Original Style

Buy now: Shine Niquel wall tiles, £68.51 per sq m; and Ferroker Niquel floor tiles, £81.40 per sq m, both Tiles of Wisdom

Buy now: glazed screen, £316, Mirrors & Glass

Buy now: radiator, £328, Ultra Finishing

This bathroom originally appeared in Ideal Home, June 2017.

Image credits: Colin Poole