Before and after: a simple scheme and built in storage maximise a compact bathroom

When the owners bought their two-bedroom flat in a 1940s house, the entire apartment needed work. But the bathroom was in particular need of some attention, with wooden floors and window frames that had started to rot, and old-fashioned cabinets that desperately needed replacing.

They wanted a bathroom suite with a classic feel, with shelving to store towels and show off their favourite toiletries. 'There was so much inspiration on Pinterest that it was hard to decide what style would suit our flat,' says the owner. 'I thought keeping the scheme monochrome and fairly simple would be the best solution, as trends often come and go. But we wanted a bathroom that would also appeal to people when the time came to sell.'

'We chose some dark slate slabs for the floor and as a contrast went for white metro-style tiles for the walls and bath panel, along with some marble-look tiles for a feature wall.'

'It’s quite a compact space, so we’ve added a huge mirror that takes up a whole wall to bounce light around the room and help open it up more.'

They picked a new suite that had a classic feel to it, but kept the existing bathtub and just bought a new panel which they had tiled. 'It took about three weeks to do all the tiling, add a new door and build some bespoke shelving to keep the space as uncluttered as possible.'

The owners opted for a perspex screen instead of a shower curtain to avoid blocking out light in an already compact space.

Pretty foliage has been added to the neutral bathroom for colour and texture. Different varieties of plants and flowers have been selected and displayed in hanging baskets and vases.

‘We chose a bright bath mat and towels as a nice contrast to the marble-look tiles and metro-style walls.’

'We worked incredibly hard on getting the house up to scratch and are so pleased with the new bathroom; it’s light, bright, airy and fresh. We’ve really made the most out of a small bathroom.'

'When we eventually move, for the next place, I think I’ll be more adventurous and go for a unique tile formation like fish scale or honeycomb tiles. Redecorating this bathroom has made me a lot braver and I can’t wait to find our next project!’