Before and after: this owner used her new-found love of colour to transform a bathroom

We needed a house 
with more space,’ 
says the owner of this Thirties semi in south London. ‘Although this place was dated, it was just about liveable and in our budget – not easy 
to find in London. We were planning to start with a new kitchen, but when the shower started 
to leak on our first weekend here, we decided to put that project on hold 
and focus on the bathroom.'

For more washroom inspiration, check out our bathroom ideas

'Our bathroom was a good size, but 
the boxy shower cubicle and hot water 
tank cupboard encroached into the space. Making the room function better was our priority, and gave us the perfect excuse to update the heating system and install a new combi boiler in the kitchen.'

'We also wanted a bigger walk-in shower, so I began researching showers, looking for a cubicle size and shape that wouldn’t feel bulky. The curved design we chose is perfect as it’s narrow at the back and widest at the front where you need the space most.'

'I thought about building a shower with solid walls but the frameless glass is essential here as it gives the illusion of space. When the shower tray first went in, it seemed so small, but the cubicle came together once the glass panels had been fitted.'

The walk-in shower works well for young children, who can step (or crawl) in and out with ease.

Get the look
Buy now: Winchester dual-valve rain shower, £299, Victoria Plum.com
Buy now: Excellence walk-in shower enclosure with tray, £175, Royal Bathrooms

'We’d decorated our old flat in shades of grey, knowing neutrals would help us sell it later on. This time, I wanted to play around with colour. When I spotted some teal crackle metro tiles, I surprised myself by making them the focus of the room. I also went for black, star-patterned floor tiles. Choosing the painted grey bathroom suite was easy, as I wanted a traditional scheme to suit the age of the house.'

'We had a rocky journey with the fit-out, which was frustrating because I like to be hands-on but I couldn’t get stuck in, with the children being so young. We went away in for a week and the plumber promised we’d come home to a working toilet and bath.'

'But when we returned, the bath wasn’t ready and the project dragged on for another month. Then the shower leaked because the sealant wasn’t finished properly. We also had a problem with a split bath panel and the shower valve broke, but both were replaced.'

Get the look
Buy now: Camberley satin grey wooden bath panel pack, £159, VictoriaPlum.com

'I love the pattern of the floor tiles and the worn, weathered finish, which works well in a busy family bathroom.' Electric underfloor heating operates on a a separate timer and is fantastic for keeping the kids warm after their bath.

Get the look
Buy now: Scintilla black patterned floor tiles, £25.95 per sq m, Walls and Floors

'With the problems ironed out, I started styling the room. I made the stained glass on the window ledge during a course my husband bought for my birthday. Next to this, I’ve hung three decorative fish we bought from an artist in Cornwall on the weekend we visited to write our wedding vows, and I fitted the reclaimed scaffolding board shelves to chunky metal brackets.'

'Hanging them at the end of the bath means they don't get in the way.'

'This radiator is stylish and also had because it doubles as a towel rail.'

Get the look
Buy now: Dulwich black traditional towel radiator, £269, VictoriaPlum.com

‘I didn’t want a top-heavy look or for the room to feel enclosed, so I painted the walls above the teal tiles white for contrast.’ Speaking of the tiles, the owner has a top tip. ‘If you think you might buy from a particular shop,
 sign up to receive its newsletters – we were 
 sent a discount code we then used to buy our tiles.’

Ready for another? Before and after – from dated but spacious bathroom into classy retreat

'I’m really pleased with the bold colour scheme. We’ve really got into blues now and not only have I painted the joinery on the stairs and landing blue, but I plan to use it in the guest bedroom, too!’