Before and after: from tired, disjointed bathroom to traditional-meets-modern haven

After 14 years of living in London, the owners decided to make the move back to their home town of Hastings. 'Taking on a huge project like this dated Victorian house was a little daunting, but the price was just too good to pass up, and so we took the plunge and have 
been in renovation mode ever since!'

They decided to make the bathroom the first task, as it could be done in just a few months and they wanted to have at least one room that felt finished while the rest of the work was carried out. Reconfiguring the space was the first thing they looked at, as the previous layout with a separate toilet felt old-fashioned and not suitable for a family bathroom.

Get more inspiration for your makeover with our bathroom ideas

'We had the two walls of the toilet knocked down and incorporated a section of the corridor 
to make one large space that would accommodate both a bath and walk-in shower,' says the owner. 'As each previous section had a window, doing this made the new room triple aspect, so it always feels very bright.'

The couple chose a local builder who specialised in period renovations, as they wanted the new design to be in keeping with the history of the property. 'He was fantastic at researching panelling styles and suggesting the best ways to make period pieces fit in with the space and 
work with our budget and vision.

'Unfortunately, not long into the project, our builder discovered that the existing plumbing was in very poor condition and needed to be replaced, which added extra time and costs. The work took around two months to complete.'

Get the look
Buy now: Cambridge roll-top bath with black ball feet, £359.99, Soak
Buy now: Freestanding traditional regal standpipe bath taps, £199.99, Soak
Buy now: The Bath Co. Camberley low-level loo with 
black seat, £259, Victoria Plum

Initially, the owners had their hearts set on a very traditional, elegant Victorian look, but then they stumbled across some fantastic statement tiles that changed the vision. Instead of sticking religiously to one style, the new space is now a mixture of classic fittings and fixtures with some more modern touches.

The owners went for a spacious rectangular shower enclosure, which now sits where the loo used to be.

Get the look
Buy now: Mira Realm ERD thermostatic mixer shower, £399, Victoria Plum
Buy now: Mode Cooper shower enclosure, from £349, Victoria Plum
Buy now: Orchard rectangular stone shower tray, £188.10, Victoria Plum

With the rest of the house still to renovate, the couple were conscious of sticking to their bathroom budget as much as possible. They researched every piece 
to source it at the best price and hunted around auction houses and charity shops to find bargains.

The tiles cost under £30sq m and are the focal point of the whole room, and they found the vintage mirror at an auction house for just £90.

This deep wooden vanity unit is the perfect size to house toiletries and bath toys.

Get the look
Buy now: Dalston vanity unit with marble top, £449, Victoria Plum

The space feels homely with artwork that the couple have collected over the years. The mid-height wall panelling has a ledge, so they can easily add and change pictures and objects.

Get the look
Buy now: Solid industrial bathroom wall lights, £185 
each, The Wall Lighting Company

Mono tiles will stand the test 
of time and let you change the colour scheme easily using 
just paint and accessories. The couple's main source of inspiration was Instagram, as they found it was the best place to look for similar and attainable bathroom ideas. Their own account, paperingthewindowpanes, 
has documented the renovation.

Get the look
Buy now: Scintilla tiles, £29.95sq m, Walls and Floors

The wall panels were painted in matt emulsion to match Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke.

Get the look
Buy now: The Bath Co Dulwich radiator, £159.20, Victoria Plum

This brass toilet paper holder was found at an antiques shop in Rye before the owners had even started the bathroom project. They knew it would fit in with the classic scheme.

Get the look
Buy now: Try the brass Victorian toilet roll holder, £43, Cast in Style

Ready for another? Before and after: from bland bathroom to a space 
to enjoy every day

With the bathroom now complete, 
it’s the couple's lovely little slice of calm amid 
the rest of the renovations and with just a few structural alterations, they’ve created 
a spacious family bathroom that will suit them for years to come.