What do Bowler hat lights & egg shaped baths have in common? They both feature in my plans for our ensuite bathroom makeover!
I love our home. It’s Grade 2 listed — built in 1690 something — and I think the best way to describe it is ‘quirky’,
I love the wonky walls. The tin roof (I’m not joking). The light, the history, the feeling of calm.
I love it all.
Apart from our ensuite bathroom (and the kitchen but that’s another post entirely!).
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Old and New
Our ensuite is much larger than the main family bathroom that the Twinkles use — almost twice the size — but it’s just not a very inspiring space.
We’ve put our stamp on (almost) every room in our home, so far, and I think that the time has come to give this little sanctuary a much needed makeover.
I keep meaning to paint it and have settled on the same lovely, warm Farrow and Ball grey that I’ve used in other parts of the house. But, asides from that, my boy and I are undecided. Should we go down the traditional route? Which would probably be more inkeeping with the period of our property. Or super modern.
Personally, I’m a big fan of super-modern in an old property – assuming it’s done well!
I love the combination of period features — sash windows or ornate cornicing — with the clean lines of a shiny, modern sink.
Or some exposed brickwork playing off a shiny, designer tap.
So I’ve been having a look and have decided to come up with a proposal for Dickie, to show him the kind of thing I have in my head. It’s always better to fight your corner, when armed with a watertight plan, after all ;)
Colourscheming
I’ve decided on a monochrome palette; chalky grey walls with touches of charcoal and black. To give it a bit of an edge.
And after all, if you start with a basic colour palette, adding a pop of colour with some new towels or a bowl of colourful soaps — or flowers — is an easy way to bring in a new colour, when you fancy it, without having to give everything an overhaul.
I’ve gathered together some things I like — pieces that I can see working well together — that will also sit nicely in our quirky little home; to see if I can persuade my boy that a mix of über modern with lovely vintage finds might work for our ensuite.
Have a look and see what you think…
Our Ensuite Bathroom Makeover
So running clockwise, above, we have:
1. Innermost Jeeves Bowler Hat Pendant Light by Jake Phipps — Heals
2. Chook Wall Shelf — Loaf
3. Manor House Grey Paint — Farrow & Ball
4. Plantation Shutters, Kelly Hoppen — Shutterly Fabulous
5. Steel Towels — John Lewis
6. Freestanding Egg Bath, Moods — Bella Bathrooms
7. White Masters Chair, Phillipe Starck — Graham & Green
8. Marquis Tall White and Chrome Traditional Radiator, Hudson Reed — Bella Bathrooms
9. Single Lever Side Action Basin Mixer Tap, Hudson Reed — Bella Bathrooms
10. Patrizia Square Bowl Sink, RAK — Bella Bathrooms
And hopefully, once it’s all together, it will look a little like this.
I’m a real ‘bath’ kinda gal and love nothing than languishing in a lovely tub, full of hot, sudsy water. Either until I’ve read my Red magazine from cover to cover — or my fingers start to resemble prunes — whichever comes first :)
A bathroom like the one above would be the perfect place to do just that.
I’ve put a little Pinterest board together too, so you can see more of the kind of things that have been giving me inspiration for my bathroom makeover.
Pop over and have a look — and wish me luck, trying to persuade my husband that we need a big, egg shaped bath! :)
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Yes love this look! I have gone for traditional bathroom suite in my country cottage. I think it works well and I love it. Those shutters are adorable!! Can’t wait to see the results :) Jess x
Thanks lovely! Me too! Although I think money will be the deciding factor in this makeover! We may have to just keep the existing fittings and update the colour and (hopefully) window dressings!! x
Oooh that looks gorgeous, I can’t wait to see what it looks like :)
Thanks so much Toni! Me either to be honest!! I’ve got a bit of persuasion to do first! ;) x
I love that grey and can’t wait to see how it turns out in the end! Our bathroom (only have 1) desperately needs an overhaul but sadly its right pretty much at the bottom of our extremely long list of work that needs doing. It’s a shame everything costs so darn much!
I’m so with you… chances are the end result with be a VERY watered down version of my wish-list!! :) As my mother-in-law always says, ‘all you need is money’! ;)
I love modern in a period property too, I love love love that bath, this is what I am choosing when we do our bathroom if it will fit, which I think it will, great taste Caro x
Thanks Sarah! I need a lottery win before I can buy that bath!! ;) I think we may have to do with the old cast iron roll-top that’s currently in there! ;)
oooh you have such good taste my lovely, such good taste
Thanks Karen! That’s so lovely of you to say!! X
Lovely bathroom inspiration! #loveyourhome
Thanks so much Antonia — easy to be inspired these days isn’t it? There are SO many lovely products on the market!
I bet your house is utterly gorgeous – I love period properties. That bath is gorgeous – if I was you, I would definitely go for that! Thank you for linking to #PoCoLo x
Thanks so much Victoria — it’s lovely, although (as with any old house) it’s a money pit!! Thanks for hosting btw x
Love those ideas for your bathroom makeover – think it will look stunning when it is finished and going for a monochrome palette is a great idea as then you can change colour pops more easily with the accessories. #twinklytuesday
Thanks so much Louise! I’m a big fan of grey at the best of times, and this is a good excuse to keep things neutral! :)
Thanks Louise! Changing a room’s colour-scheme through accessories is definitely the way forward! Such a great way of transforming the look of a room, on a shoestring!
Love these ideas for a bathroom, cannot beat a good bath!!
Aaah I so agree!! I LOVE having a bath! My husband can’t bear it!! Notice I’ve not factored a shower into my bathroom make-over!! ;)
Oh wow – those bowler hat lights are awesome – so unique! You’ve put together a lovely selection, it will be very calming. Good luck actually doing it, I look forward to seeing the finished room :-) #twinklytuesday
Sabrina x
Thanks Sabrina! I love the hat lights too — although my boy has since pointed out that the ceilings in our cottage are too low for a pendant light!! DOH!
I so want that bath!!!! Stunning. #Twinkly Tuesday
I’m so jealous- our en-suite is horrible it it’s really far down the list of things to do in our house. I love your ideas- especially the bath.
#twinklytuesday
Aaah don’t be jealous! They’re only ideas at this stage! We may not be able to afford to do half of what I’d like to! ;)
Love the bath! All the joy of a claw foot with none of the hassle of cleaning underneath!
#twinklytuesday
Agreed!! We have an old roll top at the moment and it’s a nightmare to clean underneath!! Thanks for your comment! x
I love this look and I bet it will be amazing in a period house. I love ultra modern and would love a real old house to be able to do something similar with. But, we live in a new build that you can do absolutely zip with because it’s so characterless! Would love to see some pictures of the finished job
#twinklytuesday
Thanks Sam! I think you can add character to a modern house! Even by adding cornicing or fireplaces! There’s always something that can be done to give a place a bit of a twist! x
Oh that bath! Husband Twinkle…Caro needs that bath! If you do end up with your wish of it looking like this, is will be the most wonderful place to relax! I adore the sound of your house – sounds like my absolute dream!! Thanks for being my fab co-host lovely lady – #TwinklyTuesday
Isn’ it divine? I do need it. Although if it was a bath or a new kitchen… ;) xx
Isn’ it divine? I do need it. Although if it was a bath or a new kitchen… ;) xx
Oh wow that looks absolutely gorrrrrgeous!! I love that soft grey, we have it in our bedroom – it did take some persuading of the other half though!! Love the shutters too, and those light fittings are awesome! x
We have grey all over the house so persuading my boy to do that will be a doddle… it’s the rest of it I’m worried about!! I need a lottery win! That would swing it for me!! :)
Love these ideas! Those Bowler hats lights are AMAZING!!
Sarah xx
Thanks so much Sarah — fab aren’t they?! Who says hats are for wearing?! ;)
Oo I thinkI have house envy, yours sounds gorgeous. Love the ideas and love love love the grey!! #twinklytuesdays
Thanks so much Rachel! I love grey too — it’s a brilliant backdrop for all sorts of rooms! Plus you can accessorise it with lovely pops of colour! :)
Oh I love your inspiration – I’m taking notes!! Can’t wait to see when you publish pics, I love seeing how others decorate (so I can steal their ideas!) Mim @ http://www.mamamim.com #twinklytuesday
Thanks so much Mim :) Got to persuade my husband first! x
I love this Caro! Good luck with getting it done. I#ve no doubt you’ll make a fab job of it. I spent about two years planning and nagging about our downstairs bathroom. It was a hideous early ’80s beige, tiled from floor to ceiling and badly planned. Finally last summer we got started on it and it has turned out better than I’d hoped. The post is in the making and I hope to add it to HomeEtc soon.
Thanks SO much Fionnuala!! I keep changing my mind on how I want it!! And also, I’ve just been given the go ahead on my home office, from my boy, so think that might be the first project!! ;)