Case study: Luxe en-suite with brushed-bronze brassware

14 Sept

The owners of this Arts and Crafts home dreamed of creating a luxurious en-suite to match the style and feel of the rest of their recently renovated 1920s home.

*With a complicated existing layout and dated fixtures and fittings, Alfie, Designer from* *Ripples Wokingham* *set to work transforming this generously sized en-suite into a sumptuous space for his clients.*

The layout

The existing bathroom was extremely dated, complete with green sanitaryware and floral wallpaper, so it was certainly in need of a complete re-design. Whilst the footprint of the room was very generous, the original layout didn’t make the most of the space, especially as the clients wanted to incorporate a freestanding bath as well as separate spacious walk-in shower. The homeowners were also keen to maintain as many original features of the room as possible, as a means of creating a scheme sympathetic to time period of the property.

The existing bath was positioned underneath an unusually-shaped wall niche, thought to be original to the house, so Alfie found an inventive way to make it a feature within the new bathroom. The niche was kept in situ but transformed into a useful seat within the design of the large walk-in shower area, creating a spa-like finish. Alfie also incorporated a handy recess within the shower niche, providing the perfect area store shampoo bottles and soap.

“The cross head taps, Shaker-style vanity and encaustic tiles blend well with the character of the house, whilst the combination of greys and brass introduce a subtle contemporary interest.”

-Alfie, Designer

Due to the existing plumbing, it was most practical to keep the WC in its original position but to replace it with a modern wall-hung version. Opposite the WC, Alfie was able to incorporate a generously sized double vanity unit which sits adjacent to the sophisticated freestanding bath painted in the same blue grey hue.

Beautiful bateau bath

While the homeowners enjoy showering everyday, they were keen to incorporate a bath within their scheme for the occasional luxurious bath. The freestanding bateau style adds a traditional element to the space and at 1,700mm long, provides more than enough space for a deep and relaxing soak. With the ability to be colour matched to any RAL hue, the clients chose Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe as it’s the perfect blend of grey and blue undertones to tie the whole scheme together.

The sumptuous shower

With a large walk-in shower at the top of the homeowners wish list, Alfie was keen to design a real showstopper of an area and create a focal point within the room. Using a Dukkaboard wet dec system, the tiles of the shower floor blend seamlessly into the rest of the bathroom floor, creating the feeling of openness. The homeowner fell in love with the encaustic cement floor tiles as soon as they saw them so these were incorporated within the shower niche to help create a cohesive and balanced design. The open feeling of the shower has been further enhanced by the minimalist frameless shower glass which helps create an uninterrupted vista across the bathroom.

Finishing touches

The vanity unit adds a classic element to the en-suite, with Shaker-style doors custom-made to suit the dimensions of the room and painted to perfectly match the bath. It has a marble-effect water-resistant quartz top which ties into the marble wall tiles, creating a cohesive scheme.

The basin mixer and shower fittings both have a brushed brass finish which is unlacquered, giving it a ‘living’ finish which develop its own unique patina over time. The brassware tone has a deep warmth which pops against the cooler colour of the tiles.