How Victoria’s Cottage took her Bathroom from ‘Oh’ to ‘Wow’... read more
A house isn’t a home until you’ve filled it with beautiful nick nacks that complement your interiors and add the perfect finishing touch to your rooms. After putting off the redecoration of her bath the fabulous Victoria from Victoria’s Cottage shows us how she transformed her unloved bathroom into a cosy room she could she proud of…
When you move into a home, there is often one room that leaves you feeling a little cold. You know, the room that has the most dated décor, or doesn’t seem to go with the feel of the rest of the house. When we viewed our house, it was the bathroom that left us feeling flat. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t terrible. It was a perfectly functioning and well-equipped room. The fixtures and fittings were not so old or terrible. It just lacked the cosy cottage and warm feeling of the rest of the house.
The Bathroom Goal
Before we even moved in, the goal was that the bathroom would be the first room to be decorated. It needed to be. Yet, two and half years later, it still sat untouched. Why? Well, I couldn’t decide what to do with it. I had never felt so uncertain about a room before. During these uncertain years, I have painted swatches, in a huge spectrum of colours and toyed with accessories and fabrics of many styles. These endless efforts to try and find a way of making the room work all ended in vain. I just couldn’t find that elusive inspiring starting point and I resigned myself to the fact that a huge bathroom overhaul was the only way to go.
Inspiration, At Last…
The thought of yet another Christmas with an unloved bathroom was filling me with disappointment. I stood in there, picturing a roll top bath and I finally realised that I couldn’t make my ideas work because I was trying to go against what was in there. I was trying to force a country bathroom into a modern bathroom suite. Inspiration had finally arrived and I set to work.
The Design
The room is quite heavily tiled, with a border of inky black. The sink and toilet have a Victorian influence and the tiled marble look floor had seen better days. The room felt stark, cold and very square. I knew that it needed to be light, it needed wood tones, to add warmth and that Victorian inspired accessories would be key in bringing the room together.
The walls were painted white and wooden floor laid, a new bath panel and blind completed the DIY and the room certainly felt cleaner and more refined. However, the room was in need of accessories to pull the look together, add luxurious interest and soften the square feel of the space.
Stylish Shelves
In a small room, I believe it’s vital to keep the floor space as clear as possible and utilize wall storage with shelves. Yet, to keep things looking more stylish and less like storage. I mixed luxury bathroom essentials with decorative items and allowed as much space as possible to keep the look airy.
The luxurious, yet pristine Laura Ashley branded white towels look beautiful folded and soften the hard look of the shelving. A few plants and succulents, dotted between add pops of colour and texture to add interest and natural life to a once sterile space.
To bring in the Victorian element, I used the ridged glass lidded storage jars to add both storage and sparkle to the shelving. The smaller jar is perfect for cotton pads and the large has been transformed into a light feature with the help of some battery wire lights. I love cleansing my face and bathing in the relaxing glow of the lights. It is definitely one of my favourite accessory additions to the space.
The Hedgerow scented candle finished the shelf styling and it works perfectly, with its matching ridged glass and the scent is just divine. Those jasmine and sandalwood tones are the perfect addition to long winter soaks in the bath.
Mirror, Mirror
The room was starting to come together. Yet, no bathroom is complete until it has mirrors. Small bathrooms rely on mirrors to create a sense of space and to reflect light. The set of 3 copper effect hanging mirrors are the ideal addition to do just that.
Their smaller size is ideal for my bijoux bathroom and actually gives the illusion of a much larger space. Yet, they are large enough for even the most fastidious of tweezer users, cleansing sessions or make-up applications. We were even able to hang them, so that each member of the household has a mirror perfectly placed for them. Their shape offers a modern interpretation of elegant Victorian styles that are exactly what the room needed to bring it all together.
Finishing Touches
The ceramic light pull adds to the classic style influence and transforms a seemingly unimportant detail into an object of beauty. I love how the chrome chain glistens and reflects the candles and fairy lights.
The addition of soft towels flows throughout the rest of the room, offering comfort to the newly bathed and freshly washed. Having them hanging and folded around the room helps to break up the harsh lines too. Every bathroom needs fluffy white towels, right?
To finish off the sink area, luxurious products are a must. Wooden bathroom accessories, fluffy towels and some seriously lovely handwashing options. I love beautiful hand washes and lotions. That feeling of a mini spa treatment every time you wash your hands are little pick me ups in even the most mundane moments of life. The cut grass and pear duo is fresh and delicately scented and totally perks up my day. Extra hand-washing to get in another slathering of hand lotion is never a bad thing. The gorgeous amber toned bottles add that a modern interpretation of a Victorian apothecary that marries all the elements of the room together too. An absolutely perfect match for my bathroom space.
No longer is my bathroom a source of interiors woe. I have a beautiful, relaxing space that is a joy to be in and I have to say that the actual room has remained pretty much as it was. It is without a doubt that a beautiful bathroom is created with the finishing touches and the Laura Ashley accessories have finished the room off beautifully. I am delighted.
Which just leaves me to ponder if it’s time for another bath yet?
Love,
Victoria. x
How lovely does Victoria’s bathroom look? We love how she’s styled the mirrors so they perfectly fit with her family. Do you have a room in your home that needs a little TLC? Let us know below or on Twitter @LauraAshleyUK