Thinking about renovating your bathroom? KBB journo Charlotte Luxford reveals her go-to creative and space-saving ideas to help inspire your new design…

Given that your ensuite will almost inevitably be attached to a bedroom, it should be a space of total calm and relaxation. However, as one of the most compact rooms in the house, an element of forethought and creativity is required to get that tranquil vibe.

Bathrooms are at their best when decluttered, so start with ensuring the floor and surfaces are clear. Wall-mounted fixtures, including sanitaryware, radiators, concealed shower mixers and hidden pipework will add to the illusion of space. A carefully considered layout will also help maximise your ensuite’s potential. Utilise awkward corners and sloping ceilings, and add stud walls to help boost your surface area, create niches, as well as zone the space.

Storage is crucial – being able to put away as much as you can into hidden storage, such as a built-in vanity unit or recessed mirrored cabinets that can bounce light around and make the room feel larger, is a bonus.

Check out these real projects to see what’s possible with your design…

Maximise a tricky bathroom layout

Sandwiched in between the generous walk-in shower and dividing wall to the WC is the statement tub. The sleek, freestanding bath helps create the illusion of space, while streamlined shelving makes the most of an otherwise empty wall. The sliding shower door ensures good spatial flow and maximises the floor area. Hanging plants and a set of pendant lights utilise the tall ceilings and add life and interest to the space.

Don’t be narrow-minded

Neil and Sophie Harrold of Simply Bathrooms Ltd were tasked with transforming this long, narrow bathroom into a characterful and luxurious ensuite shower room. They re-designed the layout by adding slimline boxing down the left-hand side of the room to conceal pipework, allowing for an ultra-slim WC cistern and contemporary wall-hung sanitaryware.

“This clever boxing also allowed for some finer design details to be added in, like a niche for bottles within the shower, as well as creating a perfect recessed space for the feature pendant lighting around the vanity area with a ledge to display accessories,” explains Sophie.

Adding a bespoke enclosure to the fully tiled wetroom helped reduce the tunnel effect by visually reducing the length of the main bathroom floor space. The handmade forest green glazed tiles from Victorian Ceramics add drama to the space, while the Rhenish Green terrazzo floor tiles from Solus lend a modern twist.

Break up the space in your ensuite

Installing a stud wall might seem counterintuitive in a smaller space, but it actually gives you more surface area to play with, plus it’s a smart way of concealing plumbing. This bathroom initially had a bland layout with products dotted around the four walls and the WC became an unnecessary focal point as you walked into the room.

“A simple alteration to the shower-wall configuration meant we could conceal the WC from view and make the room less linear and narrow, yet more functional,” explains Kirsten Wain, designer at West One Bathrooms. Kirsten designed a half stud wall to accommodate a sleek, wall-hung WC and added a bespoke half screen to complete the shower enclosure, shifting the focus to the statement, freestanding bath.

The owner had been inspired by images showing combinations of brass, black-framed Crittall windows and navy blue, which she wanted to incorporate into the scheme, so Kirsten introduced brushed-brass hardware to add warmth, while the soft curves of the navy scallop tiles break up the industrial look of the shower screen.

Squeeze in a bath and shower

If you don’t have room for a conventional shower enclosure and a tub, this example of a bathing area and walk-in shower could help save space while creating a seamless look. “Strategically placed at the far end of the suite, the elegant freestanding bath draws the eye to elongate the room, and is equipped with a freestanding bath mixer, adding a touch of luxury,” says Yousef Mansuri, design director at CP Hart.

“To optimise space, the showerhead was installed at the maximum head height of the vaulted ceiling, complete with a near-invisible, frameless, bespoke shower screen to create an unobtrusive clear line of vision, while keeping the vanity area dry. A subtle drain is built into the floor tiles to create a sleek, seamless wetroom.”

Utilise awkward alcoves

Attics and lofts lend themselves to master-bedroom and ensuite conversions due to their position tucked away at the top of the home, offering a space for relaxation and retreat. While sloping ceilings, tight corners and hidden pipework can all be problematic, by working with a specialist bathroom designer, it’s possible to create an ensuite that’s thoughtfully designed and beautifully finished. It’s best to work with the existing architecture within a loft space to reduce the need for additional structural work.

The core challenge of this bathroom project was to design around the cottage’s two sloping ceilings, while still providing good circulation space. The chimney breast was the perfect location and backdrop to place the painted roll-top bath, and designer Kerri Asker, from Ripples Winchester, also created a niche above the bath for toiletries.

Kerri carefully looked at the ceiling height and positioned an offset countertop basin with surface space to the left, while the WC is tucked into the alcove on the right, where the full head height wasn’t needed.

The owner wanted to use a reclaimed dresser as storage, which brings warmth into the room and adds to the cottagey feel. A stone surface was added on top to keep the surface practical and easy to clean.

Go wetroom style

If space is super tight, a wetroom set-up could be the answer. “Wetrooms are a great choice as you don’t get hard lines with shower trays that cut the space in half and instead you can continue the tiles into the shower area, which makes a space feel bigger,” says interior designer Justin Coakley, who designed this ensuite for himself. “While it’s tempting to go for an on-trend, metal-framed shower frame, this can make the space feel more enclosed, so opt for floor-to-ceiling glass screen instead.”

However, there are a few practical things to consider: it’s important that you pick a tile that has good slip resistance, especially in the shower area. Grazziella Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra, says: “Underfloor heating is great for a wetroom, as it makes the water evaporate quickly.”

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