A professional couple, who stretched their budget to buy a lovely old house in dire need of refurbishment, have installed a luxurious marble-clad bathroom.
KBB journo Ben Webb chats to homeowners Jen and Miles to discover how this bathroom renovation came together. The pair decided to buy a larger home when they were expecting their second child but were priced out of the market in the area where they lived.
The search was frustrating until they spotted a house in serious disrepair and knew it had amazing potential. “It was very tired and unloved and needed a lot of work,” says Jen. “We wanted to bring it back to life.”
The house had been neglected for years but fortunately included many beautiful period features. And, while there was dampness throughout, numerous leaks and the windows were rotten, the couple were not put off.
The brief for the marble bathroom
“We wanted to create a home for family life that was welcoming and calm with all of the period features restored,” Jen says with a smile.
With a baby and a two-year-old at the time, they had to do the major works straight away and went to work creating the rear extension, a loft conversion and new room layouts, all allowed under permitted development. Later they turned three small rooms – a toilet, a small bathroom and a box room – into one spacious family bathroom.
To ensure she was happy with the layout for the new bathroom, which includes a freestanding bath, walk-in shower and double basin unit, Jen had a 3D video created by design company Renovation Renders. Next came the choice of décor.
The décor
“I wanted a room that felt calming, an escape from the chaos of life,” Jen explains. “So we chose a warm neutral colour, Dimity by Farrow & Ball, with natural materials to soften the space further.”
And today the marble bathroom is an inviting, light-filled and practical space that’s perfect for both preparing for the busy day ahead and relaxing in homely luxury.
Choosing the marble and terracotta flooring
“I love the rustic, natural look of the terracotta tiles from Ca’ Pietra, which look rough but are really smooth and warm and make you want to touch them,” Jen says. “I also really like the rose Calacatta marble, which gives a luxury spa feel. It has the most beautiful tones, and the veining is stunning – you see something different every time you look at it. We used it to line the arched alcove as well, which is a little decadent but I absolutely love it.”
The bathroom design
For the taps and radiator Jen chose brass because “the warm tone just works nicely with the other materials” and it’s a timeless design that will outlast fashionable materials that come and go.
The double vanity means there is no queuing for the basin and, just as importantly, it has lots of storage. That means no clutter. “We also had a niche built into the shower so there are no bottles sitting on the tray and no caddy going rusty on the wall!”
A simple thing, but a little game-changer, was having the shower thermostat installed away from the shower head so you can turn it on and wait for it to warm up before getting in and having a nasty shock. All in all, the project has been a great success.
Click here for top tips on choosing marble
“It all worked out exactly as we hoped,” Jen says happily. “It’s a space we all enjoy using, showers feel more luxurious and thanks to the storage and wall-hung WC cistern the space feels uncluttered and calming… And my baths have got a lot longer, too!”
Sourcebook
Bath Burlington Bathrooms
Freestanding tap and basin taps Crosswater
Basin unit Parker Howley & Co
Terracotta flooring Ca’ Pietra
Rose Calacatta marble Imperial Stone Group
Radiator Bespoke Taps
Lighting Pooky
Mirrors Melody Maison
Paint Farrow & Ball
As originally told to: Ben Webb | Photography: Chris Snook
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