This inspirational periwinkle blue bathroom created by interior designer Amelia Carter for her two daughters is brimming with ideas and luxurious touches. Fancy a tour?
Amelia Carter and husband Adam bought their Surrey home in 2019, having rented a weekend place locally in West Sussex. After a lot of thought they decided to take the leap and relocate from London. “We fell in love with it,” Amelia tells KBB journo Ben Webb. “The house is sturdy – it was rebuilt after the war – and in a beautiful location among impressive trees and lovely woodland.”
The family moved in just before Covid and took their time to get to know the house before making any major changes. As an interior designer, Amelia’s vision was to create a home that is “colourful, playful and durable”. She adds: “I see so many wonderful things day-to-day that it’s hard to edit them all. So, the house needed to embrace lots of different styles, which ultimately has created a really wonderful space.”
How would you describe your design style?
If you love something, buy it. I’ve often kicked myself for not buying something fabulous. So I stress to my clients, if you love it then you will never regret buying it. A house needs to be full of meaningful items, not just pieces of furniture that perfectly match everything else.
The bath was a large ticket item, but the cost per use will definitely work out.
How did you decide on the layout of the bathroom?
The bath needed to be centred on the window. It’s a place to relax and reflect and there is no better way of doing that than by admiring nature. There are two vanity units as we have two daughters and I really wanted them to have their own vanities to avoid fighting, but also because the bathroom is so huge it seemed silly not to.
And how did you choose the colour palette?
I wanted to use black and white tiles and the brass bath for a sort of Hollywood Regency style. That was the easy part. The periwinkle blue in the wallpaper was serendipitous as I found the wallpaper and thought it was a perfect design for the bathroom as it references the black, white and brass details. I found it online and when the design popped up I knew it was the right one. It was probably one of the fastest decisions I’ve made.
Any issues using wallpaper in bathrooms?
I’ve been using wallpaper for years and never had any. If you have great ventilation it will be fine. But if you’re worried you can use an artist’s varnish over the top of the paper to seal it.
How did you come up with the materials?
I love brass, it has such a lovely warmth to it, and unlacquered metals and the way their surfaces develop a patina over time is charming. I also wanted black and white mosaic – an ode to my Art Deco childhood bathroom. And I adore bamboo. The mirrors have been in my garage for years, and I knew one day I’d use them. If you love it, buy it!
Did you face any challenges or compromises?
We needed to include a step up into the bathroom to conceal waste pipes, so we included a little motion sensor night light to ensure no one trips at night. The sensor also means you don’t need to turn on the overhead lights in the middle of the night, which is a pet peeve!
How has this home improvement project changed the way you live?
The girls are growing up fast and they appreciate the room was created just for them. As a result they take good care of it and I think that’s a good habit to develop – to take care of your home and to take care of yourself.
How important are the finishing touches?
I went traditional, in keeping with the house. I love modern fittings, but they would have felt awkward. The double basin units are modern but have recessed brass fittings. The lights are vintage and give the room a lovely feeling at night when a relaxing light is cast everywhere. I need to add a Roman blind to soften the window, but that’s all.
As originally told to: Ben Webb | Photography: Darren Chung
This house tour was featured in the April 2024 issue of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine.
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