Fed up with guests using her en-suite, Sarah Jarman-Alexander rejigged the design of her bathroom to make room for a shower and a bath in her new space.
Here, she shares her renovating experience...
My story...
While renovating the house, we removed a chimney breast that came up through the bathroom from the kitchen below. This meant the bathroom gained about two square metres, leaving us enough room to install a separate shower.
![‘I love the glass panel, which was specially fitted by Leeds Glass,’ says Sarah. The sleek look is completed with rectangular tiles laid in a herringbone pattern ‘I love the glass panel, which was specially fitted by Leeds Glass,’ says Sarah. The sleek look is completed with rectangular tiles laid in a herringbone pattern](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311422-b75ad1e.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Previously there was just a free-standing bath, which was a pain because guests always wanted to use the shower in our en suite, so we never had any privacy.
Welcome to my home
A bit about me I’m Sarah, a graphic designer and I live with my husband Paul, a creative director. Our home is a four-bedroom, three-storey townhouse in Leeds.
My problem bathroom The old bathroom contained a modern bath, but no shower, so guests often asked to use our en suite shower room. The rest of the fittings and décor were also very dated.
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311432-86e9c74.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
With the extra space, we moved the bath under the window and installed a shower where the bath had been. Moving the bath under the window immediately gave the room balance and symmetry.
![A large mirror from Leeds Glass helps to reflect light back into the space A large mirror from Leeds Glass helps to reflect light back into the space](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311425-15c2115.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
We also drilled holes in the bath so that taps could be fitted at its edge, with pipes running straight down and under the floorboards out of sight.
![GAP-0311421 ‘Best of all is that our guests can now have a whole bathroom to themselves’ says Sarah](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311421-a1020da.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
The shower tray was fitted where the bath had been and a shower screen was added. The finishing touch was the gorgeous Dandelion floor tiles.
A bit more about my bathroom
How I made it work Removing a chimney breast that came from the kitchen to the bathroom left us with more space. We were then able to move the free-standing bath under the window and install a shower where the bath used to be. I then painted a feature wall in dark grey and decorated with a mix of vintage finds and high-street buys.
My favourite part The floor tiles. I saw them ages ago on Pinterest and instantly fell in love with them. They took time to lay, as they’re in a complex pattern, as did the herringbone pattern wall tiles, which took a lot of patience to fit and grout. I also love our sideboard from Gumtree.
![](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311432-86e9c74.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
I love the bathroom now – especially the shower because it’s so spacious, but I also like looking out over the garden while I’m in the bath. It’s a lovely room to relax in but, best of all, we no longer have guests knocking on our door to use the en suite shower!
My style advice
1. Colour coordinate
![Step 1 - Colour coordinate Step 1 - Colour coordinate](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311429-798276f.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
For a cohesive look, tie accessories in with your wall colour. A feature wall in Dulux Polished Pebble complements the set of Original 1227 wall lights from John Lewis & Partners, while towels and wall pegs from IKEA keep the scheme looking sleek. Sarah has finished her pipe wall art in a black frame, which adds to the sophisticated style.
2. Make it meaningful
![Step 2 - Choose meaningful accessories Step 2 - Choose meaningful accessories](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311430-b591c95.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
By adding family treasures and sentimental pieces, Sarah has given the space character. ‘I made the clay pipe in a box (above) using a pipe my uncle dug up years ago,’ she says.
‘I also have a first aid box from my grandmother’s house and vintage bottles. I like to mix old and new.
3. Pick multipurpose furniture
![Step 3 - Opt for clever furniture Step 3 - Opt for clever furniture](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/45/2020/10/GAP-0311424-a8fe16b.jpg?webp=1&w=1200)
Be savvy with bathroom furniture and choose pieces that have multiple uses, such as Sarah’s sideboard that serves as a washstand and storage unit.
‘I found this 1950s sideboard on Gumtree and turned it into a stand for the basin from Victorian Plumbing, as well as storage for the towels,’ she says.
Shop the look
Dandelion cement tiles, £75 per 0.62 sq m, Mink Interiors. Linear matt rectangular tiles, £49.33 per sq m, Topps Tiles. For a similar bath, try the Falcon free-standing bath, £465, Bathstore. Crosswater Fusion shower head, £52.45; Crosswater Kai Lever wall-mounted mixer tap, £209.87; for a similar shower screen, try the Arezzo grey tinted glass wetroom screen, £119.95; for a similar basin, try the Nuie rectangular countertop basin, £59.95, all Victorian Plumbing. For similar shutters, try the matt white shutters, from £27.49, UK Blinds. For a similar letter decoration, try the Seletti aluminium letter, £39, Selfridges. Circle mirror, £300, Leeds Glass. Original 1227 Anglepoise wall lamps, £110 each, John Lewis & Partners. Vardagen glass jars, £2.50 each, IKEA. Walls painted in Dulux Polished Pebble emulsion, £16 per 2.5L, Wickes. Acova 2-column vertical radiator, £169.99, Screwfix. For similar box, try the First Aid wall cabinet, £55, Garden Trading.
This is a digital version of a feature that originally appeared in Home Style magazine. For more inspirational home ideas, why not subscribe today?