Tilly Hughes chose bold patterns, bright colours and clever space-saving tricks to transform her small bathroom into a family space that’s both fun and functional.
Here, she tells us all about her bathroom makeover...
My experience
When we first viewed the house it looked pristine, but after moving in, a lot of problems began to show in the bathroom.
The pipework needed replacing as the plumbing wasn’t installed properly and was actually quite dangerous to use, which meant the whole room needed to be taken right back to basics.
I put together moodboards for inspiration. A roll-top bath was top of my wish list, and I wanted to complement it with a traditional-style basin and loo.
Welcome to my home...
A bit about me I’m Tilly Hughes and I live here with my partner, James Huggett, our son, Henry, four, and daughter, Teddy, who’s two. We live in a four-bed 1930s semi in Cheltenham and we moved here in 2017. I love to show off my colourful home on my Instagram @heneddyhouse.
My problem bathroom The bathroom was very dated and not my style. It felt liveable until we moved in and then we realised that the plumbing didn’t work properly, the ceiling and walls were mouldy and the room was freezing as it was above the porch with no insulation.
I researched and bought all the fixtures and fittings myself to save money so that we could pay for someone to come and do the installation.
I would’ve loved to have taken on more of the work as James is very practical and I’m happy to get stuck in, but at the moment we want to spend our spare time with our two small children.
A bit more about our home...
How I made it work We completely rejigged the layout of the room and then had new plumbing and floor tiles put in. I bought all the fixtures and fittings myself to save money and then we paid for builders to install everything. Then I decorated the room and added colourful accessories everywhere.
My favourite part It’s got to be the bath! Painting it yellow was the best decision I have made so far in the house and although it took a couple of goes to get the colour just right, I absolutely love it. I’m also chuffed with the homemade roller blind that adds a splash of colour to the window.
We got quotes from our builders to see if the design was feasible on our budget, which was quite tricky as we kept discovering new problems.
In the end, the work only took about three weeks and when they finished I painted the walls and filled the room with colourful accessories and plants. Now it’s such a lovely room to bathe the kids in every night.
Style advice
Future-proof your space
Although at first glance Tilly’s bathroom is very bold and colourful, she has actually made classic choices for the big spends and then used colourful accessories to personalise the space.
The white metro tiles, sink and basin, combined with grey walls and patterned, but simple, floor tiles create a neutral, timeless space that can take any changes Tilly makes in the future.
Choose second hand accessories
Tilly didn’t spend a fortune on accessories for the bathroom because for her, nothing beats a second-hand find. ‘I picked up this rattan storage unit for a bargain £5,’ she reveals.
‘It was originally painted white and was a bit sad looking with the brown wicker showing through, so I painted it with some leftover Mermaid for a Day paint from Frenchic, and it’s added some much-needed storage.’
Take time to plan the space
Because Tilly’s bathroom is so small, she has used clever hacks to make it work well. She chose a pedestal sink to increase the sense of floor space and instead of cabinet storage, she used the wall space above the door.
She attached a wooden shelf and painted it the same colour as the walls so it blends into the space. Tilly uses the shelf to store spare towels and bathroom products kept in cute wicker baskets.
Feature and styling Lisa Moses. Photos Katie Jane Watson.
This is a digital version of a feature that originally appeared in HomeStyle magazine. For more inspirational home ideas, why not subscribe today?