The Rightmove photos below speak for themselves as to why we needed to redo this bathroom. First of all, the orangey brown wallpaper was stuck in the 70's, there was literally no insulation so it was freezing, and the layout and functionality of the space deserved so much better.
Originally we had wanted to forgo the awkward toilet cupboard to make what will become the spare bedroom/playroom bigger, but due to restrictions from Building Control, there wouldn't have been room for a shower which we needed. We were able to make the envelope of the current bathroom work a lot better for us. We decided that we would put the toilet and vanity unit in the bigger area, and a walk in shower where the toilet use to be. We are putting in an additional bathroom upstairs, so getting rid of the bath tub downstairs will make this space much more functional.
The first step in this bathroom renovation is getting all the old sanitary ware ripped out, plasterboard stripped all the way back to the brickwork, and new wood fibre insulation fitted. Wood fibre insulation is an eco-friendly insulation solution that allows the walls to breathe. This is especially ideal in a shower room where you can expect a lot of steam and humidity in the space. We also had the old windows replaced by Scottish Window Solutions to match the rest of the windows at the front facade of the house.
Once all of the insulation was up, it was time to plaster the space. Wood fibre insulation requires a breathable lime plaster. This takes up to four weeks to cure so we are currently waiting for this to dry before we can get out decorator and tiler in. We have picked out all of our sanitary ware, ordered the tiles and selected paint for the space.
Bathroom renovations can add up really quickly, so we went for a mix of finishes from various suppliers. The sanitary ware is Victorian Plumbing's own brand Arrezo, and we are going to Ikea hack the vanity unit by adding one of the marble finished tiles as the worktop, brushed brass pull handles and a sink for a more custom look. The wall light is from Dunelm and was a total bargain at only £35! Tiles are from Porcelain Superstore and Tiles Direct, and the paint we picked out is this lovely colour Pebble by Mike Wye.
The downstairs shower room will be completed before we move back in hopefully by mid April. I'll be sure to do a full Before + After post once it's complete!
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