Bathing Beauty Rolls With Changes

Feb 10 2008 Cain And Justin

Get The Look

It's time to dine out with one of these deliciously dark dining chairs - each sports a chic shape but not all share such a chic price tag!

CASH

Roger dining chair

£44.90 from IKEA Glasgow and Edinburgh, www.ikea.com

This smart, modern option has a brown/black frame with a comfy padded seat and we love its simple architectural style - especially the nipped-in detail at the back legs. Modern design and great value. It's 83cm high, 46cm wide and 52cm deep.

CHEQUE

Lucianna dining chair £94.99 from Danetti, www.danetti.com

The frame has cross bars between legs for stability and matching pieces in the back rest. The seat is finished in Teflontreated material to be stain repellent and easy to care for. It is 87cm high, 43cm wide and 40cm deep.

CREDIT

Parker dining chair £103 from Habitat Glasgow and Edinburgh, www.habitat.co.uk

The strong simple lines of this chair, designed by Bethan Gray for Habitat, make it the most modern. Pricey but so well made. Solid oak. It's 83cm high, 47cm wide and 55cm deep.

FITTINGS

Just as a bed is the main event in a bedroom, so too is the bath in a bathroom. Rather than squeeze it into the corner and box it in we decided to splash out on a fabulous roll-top design and give it centre stage. The Park Lane slipper bath is a great buy at an incredible £195 from Plumbworld, www.plumbworld.co.uk. Tip - don't be afraid to paint the outer bath surround in your chosen colour. We painted ours jet black.

WALL COLOUR

When decorating shared spaces try to balance taste without being selfish - how many blokes have to put up with powder pink or peach bathrooms because 'er indoors had the upper hand?

To make this room truly unisex we painted the walls in a sophisticated grey - Night Jewels 4 (www.dulux.co.uk). The colour works because we halved the wall with crisp white panelling and also increased the amount of natural light.

Remember to look at colour options by day AND night before choosing.

LIGHTING

With so many wonderful lighting ideas available, why do most bathrooms have a single pendant hanging limply from the ceiling?

Here, we added 'mood' lighting via the dimmable chandelier, 'vanity' lighting via wall lamps at the mirrors and overhead spotlights. The dimmable chandelier is perfect for a long hot soak, the vanity lights for shaving/ make-up and the spots to fill the room with light.

For a great range of lighting try Litecraft, Kinning Park, Glasgow, 0141 429 0000 (www.litecraft.co.uk).

FLOORING

Rather than opt for a tiled floor, we decided to warm things up with a timber-look design and opted for Australian Walnut by Karndean International (www.karndean.com). This provided all the look of real wood but with added warmth underfoot and a seamless finish that will repel spills and be easy to maintain.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

These days bathrooms ain't only about washing - they're all about 'spa at home' indulgence. It actually makes sense to have as large a bathroom as possible and to spend time in there looking after yourself.

Here, we knocked three tight areas into one to provide enough room for a shower, roll-top bath and vanity area. So, if you've got the space - a small unused third bedroom or a large neighbouring cupboard - get your bathing, sorry thinking, cap on.

ADDING FEATURES

ADDS VALUE

Most rooms are boring boxes and so anything you can do to make the ordinary extraordinary is great news.

Here, we added smart half-height panelling to provide period charm. Next, we punched in two round windows to add light and interest. Always check with your planning office before making serious changes. For timber panelling, try the Richard Burbidge range at B&Q (www.richardburbidge.co.uk) or for plaster panels, check out William Boyle, Glasgow, 0141 429 1218.