2 become 1 to spice up dull loo

Jul 13 2008 Justin And Colin

Some styles come and go, others are timeless classics, like this week's trio of retro wall calendar clocks. These will never go out of fashion.

SCRIMP

G238a digital wall clock

£59.60 from Grayson Clocks, www.graysonclocks.com

The satin black ABS plastic case has an Arabic dial and is completely automatic. It self adjusts for irregular days in the month and even leap years. It has a high precision quartz battery movement and we love its efficiency. It's 30 x 38 x 7cm.

SPEND

Karlsson retro square flip wall clock

£69.99 from Amazon, www.amazon.co.uk

Made from metal and plastic, this designer clock looks like it is from the set of a 60s spy drama - The Avengers' Emma Peel would love it. It requires 2 x D batteries and is 22.5 x 22.5 x 6cm.

SPLURGE

Flap wall clock

£89 from Habitat, www.habitat.co.uk

Another fabulous wall clock with automatic calendar but this one is larger than the rest. If high-impact accessories are your thang, this is for you. It requires 1 AA battery and 2 D batteries. It's 50 x 50 x 20cm.

INJECT COLOUR

A bathroom should make you feel zingy, so choose colours with zesty, bright feelings. This is especially important if your bathroom has no windows letting in natural light. We added tongue and groove timber panelling to extend the cottage feel and painted it with Dulux's Celestial Cloud 3. It looks lovely against the white above. TIP - treat paint like gravity. Keep dark colours on lower surfaces.

TILE WITH STYLE

For flooring with flair, we laid square, black and white, chessboard-style tiles which hark back to the Art Deco period. It's simple, classically stylish and surprisingly good value. For a similar look for less, try linoleum in the same pattern. B&Q (www.diy.com) have black and white vinyl tiles for £14.24 per sqm. For the real deal, visit Cosmo Ceramics in Glasgow and Greenock (www.cosmoceramics.co.uk).

MIRROR, MIRROR

Wall sconces either side of the mirror illuminate the face without creating shadows.

Remember, overhead ceiling lighting can leave you looking less than your best when shaving or applying make-up. Anton wall lights, £45 each from John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com), will work well. Try to ensure the finish and style of your lights complement your wallmounted accessories for a more professional result.

TELL TALES WITH ART

Your choice of artwork can tell a story, so think about the kind of mood you hope to create and choose pieces to illustrate it. This bathroom was in a coastal/country cottage-style house and we wanted to retain that feel, so what better kit to use than beachy elements such as starfish and coastal scenes teamed with images of cockerels and flowers. Frame art postcards for low-cost, high impact or even take your own photos.

MAKE ROOM

We knocked two bad rooms into one great space. By leaving the bath and one WC in the original spots we cut costs and spent our money on the stunning suite, taps and accessories such as paintings.

BOOST SPACE

We used a leggy vanity unit with towel rail instead of a more solid unit to keep the room spacious. The chrome also ties in with the taps, handles and rails. Mirror finishes bounce light around and make rooms feel much larger. Add a small table or chair if you can - extra functions make a room feel larger. For a similar look, the Laxan washbasin bench is a steal at just £80 from IKEA (www.ikea.com). Check out Next (www.next.com) for wall-mounted accessories such as towel rails. We like the Cambridge range, which starts at just £12. Great value.