Katie Pullinger, 29, lives in a late-15th-century, four- bedroom detached home in Bury St Edmonds, with her partner, Alex Jenner, also 29, and their eight-year-old son. Their bathroom was modern in style but tired and they wanted a room that reflected the period of their property.
Before
You have a beautiful period home...
Yes, and I wanted to complement the age of the house by marrying the old with the new, and to create a luxurious, yet unique, retreat complete with all mod cons.
What did the work involve?
We always knew any major changes would require planning consent, so we quickly opted to work with the existing layout. Concealing the surface-mounted pipework was a priority as this couldn’t be hidden within the walls or floor, so we came up with the idea of constructing false walls at either end of the room to cover relaid pipes to the new bath, WC and shower. This also allowed us to install a neat concealed cistern. Adding easy-fit MDF panelled boards, and the ledges and niche they created, instantly helped enhance the period feel. We took out the old suite ourselves to save money, but we left the job of removing the tiles to the plumber.
The colour scheme is unusual...
Bold colours, and inky blues are a current favourite of mine. A lot of our friends thought we were mad to go for such a dark, dramatic scheme, but I think these shades are more in keeping with our older home than today’s modern neutral palette. Teaming them with paler tones, along with natural stone and timber, has also ensured a cosy, yet airy, welcome.
How did you choose your fittings?
I’ve always thought an eclectic mix works well in period properties, so when it came to the shower enclosure I had no reservations about choosing a minimalist design that would be less likely to dominate the room – especially when teamed with a traditional shower and classic brick tiles. The same philosophy was applied to the now-unobtrusive, wall-hung loo. An old table, spotted at a vintage fair, with a modern basin fitted on top, made a great vanity unit.
Why did you opt for a copper bath?
The bathroom is the one room you can really indulge yourself, so a luxurious freestanding bath was always on the cards for me. I love the glamour of the copper finish, and it really does offer the perfect contrast to the deep blue.
Did you encounter any problems?
Luckily, our plumber had experience of working with listed buildings. However, we did struggle to find a suitable shower for our very low ceiling – the solution was a clever telescopic design that could be adjusted to fit.
There are some great vintage touches...
Most were sourced at Newark Antiques Fair, which I visit regularly, and I can never resist my local secondhand stores. I’m always experimenting with different pieces,
and I particularly love the unexpected splash of colour created by the wall cupboard, while the idea for the storage ladder was inspired by something similar I’d seen in a bistro. The leather chair was simply languishing in our garage and is now indispensable for holding clothes.
Are you pleased with the results?
Totally! I think the combination of modern and traditional works really well, and I’m so glad we had the courage of our convictions when it came to colour. I like to think the finished design isn’t only personal to us, but also reflects the historical roots of the house.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL SAYS...
From: House Beautiful magazine. Subscribe here.
