Before & After: 'We wanted a modern bathroom with a classic feel'
After moving into their 1960s Devon home, one couple embarked on a big bathroom renovation. They overhauled the property's original plumbing system, installed a space-saving sliding door and bricked up a second doorway before creating a relaxing pastel-themed sanctuary for the whole family to enjoy.
Who lives here?
Carla Dinari, co-founder and interior designer at Amii Interiors, lives with her husband Arash and their two children, Indi and River, in a four-bedroom detached 1960s house in Mannamead, Devon.
Before
'The room was a good size, but with stained carpet and outdated beige and blue floral floor-to-ceiling tiles, it was in serious need of a makeover. The drawers and cabinet were dated and flimsy; they had to go,' says Carla.
Was there a lot of building work to do?
CD: Yes, more than we anticipated. The house still had the original plumbing system from when it was built. I wanted the basin taps to be wall-mounted and the shower to have concealed fittings, which meant we had to build a stud wall to hide the plumbing, so it made sense to strip it all back and start from scratch. We also altered the door frame to install a space-saving sliding door, and bricked up a second doorway.
How did the space planning go?
CD: My non-negotiable was having a freestanding bath under the window, and I would have been happy to completely change the layout to accommodate it if necessary. Luckily the rest of the elements fell into place, which helped save money as we didn’t have to move any of the utilities. I marked out the space with tape and boxes before we invested in the furniture to make sure everything would fit.
Were there any challenges?
CD: Yes, it took two weeks to get the bath up the stairs! When the builders realised how heavy it was, they brought in a small crane to lift it up to the second floor, but the bath was too wide and the hallway too narrow for the crane to lift it. After considering, then dismissing, bringing the bath in through the upstairs window, they ended up using old-fashioned manpower. It took four of them with straps to finally drag it up the stairs.
There’s a lovely mix of colours and materials...
CD: I created a moodboard on Canva, a design app, to help hone my ideas. As soon as I spotted the terrazzo tiles, I knew the soft tones would be the base for the colour scheme. I wanted to add some wooden textures into the mix, so our builders converted our old TV cabinet into a vanity unit with a countertop basin. The simple black taps ground the look and I chose brass and gold accessories to add a touch of luxe appeal.
What do you think about the finished result?
CD: We love it—it works really well on a practical level as a family bathroom. The walk-in shower makes it easy for the kids to use, and the gentle colour palette creates the perfect environment for a relaxing soak.
Sourcebook
Bath, basin, taps, shower mixer set, shower tray and screen; all lussostone.com
Radiator, drench.co.uk
Floor and wall tiles, mandarinstone.com
Vanity unit, laredoute.co.uk
Rattan drawers, wall lights and mirror, made.com
Paint, farrow-ball.com
Towels, anthropologie.com
Towel hooks, oliverbonas.com
COSTS
Bath £1,395
Basin £230
Wall taps for basin £235
Floorstanding bath tap £495
Shower mixer set £495
Shower tray & screen £795
Radiator £199
Tiles £1,000
Vanity unit £925
Drawers £345
Wall lights £84
Mirror £100
Paint £100
Towels & hooks £158
Total = £6,556
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