Home Sweet Home

A Story of Restoration
My Victorian Bathroom

Having contemplated for some time over the issue of not having an upstairs bathroom I had the notion of converting the smallest (yes smallest) bedroom into a beautiful Victorian bathroom. The negative to this being that my home would become a three bedroom property as opposed to a four bedroom property. Looking at the positive I deemed it to be a necessity because the downstairs bathroom too had seen better days and was also in need of renovation, and there was the issue of having a long trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Not being daunted by the size of the project I set to drawing up my plans and seeking the advice of a plumber on the feasibility of my ideas and agreeing the course of action. I also took the decision to have the ancient boiler removed from the kitchen beneath and to replace it with a combination boiler, thus freeing up more space in the room to be converted as there would no longer be a requirement for a tank.

This was a major project and not one to be taken lightly. Wood-chip paper was removed, a partition wall demolished and the old tank and toilet were surplus to requirements. Some of the plaster was removed back to the brickwork and new floorboards were laid. It was agreed with the plumber to trace all necessary pipework around the perimeter walls behind the toilet and the basin because they would be hidden behind wooden panelling and a shelf built to dado rail height. The remaining walls were plaster-boarded and skimmed ready for painting.

I felt that the size of the room, height of the ceiling and the age of the property warranted the use of a strong paint colour and subsequently opted for "Aubergine". I remember the look of horror on my fathers face when the first coat of paint was applied but I reassured him that with the white fixtures and fittings and furniture in place it would look stunning.

The plumber returned to install my beautiful new white Victorian suite purchased at a bargain price in the January sales. I also purchased an Armoire which I found on my travels to a local Antique Centre.

I have continued over a period of time to obtain bric-a-brac and antique pieces to display. I also photocopied two pictures of a Turkish bath scene which I framed and displayed for all visitors to admire.

I recently located some wallpaper designed by Sophie Conran with beautiful aubergine lillies depicted on it, a perfect accompaniment to bring my bathroom in line with current trends but still in keeping with my eclectic style of decoration.

This room is a haven where I retreat to contemplate my next project.