Small kitchens: Solutions
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Susie Hammond wanted to make better use of the space in her small bathroom and separate WC, so she hired a designer to combine the two rooms into one.
Fact FileThe owner: Susie Hammond, an IT management consultant |
The problem
‘Quite small and basic, the bathroom was a typical new-build finish, with virtually no storage space at all. My apartment had only been built about ten years ago, but the layout of many of the rooms just wasn’t practical. Even though the bathroom already had a toilet in it, there was also a separate one next door, which was very long and narrow. The flat is also on the top floor of the building, so all the walls slope inwards, making the rooms look and feel that much smaller.’
What I did
‘I knew there was potential to make better use of the space but, in all honesty, I didn’t know where to begin and I didn’t think that much could be done in terms of the space, especially on my low budget.
Edita Malowney from The Sugarcube Design in Uxbridge was recommended to me, so I asked her to come up with some designs to transform the flat, including the bathroom.
‘She immediately came up with several ways in which the bathroom could be made bigger, not just structurally, which was a bit limited anyway, but also visually with the layout of the room. She also took care of managing the project and employed builders and tradespeople.
‘Our first task was to get rid of the separate toilet, which was knocked through into the bathroom to make one larger and more workable space. Fortunately, the wall was a stud wall and came out quite easily. However, this is when we discovered that the ceilings in each room were different heights. The lower one hides all the ventilation pipes to the apartment block, so there was no way that it could be raised. Instead, we had to work around it, which was where Edita really came into her own as she positioned everything in the room so that the levels are hardly noticeable.
‘The WC was kept in the same location because it would have been expensive to move it, but the rest of the layout has changed quite dramatically. ‘Rather than take down all of the dividing wall, enough was left to box in the shower, which is where the door original used to be, and to hide the toilet from the rest of the bathroom. Using the wall to create an alcove for the shower was a great way to disguise the fact that the ceiling is slightly lower in that part of the room. It also helps make the shower blend in.
‘I think that’s where paying for a designer really paid off. If I had done it myself, I probably would have changed my mind or got things wrong, which would have meant paying more out on builders if the job over ran. However, because Edita knew that I had quite a tight budget that I wanted to stick to, everything down to the last screw was accounted for and had been planned to the finest detail, so there was no scope for things to run over.
‘Working to such a tight budget also meant that all of the things we needed were ordered in plenty of time so that days were not wasted waiting for deliveries to arrive.
‘In the end, the whole job came within budget, thanks to Edita’s project-management skills and some clever buying. She knew exactly where to cut costs and what to splash out on, so while the brassware was pricey, the vanity and bath were a good price and were given an upmarket look by adding cream travertine panels.
‘I wanted the finish to be quite elegant with natural products, and Edita found items within my budget. She suggested using the stone panels for the top of the vanity unit and around the bath. It creates just the look I was after. All the fittings are chrome and the wood of the vanity unit has been matched behind the WC to tie it all together.
‘I wasn’t quite so sure about the wall colour at first, but the dark shade makes the space look luxurious and cosy. Once everything had been agreed on, I moved out while the work was being done. I only saw it when it was all complete. I must admit, I did cry – the transformation was so dramatic. I’ve always loved this apartment for the location, but now it’s starting to take shape, I love it for what it is.’
Costs | |
| Labour | £6,000 |
| Fixtures and fittings | £3,777 |
| Furniture and accessories | £606 |
| Walls and floors | £1,919 |
| TOTAL | £12,302 |
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