Tuesday 23 March 2010

My Sanctuary

I've featured my bathroom before so apologies to long-time readers of my blog. I received lots of compliments on today's outfit when I was out and about but due to the heavy rain there's no possibility of outside photographs and I can't be bothered to tidy up a space in the house.

The mirror is Edwardian and was in the house when we moved in. The art work was a gift from a friend.

My favourite room started life as a walk-through bedroom and tiny toilet but Jon got the sledgehammer out, knocked down a few walls and created our bathroom using plasterboard, glass bricks and wooden batons. This was his first attempt at such a massive project and he even impressed himself.


I hated the cast-iron roll top bath I had as a child. I had nightmares of the feet walking away with me trapped inside and the cast iron made the water cool down within minutes. This modern repro is made from fibreglass and the water stays piping hot for ages....perfect for an indulgent wallow.

The wooden shelf is a wartime "utility" piece and holds all of our toiletries. This minimal storage puts paid to splurges in Lush and I can see at a glance what items we're running low on. The Lloyd Loom cabinet was from a boot sale and contains towels.

 

Vintage glass decanters filled with cheap bubble bath give the impression of opulence. I picked these up for 10p each in the Salvation Army. The antique willow basket was from a boot sale and makes our cheap recycled loo rolls look a bit prettier.




Whilst removing the plaster from the old bedroom wall we discovered this fireplace, the chimney breast had been backfilled with rubble and it was a filthy job removing all the debris but well worth it. Jon repointed the bricks and brushed them with PVA to stop them becoming porous. Our collection of thrifted mirrors bounce light back into the room from the glass brick wall. We found the Louis-style chair in a skip, the silk cushion is vintage and the satin kimono was from a jumble sale.


The chocolate brown walls are a perfect backdrop for our extensive picture collection. The Hindu deities were from a car boot sale and the frames are Edwardian. The ink drawing of a bull fight was one of my parent's wedding gifts in 1966 and the Robert's radio was my Grandfather's retirement gift.

 The walk-in shower is tiled with wood-effect floor tiles.


Thrifted mirrors add light to what could be a dark room.

All our toiletries - aren't we minimalist?

The "Lusty" Lloyd Loom laundry hamper was a couple of quid at a car boot sale. I rather like it left in it's original "shabby chic" condition.

16 comments:

  1. I am more than a little bit in love with your house, I must say.
    Your bathtub, more specifically.
    Gorgeous!

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  2. What a stunning room - your house seems like the type of place I could just spend hours in, wandering from room to room, taking it all in & hearing all the stories about individual pieces - love it :)

    www.heart-shaped-bruise.blogspot.com

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  3. Gosh, what an utterly stunning room! It reminds me much of a bathroom at a guest house we stay at in Glastonbury (called the Dargonfly!).... I love the furniture & everything! What a lovely place to bathe & pamper yourself!

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  4. A sanctuary indeed, its such a gorgeous and pleasurable room, no wonder you're so proud!!

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  5. Your Jon is quite talented! (Much like my own husband). I have the ideas; he has the muscle. I like every detail you've highlighted here! Those window-blocks over your tub are perfect there. Lovely, lovely, lovely!

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  6. It's a beautiful room indeed. You both must have worked really hard on it and it has paid off xx

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  7. What a beautiful room, a bathroom is such a pleasurable place anyway, but yours is just beautiful. I love a house post :) (and I am so stealing the loo rolls in a basket idea - genius)

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  8. I love the idea of having a fireplace and chairs in the bathroom. Oh why is the horrible rented house so dull? I really want something even a hundredth as amazing as your place.

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  9. I remember oohing and aaahing over this bathroom the first time round! I think it's even better the second time - I adore the glass decanters and will definitely keep my eye out for some. xx

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  10. What a beautiful room. And what an area to just complete zone out and relax in. And how criminal that the fireplace was covered up but an amazing find for you. Jon seems like quite the man to have about the house! Good work Jon. x

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  11. You bathroom is a true haven from the world outside xxx

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  12. wow, that's bigger than our bedroom, haha! its beautiful! may i ask a question? i always wonderd about having pictures hanging in bathrooms: i love the look but don't they get damaged/wrinkled from the steam?

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  13. I fancy wallowing for a few hours in that tub,with a glass of bubbly,and you sitting nearby with one too,keeping both glasses topped up whilst we blither away......
    Jon did well-it is amazing what you can do with a bit of guts and some McGyver-ing!!!Sometimes you just have to go for it! I can't belive that fireplace was hidden?!
    Love Helga,XXX

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  14. Gorgeous - and well worth showing off! I need to sort out en-suite out and be more creative. so lovely all your pics and I particularly love the bullfight ink drawing.

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Lots of love, Vix