The Renovation Diaries
How We Designed and Renovated a Bathroom with Soul in Two Weeks.
I guess renovating can be really hard work if you put your mind into it, but it’s extremely rewarding when you get to use it, and realise aesthetics are proportional to functionality in equal measure
On My Definition of Comfort and Style…
I’ve spoken a lot about my travels and moving fast, from five-star hotel reviews across Europe and flatsharing in London, to owning my own property. But throughout it all, what I was always looking for was comfort. Not the surface-level kind. The kind you carry with you. The kind that reflects your values, mindset, aspirations, and the spaces you orbit.
Comfort doesn’t always translate into objects. It’s more of a frequency. A sense. One that I’ve sought both as an expat and a traveller.
When you’re constantly on the move, comfort becomes intangible, but deeply felt.
Nostalgia Fuelled Design
Some hotels got it just right. Others didn’t. A few, though, taught me what intimacy in design feels like.
Two that I’ve loved every single detail of it: The Pierre in NYC and The Conservatorium in Amsterdam.
Both hotels used warm natural stone and felt naturally elevated.
Those experiences made me see design as emotional architecture, not just aesthetics. So when it came to our own renovation, a Victorian/Edwardian property with protected character, I wanted something that honoured heritage and spoke our language now.
I also knew where my love of bathrooms started. As a kid, I’d stay in the tub until the mirror fogged, pouring every bottle within reach to create maximum bubbles. Heaven for me; a headache for adults. The universe has a sense of humour: now I’m the adult, and my son once emptied 500 ml of L’Occitane Almond shower gel into the bath in one glorious pearly waterfall. He was delighted; my wallet cried; we laughed. That memory clarified the brief, a ritual-worthy bath that welcomes exuberance and forgives it!
Designing with Vision
We began with moodboards, but the real tension was personal. My partner leans Nordic and functional; I wanted Victorian gravitas, a real bath and taps with presence. We needed a bridge.
We found it in Haddon England. Their fittings sit in that sweet spot: modern without being anonymous, grounded without feeling pastiche. That balance became the room’s anchor.
For me, the centrepiece was really the Cobham Carrara Marble Floorstanding Vanity Unit an elegant statement with real utility. Subtle Carrara marble counter top, and rounded base speaking contemporary with vintage appeal. The basin design prevents any splashing (a non negotiable). Couldn’t have chosen better! We paired the vanity unit with the beautiful Kensington Regent 3 Tap Role Mixer With Pop Up Waste from Sanctuary Bathrooms.
But, it’s not all roses…
Constraints were real: 100 years old bricks hidden behind the old tiles. Pipework that limited our choices in terms of layout etc. Not glamorous, but the things you actually deal with in a Victorian property.
I took the embryo of an idea to Alternative Bathrooms Showroom in Battersea, Glen understood our layout and, with the precision of someone who knows these kind of buildings ins and outs, pointed to what would actually work. And yes, the history lesson still surprised me: bathrooms weren’t standard in UK homes for a long time. It explains a lot about pipe runs and the inconvenient layouts.
Everardo handled the internal comms, and Andrea the logistics, quotes, timings etc. We went for a german design Bette Comodo 1900×900 which was by far one of our best bets. Generous proportions, it’s extremely spacious and it really added the convenience of a bath that is so spacious that feels like a shower too.
Statement Fixtures
Hardware became a conversation rather than a compromise: For the wet area we went with Moreno Chrome exposed thermostatic 3 way shower from Haddon. For the bath I wanted a dramatic Victorian inspired tap but it wasn’t available for delivery so I went with something more minimal the Nuvo Chrome Wall Mounted Bath Shower Mixer Tap which I’m quite happy with actually! I ended up with doubled taps but they’re quite handy given we have a child at home.
Because I like breaking rules and mix and matching, I still wanted the Victorian look for certain aspects of the bathroom so I bridged the minimal aesthetic at the Bath with the Arlington Polished Nickel Robe Towel Hooks and Arlington Polished Nickel Towel Bar Rail 600mm from Haddon which I paired with the Bella Floor Mounted 4-Bar Polished Nickel Radiator and Towel Warmer , they surely added a classic and timeless look giving hotel vibes.
Mid-works, we discovered our first toilet spec wouldn’t play nicely with the existing pipes; and pivoted to the Burlington Regal CC With 520 Lever Cister, which now looks intentional and behaves perfectly.
Tiles were the turning point…
I arrived at Walton Ceramics Showroom in Chelsea with too many screenshots and not enough clarity. Rosa met me with an Italian eye for harmony over hype. We laid samples, mixed finishes, edited hard.
We settled on honed Soapstone by Stone & Ceramic Warehouse to anchor the room, soft to the hand, quietly warm, the kind of material that earns its beauty depending on how light reflects on it. The tile plan was treated like tailoring: proportions first, grout tone second, pattern last.
We sourced through Ceramic & Stone Warehouse, with practical conversations and endless support from Jo and her team. I remember being stuck in traffic on my way to Heathrow still deciding on the floor tiling, they listened, called back, made sure the order was placed before I took off. Invaluable partnership! 🤍