smparker23's ideas
A shower screen need not run all the way to the floor, particularly if the space could be better used with the addition of a half-wall. Here, rather than closing off the walk-in shower with a solid wall or, conversely, exposing the whole lot with a space-hogging floor-to-ceiling screen, this weeny bathroom, designed by VORBILD Architecture, cleverly has a short wall. This allows the loo to be housed against it, while still having a large glazed area that lets in plenty of light and makes the room look bigger. Check out the space-saving corner shelving in the shower, too.
The walls in the kitchen are microcement, which introduces a velvety texture to the space. Micro-cement, Decora Cement.
The herringbone parquet flooring brings in the warmth of timber, but is actually luxury vinyl tiles. “It’s water-resistant, so it’s good around the kitchen sink in particular,” Omar says. “We’ve gone for a border running around it for a more traditional look.”Amtico
attic bedroom
Behind the sofa is a bespoke plywood bookcase on castors – the same width and height as the sofa – to emphasise this separation and give diners something nicer to look at than the back of the sofa.
There’s a thermally lined utility cupboard in the birch ply-clad understairs area to house the washer, dryer, a hanging rail, and the hot-water cylinder. The latter creates residual heat sufficient to air clothes and the space is vented to the exterior.
The dining and seating areas at the front can be closed off from the kitchen at the back by full-height, sliding birch ply panels, visible back left in this photo.
Two half-walls divide this shower room from the bedroom beyond – and both walls make the absolute most of the space available. One, in the darkest part of the room, becomes a side wall of a shower partition; the other, in the lighter, central part of the room, holds a feature vanity unit.
For best effect, fit a roof light; failing that, investigate whether a sun pipe could be installed. For night time, good artificial lighting will work wonders – as will light-reflective surfaces, such as white tiles.
The small square you can see in the middle of the worktop is a pop-up socket block.
For a really relaxing way to feel part of the garden, try a window seat like this one. The protruding bay creates a deep ledge, ideal for a padded seat and some cushions.
If you want to see the garden without fitting huge doors along your back wall, here’s an alternative. A floor-to-ceiling pane of glass creates a picture window that offers an uninterrupted view of the greenery outside. The seamless glazing gives the illusion that the kitchen is open to the garden, and the owners have been able to keep the attractive French windows in the dining area.
By reflecting light and creating the illusion there’s a view beyond, mirrors can make a small, boxy room feel instantly more airy. Position them opposite windows and light sources for maximum impact, and play with finishes, such as foxed or tinted, for a more decorative effect.
A wall mirror sits above a small shelf and a row of hooks. “Positioning the coat hooks at a lower height is less cluttered than if they’re at eye level,” Eva explains. “They’re hung 1.2m above the floor, as none of our coats are any longer than that.” A neat picture shelf above the radiator provides a handy surface and doesn’t block the heat.
open up storage space under stairs at 97
Wall-hung bedside tables are space saving, and Kia added in plug points with USB sockets incorporated above and below. “They can use different devices and charge multiple things,” she says.
The wall behind the bed is finished in tadelakt, a plaster used in Moroccan designs. Kia chose it partly for its easy maintenance – it’s waterproof and hard-wearing – but its texture and shade add softness to the room.
Tuck shoes behind rails Avoid shoemageddon with a line of rails, fixed down the length of a cupboard, behind which footwear can be slotted, toes down.
They can work on any size of window Pleated shades can look as good on large windows as small ones. As well as the length of the blind, think about the size of the pleats – they can vary from narrow to wide, the latter often looking good on bigger windows.
inside wardrobe
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