Bathing Bliss

In all my previous homes I have lived with inherited bathroom suites and decor, there were always other priorities. This is the first house where I've decorated the bathroom exactly how I wanted - and it's bliss!

It hadn't been a priority but it all started a couple of years ago when I dropped a bottle of shampoo into the bath. I didn't think anything of it until the next time I ran a bath and water started dripping on Mr. Bloom's head in the kitchen - the bath had cracked. Not a real shame since it was an ugly peachy-beige colour, and since it couldn't be matched we had to get a whole new suite. I was very pleased to be seeing the back of the ugly beige floor-to-ceiling tiles.

I went for a combination of tiles and painted walls - green for the walls, it's the only room in the house where we have any colour on the walls (at the moment!), it doesn't get any sun and I think the green warms it up.

Mr. Bloom did it all himself, it did take some time but it's such a pretty room to go into now. It's a small bathroom so most of the trinkets and toiletries are kept in a glazed cupboard on the wall.

Of course these are strictly display only!

In the original bathroom there had been no storage space whatsoever. There was a wide ledge at the end of the bath which was wasted space so I decided to sacrifice a few inches off the length of the bath (I'm the only one to take baths and I'm a shorty, so it doesn't matter too much) to have a built in cupboard.

The doors came from Ikea's bargain basement for a couple of pounds each. As there weren't the same colour they had to be painted all the same, which was rather fortunate because they don't look so new now. There's loads of room now for towels, toiletries and cleaning materials, I'm really pleased with this extra storage. Behind the door there's just room for this little painted cupboard.

A large mirror to reflect as much light as possible.

Here's a little tip for you. If you have brand new shiny chrome taps and you want them to look a little less new, here's what to do. Get one of those plastic shower hose thingies, the type that fit over the taps. Leave them on the taps for about 18 months whilst you wait for the shower to be plumbed in. When you eventually remove them you will have lovely aged-looking taps! (hee-hee, Mr. Bloom was not best pleased, I wasn't too upset but pretended I was)

I've never really been one for spending a lot of time at my toilette, I like to get these things over with as quickly as possible (more time for crafting, you know). But now, I don't mind lingering in the bathroom just a little while longer!

p.s. just wanted to add, following this morning's earthquake, which we both slept through, all the tiles are still on the wall!