Interior designer Sina Luck solved a practical issue in her south London maisonette by completely reworking her floorplan. Fed up with a bathroom that was cold, cluttered, and inconveniently located between the kitchen and the garden door, Luck decided to move the facilities into an adjacent bedroom. The result is a chic, Scandi-inspired space that functions better than the original layout.
Removing the obstacle
The old bathroom was disproportionately large and sandwiched between the kitchen on one side and the garden door on the other. Walking through the bathroom to get outside felt wrong, so Luck and her husband Gavin took a slice off the room using a stud wall. This created a direct passage from the kitchen to the garden, with a new sliding door into the bathroom.
The pocket door is a space-saving feature that also solved the awkward access problem. Luck notes that the door from the kitchen straight into the bathroom wasn’t ideal, but creating the passage solved the issue. People often desire larger rooms, but in this instance, reducing the room size and improving the flow was the better decision.
Planning on a budget
Before decorating, Luck used masking tape on the floor and drew on the walls to plan the new layout. Since the couple might move in the future, they wanted to avoid overspending. Leaving the bath and basin in the same places helped minimise plumbing costs, though the toilet was shifted along for a more streamlined layout and to make space for handy built-in storage.
They were keen on a pared-down, hotel-inspired look. Luck prefers bright, open-feeling spaces with clean, simple lines and no clutter. The new design features white sanitaryware offset with black brassware and a herringbone tiled floor. To achieve this, Luck replaced the old bath with a longer one that gives her a roomier tub in a smaller space.
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Finishing details
Tracking down a Crittal-style bath screen was a challenge, but Luck eventually found what she wanted online. The final touch was a simple painted MDF cupboard built into the available space to hide spare towels and toiletries. Storage was a priority because Luck prefers not to have toiletries and cleaning materials on display.
One tricky corner had a slanting ceiling, so a made-to-measure, built-in cupboard meant there was no wasted space. Other solutions include a minimal, box-style shelf over the bath that keeps essential beauty products within reach. For a cohesive look, Luck matched the bathroom elements with features in other rooms, using black kitchen taps and black light switches throughout the home.
The wall treatment was chosen carefully to avoid a busy look. Luck felt tiles could be too much, so she opted for a specialised waterproof micro cement coating. Applied in layers, it took about a week to complete but provides a smooth, seamless finish. This choice lets the herringbone floor tiles stand out. While the floor tiles were expensive, Luck is pleased with the result and notes that the tiny area meant they didn’t blow the budget.
Despite the dust and constant cleaning for a couple of weeks after the work was done, the couple is delighted with the outcome. The bathroom is now relaxing, neat, and easy to use, offering a warm, comfortable start to the day without the need to walk through the facilities to get outside.
