Make-Over: A Dated Bathroom Becomes a Tranquil, Moody Oasis

Are you a shower or a bath person? I love a soak in the evenings - the hotter and more bubbles the better! We lived in an apartment for one year without a bath and I missed it so much. To me, the bathroom has always been a place to escape, and unwind after a long day (preferably with a great book and a glass of wine!).  It seems Jeska Hearne, creator of the beautiful blog Lobster & Swan (and owner of beauty and lifestyle shop the future kept) and husband Dean feel the same. The pair recently stripped out their dated bathroom in East Sussex, England to create a tranquil oasis in which "to inhale, exhale and let the peacefulness soothe the senses" and the result is a-ma-zing! 

Before

The bathroom had been in a semi-ripped out state for a while, and the couple longed for somewhere they could relax surrounded by plants and incense!

Inspiration

The pair took inspiration from rustic bathrooms filled with reclaimed treasures and were looking to find "as many beautiful textures and finishes" as possible.

I was thrilled to see one of their sources of inspiration was Nadia Dole's bathroom which James Gardiner and I captured for my first book Modern Pastoral! I'll never forget the peaceful spot, high up on a hill in Vermont which felt entirely private, save for the odd deer and bear wandering passed the window! Check out more bathrooms that inspired their renovation here.

After

Due to a busy schedule, the bathroom was a year and a half in the making (without a shower or sink - yikes!), and now their haven is finally complete. The space is a delightful patchwork of of items they've bought, salvaged or made by hand against a deep, rich Off Black hue.

"We love the mood and darkness in here, at night we can sink into the bath with the windows open and feel at one with the night air. In the day the sun filters in through the frosted glass and reflects the gold and white highlights of the vases, pots, frames and decorations."

The bath caddy was "made in minutes" from driftwood, this rustic bath tray* is similar,  antique wall mounted brass candle holder.

"The colour throughout is Farrow and Ball Off Black, we used Modern Emulsion for the walls and ceiling and Estate Eggshell for the wooden panelling – (made from upcycled doors that we rescued from a house that was being knocked down in our village)!"

"The handmade curtains around the sink hide a multitude of cleaning products and other bathroom paraphernalia that is uneasy on the eye!" 

Curtain from Green Fibre, the bath and sink taps are by Bristan Renaissance (found on ebay) 

 "Black walls also make a great background for plants, each frond and leaf is visible and highlighted."

Rectangular Shower Tray from Victoria Plum, tiles from Mandarin Stone. 

Be still my beating heart!

Could you imagine going for a look like this in your bathroom? Just in case you're feeling super inspired - there are a load more pictures and a complete write-up of all the items in this beautiful space over on Lobster & Swan here.

Before you get out the sledge hammer - you might also like to scroll through this bathroom archive (loving this traditional Swedish bathroom with a modern twist - one of my all time favourites!).

What does your dream bathroom look like?

Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend -  see you Monday!

Niki

Photography: Lobster & Swan shared with kind permission.

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Making a splash in the bathroom

Hej and happy Sunday! A perfect day to run a deep bubble bath and escape. Check out these bright and airy bathrooms from Danish magazine RUM. I love the use of prints and vintage furniture and accessories to add some warmth and personality. And THAT beautiful patterned floor from Made a Mano? SWOON! What do you reckon? 

Picture: RUM. This Agape bath from Casa Shop has been elongated to make maximum use of space and create a shelf to display some of your favourite things. Just don't over run your bath!

Picture RUM. The bath is from Agape CASA SHOP,  Towel FABRIC COPENHAGEN, the lamp is Bernard-Albin Gras CASA SHOP, Mat from HAY.

Picture: RUM. A vintage stool is the perfect place to store your bathroom books. For similar try Lauritz.

Picture: RUM. The beautiful patterned tiles are from Made a Mono, the towel is from Fabric Copenhagen

Picture: RUM. Find a similar vintage bowl at Fil de Fer, the necklace is from Fabric Copenhagen

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Before & After: A Rundown Cabin Becomes a Vibrant Danish Summer Cottage

It's safe to say that when Ida Lundsteen and Edward first bought their summer house in Ejby Ådal - an hour west of the danish capital - it needed a lot of work! But the handy Danish pair could see its potential - both inside and out - and set to work themselves to transform it. Today, their hard work has paid off and they have an idyllic retreat in which to unwind in their spare time. Read on to see the before and after pictures and feel truly inspired!

Dining area before

Dining area after

The wood panelling was painted white, and the floor sanded down and treated with a white soap finish. A window was added to allow light to flow through from the side extension. Today, the dining area is bathed in natural light - a perfect spot to enjoy meals on chillier days! 

Kitchen before

Ida and Edward reconfigured the house, moving the kitchen to an area in the sitting room - formerly occupied by an old electric heater. 

Sitting room before

Looking at the pictures above, you can understand the sheer level of work that they have put into the renovation - completely gutting parts of the house. 

In the sitting room they added a lovely nook (with storage) in which to unwind with a book.   

Sitting room nook after

Bathroom before

Bathroom after

The small bathroom was completely updated. The sink was moved to the opposite side of the room, tiles ripped out and a new floor laid. Today it looks fresh and modern in black, white and brass. 

Side extension before

Side extension after

Ida and Edward built an extension onto the side of the house - adding a work space and practical mudroom. 

Garden and terrace before

Life at a Scandinavian summer house is all about enjoying the great outdoors. Doors are thrown open in the morning - and life spills outside to take in the long summer days. 

But for Ida and Edward - there was work to be done. The garden was completely overgrown and although there had been some form of patio, it needed to be worked over from scratch.

The pair built a large wood deck completely by hand - almost doubling their living space in summertime. They also capitalised on sloping land by adding built-in seating to the side of the decking. 

But my eye is on the sunk-in bath. So simple, yet such a clever idea. 

Patio before

Patio after

After a lot of hard graft, clearing foliage, pulling up the old patio and creating new decking - the family now have a wonderful outdoor dining area where they can gather and enjoy summer days long after the sunsets! 

How incredible! It's even more impressive knowing that they did it themselves, don't you think? 

Is there anything that stood out to you in particular?

The decking before and after couldn't have come at a better time for Per and I as we were discussing laying our own decking up at the cabin this summer. We were already feeling inspired by Per's brother who laid decking himself last summer - and now, after seeing this, we're feeling really empowered! 

I hope this lovely danish cottage as given you plenty of inspiration too. You can see more pics over at @bare_byg.

Other Danish summer cottages to love: 

A danish summer cottage oasis on North Zealand

Two idyllic Danish cottages available to rent

A beautifully simple, white Danish cabin

You also might like to check out the before and after archive for other renovations. 

And finally, I can't sign out without a final comment on the bath. I've seen many outdoor baths before (see 15 outdoor bath and shower ideas) - and the incredible wood burning bath at Settle hideaway, but this is the first time I've seen a simple, ordinary bathtub sunk into decking. What a great idea! I could just see myself having a soak there, glass of wine in hand. How about you? Would you like to see how it looks in winter? Here goes: 

Perfect! 

Niki

PS I mentioned yesterday that I would be sharing my latest studio update today, but the post isn't quite ready - sorry! I look forward to sharing it on Monday instead! 

Photography: Ida Lundsteen, shared with kind permission. 

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A romantic old school bathroom with a modern twist

Last week I had a lovely comment from one of you asking to see more bathrooms and your wish is my command! This beautiful black and white bathroom was recently photographed by Skåne based Daniella Witte. It's the perfect mix of old school and modern day industrial with a hint of romantic. I love the retro black square pattern boarder used to break up the white. Such a lovely bathroom.

Daniella Witte (with kind permission) for Residence Via Cocozy

Your kind of bathroom? As I write this the snow is falling silently outside so I could definitely see myself lighting a few candles and having a soak with delicious smelling bubble bath in this tub (with the door closed naturally!).

I spy L:a Bruket products - trending in bathrooms across Scandinavia right now (wonderful products with beautiful packaging).

For more bathroom inspiration check out this calming all white bathroom, free-standing bath inspiration or even alfresco showers?! You might also want to check out my bathroom Pinterest board.

Are you a shower or a bath person? Oh and wet room or dry room?

Have a wonderful day!

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16 Beautiful Outdoor Bath and Shower Ideas

Nothing says summer like bathing or showering alfresco, don't you think? Right now, we might not be free to visit somewhere balmy and tropical with luxury showers amongst the crickets - and even cycling to the nearby beach / lake / river is off limits in many countries. But we sure can make the most of what little outdoor space we have. This week I'm dreaming about adding an outdoor shower or bath to our tiny back yard. I haven't run the idea passed Per yet... I need to gather some beautiful inspiration to tantalise him into saying yes first. Here are 16 of my favourite outdoor bath and shower ideas... I hope they might inspire you to move your bathroom outside this summer too! 

1. (top picture) The Scandi 'just- back-from-the-beach' vibe

2. (above) The romantic rinse! (love the antique mirror!)

3. Keeping it simple

 4. The walled-garden soak

5. The bathing oasis

6. The scorched Med vibe

7. Rustic simplicity

8. The relaxed old school ritual

9. Tropical rain forest

10. Contemporary minimalism (with a twist) - that vintage chair! 

11. The cute romantic bathroom 

12. Clean and contemporary

13. Modern Scandi!

 14. Back yard beauty!

15. By the pool plunge (somewhere tropical!)

16. Rustic soak with a view (does it come with the guy I wonder?)

Who needs tropical holidays when you can have one of these beauties in your own backyard? Admittedly some might look a teeny bit out of place here in Malmö (ahem), but there are definitely some ideas worth thinking about! 

Do you love the idea of bathing alfresco too? If so, did any of these ideas inspire you? 

Here are a few more ideas (just in case you need a little more convincing!): 

An idyllic Swedish cottage with an outdoor shower and kitchen

Exotic meets boho in a Bali pool villa

7 boho ideas for outdoor spaces big and small

And if you're ready to go:

How to set-up an outdoor shower

Roll on balmy days and soaks alfresco! 

Niki

Photo credits: 1. Sköna Hem 2. Sibella Court 3. Lune photography 4. Lonny mag 5. Gaia retreat 6. The Beach People 7. The Wensley 8. The Design Files 9. Homes to Love 10. Soul of Gerringong 11. Seth Smoot 12. Alicia Taylor for Emma lane Architects 13. Anon 14. Mikkel Vang 15. Hotel Azucar 16. Umbria Yoga Retreat / Ali Kaukas

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