Luxury Small Bathroom Renovation Uses Affordable eBay Finds

Interior decorator and Art Deco enthusiast, Nina Watson, has redesigned a compact family bathroom into an opulent hideaway with considered details and a striking color palette.

Nina’s bathroom renovation is part of House Beautiful‘s brand new video series, One Room Renovationwhich explores incredible before and after room transformations, with a focus on space and layout, materials, and details, in the hope of inspiring others to become their own interior designers.

Watch Nina’s bathroom renovation in the video above.

Nina (@artdecojewel) renovated her bathroom in 2019, in keeping with the rest of her home period which is a riot of rich jewel tones, vintage and antique furniture, Art Deco patterns and glossy black accents.

‘We find this bathroom works really, really well for our lifestyle,’ says Nina. ‘We don’t live in a pristine home, we live in a home that’s lived-in and we enjoy all of the spaces. Everything doesn’t have to be immaculate when you’re using it.’

This small bathroom is a real masterclass in creating a peaceful space without resorting to the usual formula of white walls and pale wood. It is instead a room that envelopes you in a sense of opulence; a spot to luxuriate in the bath reading a book by candlelight.

‘I love having a bath,’ says Nina. ‘I love it when the bath is really deep, when you’re using oils, when you’ve got the lights dimmed – it’s really wonderful to just say goodbye to the day.’

Before/After Nina’s bathroom renovation

what we love:

• Nina was heavily influenced by early 20th century design, using Edwardian and Art Deco references for their opulence and distinctive repeat patterns.
• Indeed, she uses a classic Art Deco color palette of pastels and black. It’s an incredibly well-balanced combination in the house where all-over pastels would feel too sugary.
• There was a real effort to match the metalware throughout the whole room – everything from the soap dish to the toilet pipes had a bright brass finish.
• The glossy painted bath reflects the monochrome floor tiles and picks up flickers from the candles dotted around.
• Nina scoured eBay and Etsy to find high-end accessories for a fraction of the price.
• Details and more details. Even the toilet cistern has considered finishing touches like the subtle fluting.
• Atmosphere is really everything in this bathroom – the overhead light has a dimmer to create a warm glow for long soaks in the bath.

Spaces & Layouts:

• Always give yourself generous deadlines when undertaking a renovation – even in the smallest of rooms, it can take longer than you expect.
• Take a page out of Nina’s book and edit down your ideas. Too many standout features can overwhelm your space.
• If you’re working with a particularly difficult layout, you might have to spend more than planned on products or solutions – keep this in mind when formulating your budget.

Materials:

• Sometimes a whole room can evolve from a tiny detail that you really love, and that’s often a great place to start.
• Clever compromises can be made, even on your wish list items. Consider professional upgrades like a new coat of paint on a bath, or more DIY adjustments like swapping out handles and brassware.

Details:

• Avoid renovation regrets! Don’t cut corners on your finishing details if you know it will bug you down the line – even if the professionals advise you otherwise.
• Get familiar with secondhand websites (eBay, Narchie and Interior are our favourites) to save yourself some money on high-end or designer pieces.

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The Bathroom Edit

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