Brief
Louise contacted me by email to say this,
I have to turn a shower room around quickly, and I don’t time to move any pipework. The basin needs to go under the window, but it doesn’t line up! And where do I put the mirror?
Louise is currently renovating her shower room – a project which has been expedited because of some structural work which needed to be corrected urgently. Racing against the clock to re-design this new room to fit in with her insurance builder’s tight deadlines has been a challenge. But Louise has made headway, and has confirmed the positioning of the sanitaryware and she has chosen the floor tiles.
Louise’s interior dilemma is the positioning of the new basin and the mirror connected with it. To avoid expensive new pipework, Louise has kept the basin in the original position below the window, but as the mock ups show, the basin does not line up with the window frame which is slightly awkward, aesthetically.
Additionally, the window above the basin precludes a mirror being hung above it. Louise is considering hanging the mirror on the wall facing the basin, or to the side of the basin above the loo – as the B&M mock up shows.
The shower room will be used predominantly by Louise’s 3 teenage daughters and therefore a double basin is preferred.
Louise has asked if I have any other suggestions to help resolve this problem before the plumber arrives at the end of the week!
Summary
- The floor tiles by Bert and May are a fabulous choice for this shower room – they are fresh and yet sophisticated in design and add immediate impact to the space.
- Louise wants the shower room to be a “happy and unfussy space” so the sanitaryware should not compete with the floor tiles but be a clean and simple design.
- Ideally the loo is placed in the least conspicuous part of a bathroom but with this current configuration, the loo faces the door. The basin area can work to draw attention away from the loo if it is eye-catching enough.
- The mirror should ideally be positioned above the basin but the window is there, so Louise has been obliged to consider other positions – namely above the loo or on the wall opposite. But neither position feels quite right, functionally or aesthetically.
My ideas
I have 2 ideas to suggest to help resolve this problem:
1. Large Single Basin
I know your preference is for double sinks but the width of those proposed in the mock ups exaggerate the asymmetry. A large single would fit more comfortably in the space and line up better with the frame. This one from Drench is 800mm wide which feel substantial but fits more squarely in the available space below the window:
It is available in other finishes and different basin colours but I like the wooden option as this softens the look and keeps the space fresh and young. The brass touches elevate the design and help coordinate the look across the shower room, guiding the choices for taps, handles and accessories.
The drawer below is deep enough at 350mm for cans and bottles to be stored upright to maximise storage opportunities. It is illuminated when opened which is a nice feature and useful in a bathroom.
Brushed brass taps will coordinate with the new basin. But it is available in other finishes if different brassware is preferred- the options are shown below.
2. The Mirror
I have a bespoke solution for your mirror dilemma. I would like to suggest that you add sliding mirror doors/(shutters) to the window. One mirrored shutter will slide behind the other when you want natural light in the room, or they both remain “closed” for the full mirror above the basin effect.
In any other room in the house, I would think it criminal to block a window; however, reducing natural light but a bathroom is different and it is not uncommon to have no window at all. This suggestion gives you the option for some natural light.
You can have an additional mirror on the wall facing the basin. This large mirror from Lusso Stone would look great and help bounce light around the room if desired. I have this mirror in my bathroom as shown below:
This new design will also allow you to have 2 wall lights flanking the mirror and create a more eye-catching feature in the room. Both of these designs have IP44 rating
I really hope these suggestions may be of some help, Louise. I would love to see any photos of the finished shower room and I wish you luck with hitting your deadlines.
With love
