Bright Designs at the Lavatory Project

Today I’m sharing the second of my The Loo Series meets the Lavatory Project at Grand Designs Live, and you’ll not be surprised to learn this one that is full of colour is one of my favourites. Is it something I’d have in my own house, well sadly that’s a moot point as we don’t have a downstairs loo, I know (we don’t have an en-suite either, sorry perhaps I should have warned you about both of those revelations). A downstairs loo is definitely on our wish list for a future house, but again that’s a moot point right now.

But if I did, then yes, I think I would. I’d definitely go for a full on pattern in a small room, even the smallest room, as despite what you’d expect to think, it really does work.

This room set has relatively few accessories, but what’s there works hard. The floor, with its central pattern defines the area and its larger pattern offsets the repetitive smaller pattern on the wallpaper, which has one of those patterns that draws your eyes along, looking for the pattern and imagining patterns and shapes that probably aren’t even there.

Not many of us would have put yellow touches - the skirting, the splashback and the towel, with a reddy-orange wallpaper and petrol blue and white floor, but again why not? Seeing it together shows it works. We know it’s often the small touches that make rooms work, and for me that’s true here.

The mirrors at differing heights appeal too, and not only because I’m just five foot and a bit, but also because of the visual interest it brings to the space.

And finally, artwork on a patterned wall? It’s magic when it works, like it does here - sorry I couldn’t resist, but I’m sure you know what I mean.

What do you think, is this a style that you’d have in your home?

The Loo Series meets the Lavatory Project

I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I stumbled across this exhibit of smallest room room sets at Grand Designs Live at the Excel last May. I mean it was made for me to share with you but somehow I didn’t get around to editing the photos, until now, and I’m excited about them all over again.

There was a whole block of individual room sets, each different and each put together by different designers. I have a varying number of photos for each design, which all this time later gives more of an insight into my favourites, but you’ll discover that as I share the posts.

This first one is all about the glamour and it’s by Grace and Grey, who have plenty of quirky home accessories and furniture on their site, which is well worth a look. And who can resist a flamingo wallpaper?

The thing that struck me most about this room set was the large free standing-looking mirror - if you look carefully it’s secured, but designed to be at this angle - but it’s quite something isn’t? Despite the theme of glamour, it has a bold design that mixes pastels and geometrics, and does it well.

But there was one final surprise, and that was on the wall opposite the mirror. This beautiful oversized chevron tiled splashback, whose colours complement the pinks of the wallpaper. Splashback is probably doing it a complete injustice, tiled wall art is probably more accurate.

Isn’t it unusual, but effective?

I’m also a fan of the simple clean lines of the sink unit, and I’m a firm believer of having somewhere to put essential junk in a bathroom so I’m hoping that the left-hand side provides that. Overall this lavatory works for me, and demonstrates how chevrons and patterns, darks and pastels can work together well. I think often in our own homes we err on the side of caution in our decor, and need these reminders that it’s ok to be a bit braver.

What do you think?