Silke & Patch’s Mediterranean Blue Shower Room

Featured in ‘UTOPIA Kitchen and Bathroom’ magazine October ’17 issue

Silke and Patch had a very tired, badly lit and worn out L-shaped bathroom.  They wanted it to be a really great walk-in shower room that included their favourite colour of blue and that reminded them of being on holiday in Ibiza.

I designed a shower based upon the rustic built-in cave-style showers that I have found typically in the Balearic and Canary Islands with peep holes through the solid walls.  I created a useful short wall capped with quartz at the entrance to the 1700mm long shower tray. To create an open feel within the compact space I designed a purpose-built vanity unit across the corner with lay-on doors in a retro Spanish-style and a corner mirror unit with LED side lights. The loo was back-to-wall in a clean built-in area.  I suggested deep blue glass mosaic tiles for their iridescence for the shower, basin splashback and boxing for the loo for their authentic effect. 

When the tiles were grouted we could see that the tiles had been very poorly applied so they had to be replaced.  The tiles were found to be discontinued and there were no others like them. I needed a solution and fast.  I was having my house renovated at the time and I was telling my plasterer about my dilemma.  He suggested waxed Venetian plaster – an ancient finish designed to look like marble without the weight.  He could undertake this so with samples agreed and the trust of the client, the expensive glass tiles were plastered over and the finished effect was utterly beautiful.  Better than the clients could ever have imagined.

The unique pattern, within the plaster at eye level in the shower and also hand-painted on the edge of the skirting board, was created from acetate stencils, hand-cut by me based on a design that Silke had received in a dream!  

Do scroll down for the client’s perspective of the project…

From the client’s perspective:

“Working with Sandy was amazing and I would work with here again in a heartbeat. I fully recommend her to anybody. Her professional attitude is exceptional, she loves what she does and she does not rest until she delivers. She wants things ‘just so’. She does not put up with bad attitudes and will not accept just any tradesmen, they have to meet her expectations. Our bathroom was never to be just a beige box with a shower. We wanted specific colours, a Mediterranean feel – it needed attention to detail. Sandy made sure we got what we needed, and I believe it cost her some sleepless nights and headaches. I really cannot stress how vital she was for the whole project. Even once the design was done, she kept challenging our thoughts, bringing in new ideas, structures etc. However, she never forced us, she just checked that we really wanted what we said we did, and she did it brilliantly. She always communicated – it was so important. She stood with us – and mostly for us – pushing our agenda, making sure quality was delivered. I admire her work ethic – it is a rare thing to find these days. Also, I admire that she lives and breathes design. It is not her job, it is her life, it’s who she is. She sees space and then she makes it better. To bring my ramblings to an end. We love Sandy. We leaned on her heavily and she was always there – in fact most of the times, she was already there before us. Most importantly, she delivered this amazing space to us and we love it.”