'We Updated Thirties Style'

When Tessa finally redesigned her bathroom, she sought out modern alternatives for the Thirties decor

Above all, it was the original features that really appealed to us when we first viewed this house,’ says Tessa. ‘Convinced it was the right one for us, we made an offer right away and moved in just over three years ago.

We loved the wooden panelling, the fireplaces, the old doors, the delicate tiles in the hearth and the little nooks and crannies, and we’ve tried to preserve as much of it as we can. But the real problem was the bathroom – it felt like it was never clean, and the layout was totally impractical. The bath was on the right, with a hastily rigged up shower curtain, an old-fashioned washbasin under the window, a toilet on the left and a large airing cupboard we didn’t need. We knew it was a major job to sort it out, so we put it off until I’d had Thea and then we couldn’t stand it any more!

Making plans