‘The new layout looks more balanced and has real wow factor'

A meticulously planned layout change meant Nicola Williams could fit the free-standing bath she wanted in her Scandi-chic bathroom, as well as a practical shower

This two-bedroom terrace is Nicola and Shaun's first home together. They had plans to open up the downstairs layout as soon as they moved in, but wanted to change the dated upstairs bathroom too. We loved the space, but the main problem was the access through the guest bedroom at the back of the house,' Nicola explains. 'The suite also looked really tired, but fortunately it was functional, so we didn't rush to make this project a priority.'

Nicola and Shaun lived with the bathroom for four years while they renovated the rest of the house. During this time, Shaun worked out they could afford to lose some space in the spare bedroom to create a corridor leading to the bathroom. He built the stud walls and then, towards the end of 2019, the couple began preparing for the project.

'We'd spent so long waiting to start we knew exactly what we wanted,' says Nicola. 'As the room is long and narrow, we took out the chimney breast and changed the layout to create a much better flow through the room. I wanted a shower, but also a freestanding bath beneath the window.'