Upon viewing this house we were amazed by the size of the master bedroom, and with two double windows it was also flooded with light.

I’m ashamed to admit that we’ve been spoilt over the last 10 years and have got used to having an ensuite bath/shower room, so it was a priority for us to create one here (albeit a lesser version). I really didn’t fancy the idea of the four of us brushing our teeth over each others’ heads every morning, or to be fishing damp haired barbies out of the bath before I take my shower. Fortunately we had the space to steal a bit from the master bedroom & from the guest room on the other side. By removing the chimney breast in between the two there was enough room to add a double shower, toilet & basin.

This wall was moved out to include ensuite.

After

Before

After

The ‘niche’ has proven to be a great place to store the toiletries inside the shower cubicle. I have come across tilers who advise against it due to water penetration but if these are done properly (i.e. made water tight) there is no reason why it shouldn’t work, any more than a seal around a bath or regular shower. All areas should be water tight or ideally tanked.

One thing I’ve learnt through renovation is to not let yourself be bullied into compromise unless it is a compromise that makes logical sense to you. It’s so easy to just go along with what you’re being told by tradespeople and to not push for what you really want. We were lucky to have had a builder and electrician we really trusted, however we weren’t so lucky with all of the project and I’ve had a similar debate a few times. This niche area was installed at the opposite end to the water flow so wasn’t subject to a huge volume of water, and after 18 months we’ve had no trouble from it. The led light strip added an extra highlight once I’d put in our toiletries. Wood plank effect tile from Stratford Tile.

To save space this toilet has a smaller cistern than most. I found the vanity unit (including basin) on Wayfair and the drawer unit at B&M. The fern print is from allposters.com, & the frame from the range.
Mirror with shelf from IKEA.

I tried to wall mount as many accessories as possible in order to save space (I managed to drill the tiles myself, a suitable drill bit is essential-look for a diamond tip if possible to avoid hours of frustration!)

I can’t tell you what a difference having created this room has made. Life is so much easier having our own shower room in the morning and when getting ready for bed. Our guests also feel that they have the other bathroom pretty much to themselves. It may be the smallest room in the house but it’s possibly my favourite, and well worth the effort.