'Alternative' bathrooms

[LittleEsme]

Have any of you ever gone for more alternative styled bathrooms instead of the shiny, cubicled, modular bathrooms that I see in the showrooms?

I really like these (attached) but I'm worried that they're even more expensive than the super-pricey fitted set-ups!

I have room for a free-standing bath in my new property (renovation project, long way off, time to save!) so that's part of the plans too.

Would love to see your bathrooms and would appreciate any advice!

They don’t look super pricey to me. Looks like a bit more labour than a basic bathroom but the materials needn’t cost loads.

Have you tried Houzz for inspiration?

I haven't.
I've downloaded the app but I've been too lazy to work it out. I'll keep trying!

I love these!

I got my vanity unit from Tikamoon, they will be cheaper than those designs but not standard bathroom units either

On the middle one how do you get to the cistern? It looks expensive to maintain!

I like them all and don't like the shiny bathrooms you get so much now. On photo 3 only concern would be sink size looks small and tap not high enough and also would the shower water stay in the designated area without a door. But love the look of them esp. 1 and 3. Not very keen on toilets in the wall but that's probably personal preference.

@Love51

On the middle one how do you get to the cistern? It looks expensive to maintain!

The tiled panel comes off.

Ours is not unlike the middle one, but with green metro wall tiles and Moroccan floor tiles, with a free-standing bath and open shelves. The greige, big-tiled bathrooms that seem to be standard now do nothing for me.

@VinylDetective thanks. I like it better now.

They don’t do anything for me either @GrandAltogether. Yours sounds lovely. I dream of a copper bath - only about £5k!

Phwooor a copper bath! How utterly incredible!

Aahhh I'm glad you lot like it. I thought I'd get a few raises eyebrows.

I like the style - informal, relaxed, more creative looking. I'd definitely go for deeper sinks, and I'd probably opt for a regular toilet - I've had a hell of a job with fixing my tiled over cistern.

I also hate shower doors, want to avoid a huge glass panel if I can help it as well. Some gorgeous pics available on Pinterest!

Hi OP, I think it's called tadelakt plasterwork? Traditional Moroccan/Moorish waterproof plaster finish so that you can dispense with tile, chrome and glass - your plaster becomes the sealed surface.

It's lovely :) and you can spend (I have!) hours drooling at swoony tadelakt bathrooms on Pinterest.

When I looked into it, I found quite a lot of feedback that said you really need a specialist to build/install it, as done by a non-expert it will just leak and chip off quickly. There aren't that many expert fitters in the UK - apparently easy to find an expert in north Africa but not so much over here! So I do think you might find it pricey.

I was keen on an organic-y finish in our bathroom so we did dark waterproof floorboards, painted an attractive matte feature wall and used some marble feature tiles for a hint of sexy tactile real stone. Also used all matt black and satin brass metalwork to avoid the shiny shiny chrome thing. It's not tadelakt! But we could afford it (mostly!)

Best of luck

Thanks @WoolyMammoth55 - good to know. I'd best do my research on that one 🙈 but at the very least, I could lust after neutral tiled shower walls, no glass, wooden wash stands etc.

Admittedly, deep drawers under sinks are so handy for storage but nothing a couple of baskets won't sort, I'm sure.

Picture 3, though lovely, is awful for storage and cleaning.

Agreed. I just grabbed at some looks I like from my Pinterest board. I'd definitely like to combine that look with storage options - just not the fancy, shiny drawers that modern bathrooms offer.

Nothing there is particularly expensive.
Go for it!
Find good local plumbers merchant who can help you source and a good a good carpenter etc.
Good luck!!