A Creative Lifestyle Blog By Zoe-Lee Skelton

Zoe-Lee Skelton

5 Bathroom Trends For 2018 According To Instagram

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#bathroomenvy and #bathroominspo are hashtags widely shared on Instagram. And if you did a quick search yourself I’m sure you’ll be consumed with envy very quickly.

Growing up, we always had a fairly sterile, all white bathroom and for years, I thought you could only get a suite in that one colour. But given the amount of time people spend in their bathroom, this room has had a much-needed makeover, with as much eccentricity thrown at it as one would dedicate to their bedroom or lounge.

Thanks to Instagram, we’re able to get a peek inside some talented and quirky people’s homes, where there isn’t a white wall in sight.

Below I’ve shared the top five bathroom trends for 2018.

Wall nooks

Inverted spaces to create cute wall nooks within the bathroom are a huge trend right now. They’re functional, so you can store your hair products and toiletries here, but they also add interesting dimensions to the space. Whether they’re tiles or mirrored like the example below, they make a break away from flat coloured or tiled walls. I especially like the nook below where greenery has been added.


Image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/esframlessglass/

Bold Colour

White is so last century. A white suite might be handy as a base colour to style, but white walls are just boring. Instagram bathrooms are showcasing a boldness of colour with paint, wallpaper and even a mix of materials where dark walls are furnished with brightly coloured tiles.

A post shared by Claire (@crayvilla) on

image courtessy: https://www.instagram.com/crayvilla/

Image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/house.beauty.design/

Standalone baths

To me, standalone baths are the height of luxury. I’ve always wanted a cooper tub but space and funds evade me!

A few years ago Instagram was awash with copper bath lifestyle pictures, but now we’re seeing claw-footed and flat bottomed baths making an appearance across all bathroom hashtags. I particularly like the below images where beautiful shaped baths are set against chequerboard vinyl and dramatic floral backdrops.


Image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/vintage_skye/

image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/heritagebathrooms/

Bathing is obviously a key component to any bathroom and many people plan a makeover so they can enjoy their new space for many years to come. So it’s important that you chose style and practicality.

For example, if you plan to spend your twilight years in the home you’re in now, or even if you’re planning a move to downsize and to renovate your bathroom to accommodate your needs, you might want to consider a walk-in bath when planning your refit. There are so many stylish and contemporary options to chose from and they won’t scupper your design plans or bathroom decor.

Lifestyle bathrooms

In magazine and online, interior design “inspo” is usually focused around the living quarters like the bedroom and the lounge . But bathrooms are as much part of your everyday routine as your bedroom is for sleeping – why shouldn’t your bathroom reflect who you are and the life that you lead?

Bohemian vibes are creeping into bathroom designs this year. Woven hangings mixed with copious amounts of greenery are reminiscent of boho bedroom set ups, but with the addition of iconic photographs and curio shelving, this bathroom below almost looks unrecognisable as somewhere you “do your business”; becoming much more of an inviting space to get ready for the day ahead or to unwind after a long day.

A post shared by Mina (@vintage_skye) on


Image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/vintage_skye/

I’m also in love with the dark blue walls and anatomical pictures. They make a striking combination and hint at the owner’s personal style.

Normally a picture wall is seen in the lounge but you can utilise your bathroom walls to hang art that you like as well – why not?!

A post shared by Christine (@watersbaths) on


Image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/watersbaths/

Tiling takes centre stage

In recent years, tiles were used to accentuate and frame areas of the bathroom (think splash back tiles above the sink). But now they’re making themselves known in various patterns and large quantities.

I love the styling of the bathrooms below, utilising moody base colours with accented tiles in bright shades.

Image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/equipeceramicas/

image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com/heritagebathrooms/

 

Have you seen any amazing bathroom pictures on Instagram lately? I’d love to see some links in the comments.

6 Things Everyone Overlooks When Planning A Bathroom Renovation

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Planning a bathroom renovation can be as stressful as it is exciting. Choosing colours for the walls, new fixtures and the brand new suite are all part of the process but usually overshadow the practicality of the refit. Below I have listed 6 things that everyone overlooks when refitting their bathroom.

Drainage

This is where you need to start with any bathroom refit, especially if you plan to change the layout as where the drainage is can impact upon what you’re able to achieve. You should really start from the ground up with any remodelling plans and this means that drainage should be the first consideration. Drainage issues has been the main reason why many projects can’t get off the ground, for example, when home owners have wanted to turn built-in storage into an en suite, drainage restrictions have halted plans. There are workarounds such as a Saniflo system – but I recommend reading up on this first.

Access

Having a bath or a shower is usually a decision that’s down to how much time you have. There’s nothing better than a warm bath at the weekend or of an evening but in the morning, when time is usually quite tight, most people opt for a shower. Having both a bath and shower (space permitting) is what most homes now have anyway.

However, with this new refit, you’ll want to think about your future plans. For example, how long will you be staying in this home? If it’s your forever home, you’ll certainly want to think about how mobile you’ll be in years to come. This might not be something you’re not concerned about now, but at some point, bending down into a bath could be dangerous and painful. There are options like walk-in baths which are functional and will fit your new style and won’t require any other special forms of installation.

Ventilation

Condensation is a fact of life with any bathroom, so you’ll need to plan for good ventilation with any bathroom renovation, otherwise you’ll damage your bathroom furniture and start to grow mold.

Having an open window often isn’t enough and materials like wood can get damaged if they become consistently damp. Extraction needs to be a key consideration as you will not want steam flowing into the bedroom and causing damage elsewhere in the house. Most people opt for a ventilator fan when the light is switched on as this ensures simultaneous clearing and usage.

Layout

If you’re simply replacing the suite with a new one, like for like, the bath or shower, toilet and sink all staying in the same place, then your costs will be much lower.

However, if you’re moving things around to make better use of your space then you should plan for a bigger budget as you’ll be moving into the realms of plumbing reworks. This could mean that you’ll also need to look at concealing additional pipework.

Time

A full bathroom refit takes 1.5 – 2 weeks to complete which can severely disrupt the routines of the household. Not to mention that various other things will be completed at different times. For example, your suite might go in first, but the painting and other storage installation might rack up more time, prolonging the project.

Lighting

Due to the amount of grooming that takes place in the bathroom you’ll want to install decent lighting. Spotlights tend to be a popular choice as they give off a crisp, directional light to important areas of the room.

The other important factor when it comes to lighting is how close electricals will come to water as incorrect planning could be a hazard. It’s important to check the lighting’s IP rating before you select your lighting as different zones require different minimum ratings (this was news to me). For example, areas that are submerged in water e.g. the sink, shower basin, will need an IP rating of IPX7 and a maximum of 12 volts. For more information on this, read Wayfairs’ bathroom lighting guide

 

Traditional Craft Masterclass At The Goldsmithy Stony Stratford

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Last week I attended an MKBloggers workshop and talk at The Goldsmithy in the quaint market town of Stony Stratford. Tucked away from the main shopping street down a cobbled alleyway, you wouldn’t even know that this incredible place is there.

As soon as I stepped into the workshop, I was greeted by flames, tools and a warm welcome. With my background in fine art and sculpture, I felt at home and a little pang for my blissful years back in the Middlesex University workshop.

Before the day I was expecting to have created a simple piece of jewellery from beads, premolded charms and a chain but instead I came away with much more.

First of all I learnt what the REAL difference is between a jewellery making and goldsmiths – it’s a big difference by the way and something I had never really given a thought. Goldsmiths deal with the molding and shaping of materials and have the skills to create some truly bespoke and long wearing items. Goldsmithing is a lot more physical and requires a great deal of training to become a master. And this is something the Goldsmithy team has in bucket loads.

They’re a family run business by father-son duo Glen and Paul Chapman. Glen’s experience was honed from his earlier years training at Cartier and he is now passing the skills down the family line to his son, Paul, who is three years into his 5 year apprenticeship, but already exudes talent and is clearly passionate about what they do.

After an introduction from Glen about the history of the business, we got to work on the jewellery.

We watched Paul melt down metal, shape the metal into a band and we were even lucky enough to help him grind, buff and polish the ring all within a mater of hours. To say he made it look easy would probably do his skills a disservice, but being able to make a stunning piece of jewellery in a morning was truly impressive to me.

The workshop has all of the right tools to help you create jewellery. We helped Paul to shape the metal using some form of “bending machine” (I can’t remember the correct term) which took a lot of muscle power.

Once you have the basic shape of the ring, it needs to be finished to a high standard for a client.

 

I had a go at adding a hammered style to one of the rings as well as grinding down the sides to improve the smoothness.

Once the lines and grooves had been hand smoothed and filed, we were then shown how the ring is polished in the machine to give a shiny finish.

This type of service is actually offered as a workshop for people to come in and make their own jewellery. Couples can come in and create their own bespoke wedding rings as well for a personal touch. This isn’t something I’d considered but I will be now!

And during all of our (Paul’s) hard work, we were treated to a delicious brunch from Cameron’s Kitchen, also in Stony Stratford, The quiche and sweet potato gratins topped with avocado and feta were my favourite.

And to top the day off, we also went home with some goodies from Peel Juice Bar, Hello Stationary, Pasha Turkish Bar & Grill, Beauty Box by Alyson, Revolucion De Cuba, Cameron’s Kitchen, Giraffe World Kitchen, Beeswax Wraps, Popaball, Rocky Road Treats and Maaya – thanks very much guys!

This was definitely one of the better ways I’ve spent a Saturday morning. Special thanks to Sophie at Sophie’s Suitcase and Brand Mission for organising the event. And of course, Paul and Glen for imparting their knowledge.

A Few Snaps Of Brick Lane Street Art

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Before the “Beast from the East” hit the UK, I headed up to London to catch the last day of Dan Witz’s Mosh Pit Paintings at The Stolen Space Gallery. I was so impressed with the full throttle energy he conveys in his works. The scenes looked so regal in the medium of oil paint yet so atmospheric that they instantly took me to the pit of my favourite gigs.

Big shout out to The Stolen Space Gallery for continuing to showcase artwork from talented artists from the street art and urban art scene. It’s one of the few galleries in London where I feel that subculture is represented and given a platform. I saw one of my favourite artists, Jouram Roukes, at the gallery many moons ago and always keep an eye out on social media for other new artists the gallery represents or upcoming exhibitions.

After the exhibitions and thirsty for more art, I wandered around Brick Lane to take in some of the murals that this area is famous for. It’s a changing canvas so it’s likely that something you saw last month won’t be there in a few weeks time and that’s what I love about the postcode; a rapid array of free art. But some pieces by, should we say, more well-known street artists, have stuck around for longer, probably because the locale wants to attract more tourists to the area using these big names.

With camera in tow, I took a few shots from the main street that leads down to the Truman Brewery. Another landmark close to my heart as it’s where I exhibited for my degree show – something else that feels like a lifetime ago!

Have you been to any art exhibitions lately? Any you would recommend?

Filed Under: Art

3 Overlooked Areas When Fixing Up A Home

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When decorating our homes we usually breakdown each room: bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, living room etc. Then we start to think about colours, materials even down to things like the lighting and cupboard handles. But there are areas of our homes that are often overlooked because we spend less time there.

But there are places in a house like the staircase, hallways and utility rooms which are incredibly valuable aspects of our home and are  crucial in the overall running of our home. Especially hallways or entry points as this is usually where guests first interact with your home.

Here are three places almost everyone overlooks when fixing up their home and how you can bring them to life.

Staircase

A staircase takes you from a to b, from the living quarters to your bed, so why shouldn’t it be given just as much attention as the rest of the house? And updating or starting a staircase from scratch isn’t as expensive as you might think thanks to kits being sold from places that sell staircases online in the uk

There are plenty of ways that you can style your stairs, from contemporary space saving options using winder staircase kits to ornate railings, there’s no reason why you can’t make a feature of the stairwell.

This winder staircase looks delicate saves on space.

You could even open up the underneath of the stairs to utilise this space with shelving for books or even a study area. And what about the wallspace? You could always use this area to create a featurewall.

Hallways

Entryways to a home tend to become a dumping ground for muddy boots, bags and coats and leave little room for any interior design. This is a shame because it’s actually the very first impression a guest has with the inside of your home. Not that your sole aim is to impress your friends and family, but making more of a feature of this part of your house can really change the mood of your home.

Instead of leaving this space to have no personality, why not inject some colour with bright, storage solutions for shoes, pegs for coats and even shelving for greenery. You could even put up a series of prints and create a picture wall to initiate the dialogue of your home straight from the front door.

Utility rooms

The utility room is usually a secluded room shunted to the back of the house where no guest need venture. But it is still a very important room and one that keeps the household ticking over. So why overlook style for function?

To make the space more interesting, you could draw on the rooms utilitarian function and use some wire mesh adjustable shelving, metal drying frames and matching washing machines and dryers.

 

You could even use curtains to separate your space and conceal the washing machine and tumble dryer.

Have you done anything interesting in your home lately? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.