We spoke to Interior designer Charlotte Jarega who was tasked with creating a family bathroom in a beautiful semi-detached Edwardian period property.
Charlotte’s clients, a family with a young baby, had just bought the home and their bathroom needed a major update! With its outdated appearance and poor use of space, the bathroom became the first room on the hit list. Charlotte created a spacious and practical bathroom including open-plan wetroom area, ideal for all the family. Charlotte’s suggestion of a wetroom was welcomed by the family and now the transformation is complete, they absolutely love their new bathroom.
As an interior designer, what do you feel a wetroom can bring to a home?
I feel a wetroom maximises the available space, making even small bathrooms feel more open.
They allow more flexibility too, so you can play around with the position of the shower, particularly useful if the room is quite an awkward size, where fitting a traditional shower base can be tricky. Due to the area being tanked it does not matter if there are splashes as the area is protected.
It also allows you to hide away “equipment” within the space, enabling the design of the floor to become seamless which creates a more powerful visual statement.
What do you feel are the advantages of a wetroom over an alternative showering installation?
A wetroom allows you far more freedom with the design and layout of a bathroom, as you are not restricted to the size of the base as you would be with a tray. This means you can optimise the available space for the best functionality. Some people like having an enclosed shower whereas some love the way the room flows with no tray. Personally, I love the flawless look of a wetroom and the fact that it doesn’t make the room feel wet!
You have specified the Impey Aqua-Dec EasyFit and WaterGuard waterproofing solution within this installation. What is it that you like about these products?
We had a bespoke size floor area, so my plumber, Sean, suggested this brand because the Aqua-Dec EasyFit can be trimmed to fit each space; I was incredibly impressed. Impey have such a wide range of sizes to play with and a great flexibility of where you put the waste position meaning you can play around with it. I also like the fact you can choose the design of drainage grate tops too.
Do you have any feedback from your bathroom installer on the installation of the Impey wetroom products?
Sean and his team say that when they install some wetroom trays in properties, the waste can land on a joist or other pipe work. However, with the Impey wetroom floor formers you can adjust your waste outlet 360° without disturbing anything else.
They feel they are easy to install and are strong, durable and have lots of flexibility.
Tell us about the styling choices you’ve made for the wetroom.
The client’s brief was to achieve a finish which was in keeping with the period of the house, which is Edwardian, but with a contemporary twist. I jumped straight onto eBay and within minutes found their bath; a beautiful dark blue roll top with brass feet, and it was only £50! The bath inspired the base colours of the room, blue and brass. We added modern brass taps to the bath, shower and sink and went for a black framed shower screen. Instead of going for the normal metro tile I suggested that we use a hex tile, but in two different colours for the walls, complemented by a patterned tile for the floor. I upcycled a beautiful old chest of drawers which I sourced through Facebook Marketplace and made this their vanity unit. I am really happy with how this bathroom turned out and am delighted that my clients love it.
What kind of ambience have you created through use of a wetroom installation?
I feel the wet room gives a really sophisticated finish. I believe that keeping the floor all one level and allowing the tiles to flow seamlessly creates a ‘clutter free’ feel, which is calming for the mind and a perfect relaxing space for the whole family to enjoy.
How does your client feel about their new wetroom?
They are thrilled with their new wetroom! They feel the bathroom is now more spacious than before. Their old bathroom had a shower tray and it made the space feel cramped and awkward. They were initially apprehensive about the wetroom leaving excess water on the floor; however this has not been the case. They are extremely impressed with their Impey system.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention?
I was very impressed with the customer service and response from Impey. I shall be using them again in future projects!
