MAIN BEDROOM

We're well on the way with the renovations of the kitchen.  The building work has been completed and the units are being added.   It's reminiscent of other projects we have done whilst living in this house.  One memory that springs to mind is the main bedroom updates and the adding of our ensuite. 

Our main bedroom is at the front of the house built in the Regency era.  It is a square room with a tall ceiling, original fireplace and 2 large windows.  One looks north and the other east. There is plenty of natural light which is a great luxury. 

Beside the bedroom was a bathroom that was accessed from the hall.  This door was blocked up and a new one added, gaining access from the bedroom into what is now the ensuite to our bathroom.  

In order for these two rooms to 'flow' from one room to another, the decoration needed a palette that linked them. We chose white and taupe.  Knowing that we weren't going to carpet this room, we painted the floor boards which also mirror the staircase and floor of the ensuite. (see below)

 
(below) This is the bedroom before the renovations started...  

The day we moved into the house, the carpet was stripped out - in my opinion, it had been there too long for us to live with. We got used to the bare floor boards very quickly. Looking back at these images, I can't believe we lived like this for more than 4 years.

 

(below) The room stripped out, building work begun. 

Years and years worth of wallpaper removed from the walls, floor boards repaired and sanded, rewiring, new radiators and damp areas addressed. This room would have had a picture rail originally, so we hunted high and low to match the same one as in the bedroom next door, which luckily had not been taken down in the late 70's.

The fireplace is original to the house.  It needed some repairs and then was painted.

(above)  The fireplace before the mirror was added and below as it now with it.

This room has become one of my favourites. It has a calm and peaceful feel, which at the end of the day is conducive to a good nights sleep.

DETAILS FROM THE ENSUITE

Images of some of the 'bits and pieces' in our ensuite.  

ENSUITE BATHROOM

BEFORE

(above) This is the bathroom as it was when we brought the house and before we changed it into an ensuite to the main bedroom.  What you're looking at is the north side of the house.

Our bedroom (main bedroom) is situated beside the right hand side wall. 

(above) Looking the other way.  The bathroom had a door in from the hall.  

There were two bathrooms in the house and funnily enough opposite each other. You can just see the other one through the door. We realised one of these bathrooms could be accessed from the main bedroom if we knocked a hole in the wall and add a door.  This would then make a great ensuite to our room.

(above) The bathroom was six stairs lower than the bedroom beside it.  This meant the existing ceiling needed to be removed and a new one (with lots of insulation) was added. You can see the ladder is stood up against the loft that we took out.

(above) The bathroom/ensuite is in the part of the house from the Regency period and probably built around 1840's. You can see the remains of a lathe and plaster ceiling, this was the traditional material for a period property of this age.  It was usually three coats of plaster onto timber lathes nailed or screwed to timber supports.

A bird's nest dangles from the ceiling.  I wonder how many years that was up there?

(above) Old floral wallpaper hidden behind the pine clad frame.

(above) This shows the original door into the bathroom/ensuite that was bricked up.

(above) This photo was taken standing on a platform looking south to where the original door was and now bricked up with grey breeze blocks.  The height of the ceiling would have been between the red bricks and where the plaster butted up too.

(above) Looking north again, the wall has been knocked through from our bedroom and the platform for the staircase has been installed.  The two windows on the left have been removed and plaster board has been added on the walls.

(above) This photo was taken in the same position looking down onto what will be the walk-in shower. It shows the glass frame in position, the drain, first fix for pipes, plaster board added and recess shelf.

AFTER

 

The simple glass screen is secured into the floor; shower head and hose installed. The tiles around the shower and on the floor are tumbled marble.  They look more grey than in this photo - I will have to update with new ones. The remaining floor was raised allowing all drainage to be hidden underneath and a reclaimed wooden floor fitted then painted white.  

After much debate - should we have a reclaimed enamel bath or not - we chose an acrylic one with ball and claw feet, which made it easier to match to the white on the enameled toilet and sink.

This room has gone from a dark, cold and uninviting space to a light, airy room that is a pleasure to go into each day.