3 ways to make your Powder Room more functional and stylish

3 ways to make your Powder Room more functional and stylish We think having a powder room in your home sounds more than just a little bit glamourous. They are often overlooked in home design, but they’re an important option to consider if you are thinking of adding an extra toilet space. We call it a powder room, but it can also be referred to as a “half bath”. Dating back to the 18th century, the origin of the name “powder room” comes from the closet-sized rooms where ladies would literally powder their wigs – this is actually where the expression “powdering one’s nose” is from! Our modern-day equivalents are thankfully free of wigs and powder and this small bathroom offers a moment of respite for guest and homeowners alike. A powder room is usually a small bathroom, including a toilet and sink area. You won’t commonly find a shower or bathtub in a powder room and they can frequently be found on the first floor of a home. Their purpose is for guests to use when visiting, without invading the more private space of your family bathroom. Because it’s a space that anyone who may pop round is likely to use, powder rooms are usually as stylish and inviting as they are functional. Whether you are looking to install a brand-new bathroom or looking to freshen up your bathroom space, here are 3 great ways to spruce up your powder room! Install an Under Counter Basin An under counter basin is one of the easiest ways to add space without sacrificing style. It’s also a very popular option because it allows you to keep the vanity area clear of clutter. Cleverly designed to sit flush with your choice of countertop, under count basins offer a luxurious and seamless finish. We tend to advise that these are used under marble or stone, however the design options are endless! There’s no doubt that undercounter basins help make the counter surface a real statement in a small bathroom space. To really complete this statement, we suggest choosing some sleek wall-mounted brassware. Go Bold Powder rooms will most likely be small, therefore a perfect space to be bold and daring with your design choice. This is a chance to really explore your inner designer! For example, we don’t think any bathroom is too small to handle a bold floor to ceiling wallpaper print. As a matter of fact, the smaller your powder room, the bigger the impact! Dark colours have historically been branded as gloomy and moody – and possibly even claustrophobic. We instead think that painting your powder room one dark colour can in fact help open up your small space. Especially when paired with reflective shiny elements such as mirrors and sliver tapware. These will help the light bounce around the room and really make your room pop. Incorporate a statement mirror No powder room is really complete without a stand out mirror to help you freshen up your makeup. For the best grooming experience, a Hollywood mirror in your powder room is the best solution. Surrounded by glitzy light bulbs, it really is the best way to brighten up your space and see yourself much clearer. This is particularly helpful in a small powder room with no or limited natural light coming through. Feel like a celebrity and add an easy touch of glamour – bonus, opt for one with LED bulbs that will last for ages! We’ve been transforming bathrooms in London. For more in-depth advice about installing your own powder room or for more general bathroom ideas, call 0203 620 2076. Instagram Facebook Twitter Linkedin Houzz Pinterest

Minimalist Bathroom Design: Our Bathroom Makeover for Top London Blogger

Minimalist Bathroom Design: Our Bathroom Makeover for Top London Blogger Here at Kallums, we recently collaborated with top interior designer and blogger Ruth of Design Soda to completely transform her bathroom. Ruth wanted her new bathroom design to forgo all bathroom trends in favour for a timeless, minimalist bathroom design. Using high quality bathroom products that will stand the test of time to create a calm, relaxing bathroom for the family to enjoy. Kallums’ transformed a badly installed bathroom into a luxurious minimalist bathroom design There were many reasons we wanted to collaborate with Ruth, but there was one reason in particular that really stood out to us. Ruth had a bad experience with her previous bathroom installer and ended up with a badly installed bathroom. This resulted in numerous problems over the years such as exploding taps and loose fittings which caused multiple leaks. Despite paying for the leaks to be fixed as well as relaying tiles, some of the fittings continued to slowly leak through to the kitchen. Ruth’s original bathroom was only six years old and shouldn’t have needed a complete renovation that soon. Unfortunately, this is a common problem with bathrooms that are badly installed and something we hear from clients far too often! Bathrooms are our passion, and we find it deeply upsetting to hear from so many people the issues and expense caused from poorly installed bathrooms. Interview with Ruth from Design Soda: Why Minimalist Bathroom Design is Timeless Our collaboration was a great success and together we created a luxurious, minimalist bathroom design with premium quality products. Ruth was beyond thrilled with the results, as were we! A few weeks after the project was completed, we sat down for a quick catch up with Ruth to discuss all things bathrooms. We know it must be hard to choose, but what do you love the most about your new minimalist bathroom design? It is hard, there are so many elements I love, but undoubtedly the concrete basin from Kast is the showstopper piece, as a statement sink which isn’t in any way bling it’s the perfect design detail for our bathroom aesthetic. Obviously, a huge part of your bathroom design was forgoing bathroom design trends – but if you had to pick your current favourite bathroom trend, what would it be? Ooh that’s so hard, I like so many! I love the use of darker marbles that’s coming into vogue, stylised spaces, and also the cottagecore aesthetic with ornate patterned papers and bold colours. This is exactly why I avoided trends with our bathroom, there are just so many I like and I wanted to create a minimalist and timeless bathroom design.  What’s your favourite part of designing a new bathroom? The inspiration phase, I love collecting samples of materials, tiles and paint and playing with them to see what works together. I am drawn to so many kinds of tile and really enjoyed collecting samples and deconstructing the merits of different kinds. Once we were near to the finish line with installation, I also loved the excitement of seeing the vision for the bathroom coming together.   . What did you enjoy the most about working with Kallums bathrooms? I loved the wealth of quality products you stock, made with honest materials built to last. And having the expert tips and experience from Xavier’s careful eye with his pragmatic approach to the spatial constraints of our small period bathroom was intrinsic to creating the bathroom we have now. I also loved visiting the showroom for the presentation, it was great to be able to interact with the materials and see how different options felt and looked in the beautiful setting of your space.  Do you have and advice or tips for anyone planning a minimalist bathroom renovation? As bathrooms are such an investment it can feel overwhelming making long term decisions. I found using Pinterest super helpful, starting off with everything I loved or was drawn to I then interrogated each image I’d saved to hone down to the actual details I liked and then saved a scheme of materials and looks that worked in harmony and which represented the styles I most loved.  I couldn’t have been happier with my experience with Kallums planning our new bathroom. I had quite an exacting brief and a tight space, but Xavier’s knowledge and expertise made for a really smooth process and he had lots of great suggestions on layout and finishes. I couldn’t be happier with our new bathroom! Ruth from Design Soda We thoroughly enjoyed transforming Ruth’s bathroom and knowing she will no longer have to deal with multiple leaks from her previous badly installed bathroom. High quality bathroom installations are something we are deeply passionate about, as we know they are key to achieving the perfect new bathroom. That’s one of the main reasons we created our comprehensive bathroom installation service! Contact our expert team now to install your luxurious minimalist bathroom design. Instagram Facebook Twitter Linkedin Houzz Pinterest

Download Bathroom Inspiration Brochure

 Simply fill in the form to download a copy instantly