When Mike Fisher, creative director and founder of the London-based interior-design firm Studio Indigo, began an extensive programme of restoration of Ven House, his home near Milborne Port in Somerset, the windows in the main bathroom had long been blocked up.
‘The room had been converted during the 1970s,’ he explains, ‘we restored it and reinstated key historic details, such as the fireplace, original cornicing and opened up the windows.’ Once that work had been completed, there was a strong desire to keep the room as it had originally been designed, rather than making it look like a standard bathroom. ‘The free-standing bath and shower were treated like items of furniture, rather than fitted sanitary ware,’ adds Mr Fisher.
'The free-standing bath and shower were treated like items of furniture, rather than fitted sanitary ware'
The team turned to James Lentaigne, creative director of Drummonds, for help. ‘Here, our Severn shower is used to great effect: there is no need for tiling, so the character of the room is undisturbed,’ explains Mr Lentaigne. ‘The traditional claw feet and polished cast-iron tray sit rather nicely with the surrounding interior.’ Just in shot is the company’s Usk bath, positioned to afford the bather views of the expansive grounds.
A Georgian fireplace in a heavily veined marble was sourced from Jamb, which specialises in antique and reproduction fireplaces. Above hangs a portrait from Matthew Upham Antiques in Budleigh Salterton . The walls are painted in Papers and Paints’s Pearl Colour and the floors were restored by Weldon.
Drummonds (www.drummonds-uk.com); Studio Indigo (www.studioindigo.co.uk)
The secret to transforming an awkwardly shaped room
Cave Interiors turned the awkwardly shaped sitting room of an Edwardian house into a warm and welcoming space.
Credit: Getty Images
How (not) to fix up a country house, by our interiors guru Giles Kime
Ignore your friends, take a long view and steer clear of anything that smacks of being fashionable: Giles Kime shares
The 10 best interior design quotes of all time, by everyone from Winston Churchill to Nina Campbell
Country Life's executive editor and long-standing interiors guru Giles Kime shares 10 of the most helpful interior design quotes of
The Country Life Podcast
Listen to all the episodes of the Country Life Podcast.
-
17 outstanding homes for sale across Britain, from under £250k to £6.5 million, as seen in Country LifeSomething for every budget in this week's round up of homes across the country that have come to market via Country Life.
-
'We started thinking: if we were going to design a bike for Aston Martin, what would it look like? And then we simply couldn’t stop': Aston's new bike has everything you could ever dream of — except a price tagThe new Aston Martin .1R bicycle, a collaboration with manufacturer J.Laverack, leaves Paul Henderson stirred rather than shaken.
-
'These aren't just rooms. They are spaces configured with enormous cunning, artfully combining beauty with functionality': Giles Kime on the wonders of WOW!house 2025WOW!house 2025 is here. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to explore more than 20 indoor and outdoor spaces, dreamt up by the biggest names in design, says Giles Kime.
-
How the deep-lustre of copper brings period glamour to this kitchenDesigned by deVOL, inspired by a New York bistro
-
A dozen slices of al fresco inspiration from the best designers in BritainAmelia Thorpe shares her pick of the most beautiful outdoor furniture and accessories to help you make the most of summer.
-
A feast of ideas: What to expect at WOW!house 2025More than 20 rooms and outdoor spaces by leading interior designers will offer depth and breadth of inspiration, with an emphasis on bespoke craftsmanship, at WOW!house, the summer’s major interiors event, finds Amelia Thorpe.
-
Curious Questions: Where did the viral Instagram Shaker kitchen come from — and how is it linked to Quakerism?The traditional and incredibly versatile Shaker kitchen is looked up to the world over, but where did it actually come from?
-
18 inspiring ideas to help you make the most of meals in the garden this summerFrom tie-dye tablecloths to tasseled awnings, there's something for every garden space.
-
The designer's room: How rare, 19th-century wallpaper was repurposed inside a Grade I-listed apartment complex on London's PiccadillyThis home in Albany, Piccadilly, was decorated by Wendy Nicholls of Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, as a quiet refuge in the heart of the capital.
-
‘It had the air of an ex-rental, and that’s putting it politely’: How an antique dealer transformed a run-down Georgian house in Chatham DockyardsAn antique dealer with an eye for colour has rescued an 18th-century house from years of neglect with the help of the team at Mylands.
